Case Studies in Clinical Psychological Science

Book excerpt: In the past few decades clinical science has emerged as a prominent model for training and practice in clinical psychology. This model emphasizes evidence derived from high-quality research and is consistent with the increasingly influential evidence-based movement in medicine, which is a vital step toward making psychotherapy more effective, efficient, and safe. Despite this trend, much current psychological practice is not evidence-based; moreover, there is a marked dearth of resources available to train students and assist practitioners with the challenging goal of translating science into practice. Case Studies in Clinical Psychological Science demonstrates in detail how the clinical science model can be applied to actual cases. Edited by Professors William O'Donohue and Scott O. Lilienfeld, this book's unique structure presents dialogues between leading clinical researchers regarding the treatment of a wide variety of psychological problems, from depression and Alzheimer's disease to Panic Disorder and chronic pain. Chapters describe what evidence-based practice consists of for various clinical problems and are followed by commentary sections in which other leading clinical researchers analyze the case at hand, pointing out additional assessment and treatment options and controversial issues. The chapter authors then reply to the commentary in response sections. By examining the application of scientifically based interventions to actual cases and modeling thoughtful and collegial discussion among prominent clinical researchers, Case Studies in Clinical Psychological Science will assist students, practitioners, and clinical researchers with the crucial task of applying research evidence to psychotherapy and bridging the gap between science and practice.