Chapter 2: History of Clinical Psychology
Chapter 2: History of Clinical Psychology
Chapter 2: History of Clinical Psychology
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Historical Roots
■ Individuals that altered the field of clinical psychology and began viewing mental
illness as treatable—Pinel, Tuke, Todd, Dix
– Philippe Pinel. A French physician who was shocked by the senseless brutality that
was custom in 19th century mental hospitals. He managed to get himself appointed
head of the asylum at Bicetre.
– Williiam Tuke. He raised funds to open the York Retreat, a residential treatment
center where the mentally ill would always be cared for with kindness, dignity, and
decency.
– Eli Todd. Successfully developed The Retreat in Hartford for the mentally ill.
– Dorothea Dix. She campaigned for better facilities for the mentally ill.
The Beginnings (1850-1899)
Initial emphasis focused on the youth population of children and adolescents who
were unable to functionally adapt to society.
Lightner Witmer. He founded the current model of treatment by forming the first
psychological clinic in 1896 and a journal called the Psychological Clinic.
James McKeen Cattell. Turned his attention to reaction time differences among
people, coined the term mental tests.
Alfred Binet. He was convinced that the key to the study of individual differences was
the notion of norms and deviations from those norms. He created the first Binet-
Simon scale in 1905.
Charles Spearman. Offered the concept of a general intelligence that he was termed
g.