The Great Ideas of Clinical Science: 17 Principles That Every Mental Health Professional Should Understand

The idea that there is a fundamental rift between researchers and practitioners should not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the current literature, trends, and general feelings in the field of clinical psychology. Central to this scientist-practitioner gap is an underlying disagreement over the nature of knowledge - namely that while some individuals point to research studies as the foundation of truth, others argue that clinical experience offers a more adequate understanding of the causes, assessment, and treatment of mental illness.

The Great Ideas of Clinical Science is an ambitious attempt to dig beneath these fundamental differences, and reintroduce the reader to unifying principles often overlooked by students and professionals alike. The editors have identified 17 such universals, and have pulled together a group of the most prolific minds in the field to present the philosophical, methodological, and conceptual ideas that define the state of the field. Each chapter focuses on practical as well as conceptual points, offering valuable insight to practicing clinicians, researchers, and teachers of any level of experience. Written for student, practitioner, researcher, and educated layperson, this integrative volume aims to facilitate communication among all mental health professionals and to narrow the scientist-practitioner gap.

Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D., is associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Emory University and a past president of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology. He is founder and editor-in-chief of The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, and sits on the editorial boards of nine other publications, including Clinical Psychology Review, Psychological Assessment, and Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

William T. O'Donohue, Ph.D., is a full professor in the Department of Psychology and honorary associate professor of philosophy, at the University of Nevada at Reno. He is director of the university's Victims of Crimes Treatment Center, and also its Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Services.