Despite these concerns, recent conferences on
training seem to suggest that both Ph.D. and
Psy.D. programs have found secure niches and are
here to stay.
Clinical Scientist Model
Over the past several decades, empirically oriented
clinical psychologists have become increasingly
concerned that clinical psychology, as currently
practiced, is not well grounded in science (Baker,
McFall, & Shoham, 2009; McFall, 2006). Accord-
ing to this view, many of the methods that practi-
tioners employ in their treatment have not been
demonstrated to be effective in controlled clinical
studies. In some cases, empirical studies of these
techniques have not been completed; in other
cases, research that has been completed does not
support continued use of the technique. Similarly,
the use of assessment techniques that have not been
shown to be reliable and valid and to lead to posi-
tive treatment outcome has been called into ques-
tion. These concerns led to a proposed new model
of training for clinical psychologists, the clinical
scientist model.
The “call to action” for clinical scientists
appeared in 1991, in the“Manifesto for a Science
of Clinical Psychology”(McFall, 1991). In this doc-
ument, McFall argued:
- “Scientific clinical psychology is the only
legitimate and acceptable form of clinical psy-
chology”(p. 76). - “Psychological services should not be adminis-
tered to the public (except under strict exper-
imental control) until they have satisfied these
four minimal criteria:
a. The exact nature of the service must be
described clearly.
b. The claimed benefits of the service must be
stated explicitly.
c. These claimed benefits must be validated
scientifically.
d. Possible negative side effects that outweigh
any benefits must be ruled out empirically”
(p. 80).
3. “The primary and overriding objectives of
doctoral training programs in clinical psychol-
ogy must be to produce the most competent
clinical scientists possible”(p. 84).
Like-minded clinical psychologists were urged
to help build ascienceof clinical psychology by inte-
grating scientific principles into their own clinical
work, differentiating between scientifically valid
techniques and pseudoscientific ones and focusing
graduate training on methods that produce clinical
scientists—individuals who“think and function as
scientists in every respect and setting in their pro-
fessional lives”(McFall, 1991, p. 85).
This document has proved to be quite provoca-
tive. One outgrowth of this model of training is the
Academy of Psychological Clinical Science, formed in
1995. The academy consists of graduate programs
and internships that are committed to training in
empirical methods of research and to the integration
of this training with clinical training (Baker, McFall,
& Shoham, 2009). The academy is affiliated with the
Association for Psychological Science (APS), and it is
comprised of over 60 member programs (including
both doctoral and internship programs). The pri-
mary goals of the academy are:- Training:To foster the training of students for
careers in clinical science research, who skill-
fully will produce and apply scientific
knowledge. - Research and Theory: To advance the full range
of clinical science research and theory and their
integration with other relevant sciences. - Resources and Opportunities: To foster the
development of and access to resources and
opportunities for training, research, funding,
and careers in clinical science. - Application:To foster the broad application of
clinical science to human problems in respon-
sible and innovative ways. - Dissemination: To foster the timely dissemination
of clinical science to policy-making groups,
psychologists, and other scientists, practitioners,
and consumers (http://acadpsychclinicalscience.
org/index.php?page=mission).
- Training:To foster the training of students for
CURRENT ISSUES IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 63