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Why Don’t Clinical Psychologists Working with the Mentally Handicapped do Psychology?

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Current Issues in Clinical Psychology

Abstract

As clinical psychologists working with mentally handicapped (and other ‘chronic’ populations) we appear to have found it difficult to identify a definite role for ourselves within the existing pattern of services. At one time we were the profession most expert in assessment of various kinds, and that was itself a clearly identifiable role. For many reasons we became dissatisfied and made moves to become involved in ‘treatment’, so much so that assessment became a relatively small part of our work. The mode of treatment was almost invariably some form of behavioural intervention, and during the late sixties and early seventies many significant advances were reported. However, it has become apparent that the behavioural treatments familiar to most clinical psychologists, while proving useful, did not often lead to permanent and generalised benefits for mentally handicapped people.

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© 1983 Plenum Press, New York

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Cullen, C., Woods, P.A., Tennant, L. (1983). Why Don’t Clinical Psychologists Working with the Mentally Handicapped do Psychology?. In: Karas, E. (eds) Current Issues in Clinical Psychology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3721-8_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3721-8_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-3723-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-3721-8

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