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Many psychotherapists openly state that scientific research is largely irrelevant to their practice. Most say that their clinical techniques largely reflect their own insights and experience; they tend not to use the most effective types of treatments available; and they admit to little in the way of scientific training. -The Post on Sunday, November 15, 2009*

“Clinical psychologists’ failure to achieve a more significant impact on clinical and public health may be traced to their deep ambivalence about the role of science and their lack of adequate science training, which leads them to value personal clinical experience over research evidence, use assessment practices that have dubious psychometric support, and not use the interventions for which there is the strongest evidence of efficacy.” [ SOURCE: APS Psychological Science in the Public Interest / Current Status and Future Prospects of Clinical Psychology: Toward a Scientifically Principled Approach to Mental and Behavioral Health Care / By Timothy B. Baker, Richard M. McFall, and Varda Shoham / Vol. 9, No. 2, Oct. 2009 / PDF
/ Summary ]_______
*Washington Post
Is your therapist a little behind the times?
November 15, 2009
by Timothy Baker, Richard McFall, and Varda Shoham
The practice of clinical psychology — which includes psychotherapy — is akin to medicine as it was practiced a century ago…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/13/AR2009111302221.html
888 More media coverage of “Current Status and Future Prospects of Clinical Psychology” by Baker, McFall and Shoham 888
The Daily Page
Prof renews psychology controversy
November 5, 2009
by Josh Wimmer
Timothy Baker has a problem with psychology today. He thinks it bears a dangerous resemblance to the medicine of yesteryear: anecdotal, unscientific, as likely to hurt as help...
http://www.isthmus.com/isthmus/article.php?article=27345
Nature
Psychology: a reality check
October 15, 2009
by Allison Abbott
Anyone reading Sigmund Freud's original works might well be seduced by the beauty of his prose, the elegance of his arguments and the acuity of his intuition…http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v461/n7266/full/461847a.html
Psychology Today
How Deep is the Divide between Therapy and Science?
October 9, 2009
by Michael Steger
Is there a Mackenzie Phillips-sized family secret lurking in the heart of psychology?...
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-meaning-in-life/200910/how-deep-is-the-divide-between-therapy-and-science
Los Angeles Times
Do therapists know what they're doing? Don't bank on it, 3 psychologists say
October 8, 2009
by Rosie Mestel
When we're battling psychological problems and go see a therapist for treatment, we tend to trust that it's doing us good. But should we?...
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/10/do-therapists-know-what-theyre-doing-dont-bank-on-it-three-psychologists-say.html
Nature.com
Quote of the Day
October 5, 2009
by Walter Mischel
“The disconnect between what clinicians do and what science has discovered is an unconscionable embarrassment. [There is a] widening gulf between clinical practice and science.”
http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2009/10/quotes_of_the_day_22.html
Science Magazine
Shrinking the Shrinks
October 2, 2009
by Constance Holden
Many training programs for clinical psychologists in the United States should be scrapped, an organization of psychologists says...
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/journals/pspi/Science_Mag_coverage.pdf
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Report Calls for Added Science in Psychology Ph.D. Programs
October 2, 2009
by Simmi Aujla
A group of psychologists is proposing a new accreditation system for graduate psychology programs that offer Ph.D.'s, saying such programs should emphasize scientific training more than the current system does...
http://chronicle.com/article/Report-Calls-for-Increased/48697/
Newsweek
Ignoring the Evidence: Why do psychologists reject science?
October 2, 2009
by Sharon Begley
It's a good thing couches are too heavy to throw, because the fight brewing among therapists is getting ugly...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/216506If clinical psychology in the United States wants
to remain viable and relevant in today's health systems,
it needs to publicly embrace science.
[This post was originally published on 28 Nov 2009]













