Exemplification

It is often useful to give examples to support your ideas: this action is known as exemplification (or exemplifying).

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clinical psychology

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Clinical psychology is a branch of psychology devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of people with mental illnesses and other psychological disorders.

Clinical psychologists assess and treat a wide range of psychological problems. These problems range from short-term emotional crises, (1) …………… those due to family conflicts, to severe and chronic mental illnesses ((2) ……… schizophrenia). Some clinical psychologists specialize in treating specific problems, phobias or depression (3) ……………….. Others specialize in treating specific populations, (4) ………………. children, the elderly, or members of ethnic minority groups. Clinical psychologists usually seek to treat emotional and behavioral problems with psychotherapy, a form of intervention that relies primarily on verbal communication between therapist and client.

In addition, many clinical psychologists study the normal human personality and the ways in which individuals differ from one another in their patterns of thinking, feeling, behaving, and relating to others. Still other clinical psychologists administer and interpret various kinds of psychological tests. These include personality tests, intelligence tests, and aptitude tests. These tests are routinely given in schools and businesses to assess an individual’s skills, interests, and emotional functioning. Clinical psychologists also use psychological tests to diagnose possible mental disorders. By identifying early signs of distress or mental disturbance, clinical psychologists work to promote mental health and to prevent mental disorders.

Clinical psychologists work in a wide variety of settings, (5) …………….: hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, universities, and prisons. Many clinical psychologists also work in private practice.

Clinical psychology overlaps with other fields that deal with mental health and mental illness. Counseling psychology focuses primarily on treating people with less severe adjustment problems and everyday difficulties related to work, family, school, or marriage. Psychiatry is the branch of medicine concerned with mental disorders. The work of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists is very similar, except that psychiatrists are physicians who can prescribe medication.

The work of clinical psychologists falls into three main categories:

(1) testing and diagnosis, (2) treatment of psychological disorders, and (3) research. Many clinical psychologists combine several of these activities. (6) ………………, those who work in academic settings often combine teaching, research, and counseling.

(Adapted from: Kassin S. Social psychology. (2002). In Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 2002. [CD-ROM]. Microsoft Corporation.)