Cultural and Clinical Psychology

Cultural and Clinical Psychology
Between Cultural and Clinical Psychology there is an intersection of two academic traditional methods of study and thought. The scientific field of cultural psychology represents an ongoing evolution of decades upon decades of research and effort by psychologist in an effort to understand the ways in which ones culture shapes the individuals mental health and physical health (American Psychological Association, 2012). Cultural psychology moves beyond the confines of clinical psychology by defining the differences between the individual to the culture to provide explanations of variability, takes into consideration the ways in which culture shapes the individual, to experience, and expressions of well-being, physical health, stressors and this is done a variety of different fashions 2(Dutton, Ryder, Chang, and Butler, 2012). From accounts by the APA, Clinical Psychology is a general type of practice in the health service industry, in which the provider is a specialist in the field of professional psychology (American Psychological Association, 2012). Clinical psychologist perform a variety of services for their clients, assessments, diagnosis, predictions, prevention, and treatment of psychopathology, mental disorders, and other individual to group problems in an effort to improve behavior adjustment, adaptation, and personal adaption(American Psychological Association, 2012). The distinguishing characteristic of clinical psychology is as a general practioner, this specialty sees and treats a large variety of issues that address a large portion of the area in which the practioner serves. The clinical psychology field places emphasis upon individual differences, abnormal behaviors, mental disorders and the prevention of mental health disorders (American Psychological Association, 2012). Clinical Psychologist have documented the differences between cultural groups, they are versed in well-being, psychopathology, assessment and treatments of a wide variety of mental health issues (Dutton, Ryder, Chang, and Butler, 2012) What is known in the world of psychology is that culture does matter in one’s mental and physical health, what the science is learning is the how and why it matters. With the integration of cultural and clinical psychology, new ways of thinking about society and individual problems are emerging.

References:
American Psychological Association, (2012) "Public Description of Clinical Psychology." Public
Description of Clinical Psychology. American Psychological Association, 2012. Web. 17 July 2012. <http://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/clinical.aspx>.
Dutton, Y. C., A. Ryder, D. F. Chang, and E. Butler. (2012) "IN Cultural Psychology." Frontiers in Cultural Psychology. N.p., 2012. Web. 17 July 2012. <http://www.frontiersin.org/cultural_psychology/researchtopics/contextual_shaping_of_health_a/698>.

References: American Psychological Association, (2012) "Public Description of Clinical Psychology." Public Description of Clinical Psychology. American Psychological Association, 2012. Web. 17 July 2012. &lt;http://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/clinical.aspx&gt;. Dutton, Y. C., A. Ryder, D. F. Chang, and E. Butler. (2012) "IN Cultural Psychology." Frontiers in Cultural Psychology. N.p., 2012. Web. 17 July 2012. &lt;http://www.frontiersin.org/cultural_psychology/researchtopics/contextual_shaping_of_health_a/698&gt;.