Toward a Science of Clinical Psychology : A Tribute to the Life and Works of Scott O. Lilienfeld

This book pays tribute to Scott O. Lilienfeld of Emory University, a leading scholar in the field of clinical science who has made important contributions to a wide range of central topics including definition of the field, cognitive biases and critical thinking, memory, personality and personality disorders, projective testing and its problems, cultural sensitivity and issues like microaggressions, forensic psychology and neuroscience, among others. His writings are known for their clarity, their astute critical frame, their fairness, and their intellectual courage in the face of controversy. This anthology serves as a thorough introduction to the scientific evolution of clinical psychology, collecting contributions from leading authorities in each of these domains to comment on past and future insights made possible by Scott Lilienfeld’s work. Preface References Contents About the Author Part I: Personal Reflections A Personal Commentary on Scott Lilienfeld Early Life and Education Career as a University Professor Scientist, Researcher, and Iconoclast The Etiology and Assessment of Personality Disorders and Personality Traits Pseudoscientific Practices and Beliefs in Clinical Psychology Evidence-Based Psychological Practice Heterodox Scholar Intellectual Humility Science Communicator and Author Parting Thoughts References Scott Lilienfeld: Friend, Colleague, Champion of Science References Comorbidity, Classification, and Other Adventures in Psychopathology and Psychology: Scott Lilienfeld’s Formative Influences and Contributions Through the Lens of Our 40-Year Friendship and Collaboration References Part II: Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology The Limitations of Science: The Importance of Rationalism in Clinical Science The Limitations of Science: The Importance of Rationalism Meta-Scientists: Carl Sagan and Sir Karl Popper Cognitive Limitations Intellectual Humility Conclusions References When Clinical Judgment and Science Conflict, How Does One Decide? The Epistemological Status of Learning from Experience vs. Science The Moment of Truth Finding Common Ground for Comparing the Merits of Clinical Judgment and Science Context of Discovery Versus Verification When Sound Science Has a Decided Advantage Over Impressionistic Judgment: Covariation Analysis as an Exemplar Procedures for Performing Accurate Covariation Analysis Access to the Needed Information and Quality of Information Covariation Analysis in Naturalistic Conditions Some Advantages of Scientific Methods The Boundaries of Clinical/Impressionistic Judgment and Experiential Learning Chapman and Chapman and Illusory Correlations Experience Is Not Always the Best Teacher Clinical Versus Statistical Data Integration Framing the Issue and Definition of the Two Methods Research Outcomes I Don’t Believe It; Underuse and Undervaluation of Science Underuse and Undervaluation of Science Factors Leading to Potential Underuse and Undervaluation of Science Naturalistic Conditions Are Likely to Create Overconfidence in One’s Judgmental Proficiency What’s So Bad About Being Overconfident? Factors Impacting Experiential Learning: Kind and Wicked Learning Environments Contrary to Common Assumptions, Complex Data Integration Can Be Extremely Difficult Research on Complex Data Integration Capacities Obstacles to the Integration of Complex Information Implications of Research on Complex Data Integration Bad News or Good News? Closing Comment References Intellectual Humility: Definitions, Questions, and Scott O. Lilienfeld as a Case Example Conceptualizing Intellectual Humility Intellectual Humility’s Preliminary Nomological Network Implications of Intellectual Humility for Psychological Science, Practice, and Education Scott O. Lilienfeld: A Case Example of Intellectual Humility in Psychological Research References Combating Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology: From the Scientific Mindset, to Busting Myths, to Prescriptive Remedies The Scientific Mindset Principles of Critical Thinking Cognitive Biases and Logical Fallacies Science and Pseudoscience Myths of Psychology: The Dangers of Psychomythology Concerns and Prescriptive Remedies Conclusion References Part III: Assessment and Psychopathology Clinical and Personality Assessment: An Essay in the Honor of Scott O. Lilienfeld Introduction A Brief History of Personality Assessment General Principles and Issues in Clinical Personality Assessment Categorical vs Dimensional Assessment Sources of Information and Interpretation Evidence-Based Principles of Assessment Summary Development of Psychological Assessment Methods Construct Validity Approach Exploring Psychological Constructs Through Scale Construction Evaluation of Assessment Methods Reliability Internal Structure Validity Summary and Conclusions References Toward a New, Improved Paradigm for Experimental Psychopathology Research ... Or What We Would Talk About with Scott Over Coffee in a Dinkytown Cafe The Classic Experimental Psychopathology Paradigm Reasons for Reconsidering How We Conduct Experimental Psychopathology Research Diagnostic Issues: Clinical Targets for Experimental Psychopathology Research Measurement Issues: Factors Limiting Covariation Between Diagnostic Variables and Non-report Variables A Methodological Strategy for Amplifying Relations Between Diagnostic Phenotypes and Lab-Task Variables in EP Research Concluding Thoughts in Our Imagined Conversation with Scott References The Role of Temperament in the Classification and Treatment of Emotional Disorders: A Transdiagnostic Approach Introduction Brief History of the Classification of Psychological Disorders Limitations to the Proliferation of a Categorical Diagnostic Approach Shared Processes and a Transdiagnostic Approach to Psychopathology Brief History of Neuroticism Neuroticism and the Development of Psychopathology Redefining Disorder Classifications Distinctions Among Transdiagnostic Approaches to Treatment Temperamental Features as Shared Mechanisms The Unified Protocol Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Emotion Regulation Therapy False Safety Behavior Elimination Therapy Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy Emotion Regulation and Temperamental Change Conclusions and Future Directions References Challenges and Opportunities for Experimental Psychopathology and Translational Research Introduction Successes and Failures Current Challenges for Translational Research Recommendations for Future Research Conclusions References The Nomological Net of Scott Lilienfeld’s Psychopathic Personality Inventory Scales The Nomological Net of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory Scales Relations Between Higher Order Factors of Psychopathy and Personality Method Procedures Participants Measures Results Two-Factor Structure of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory PPI Scale-level Correlations Summary of Strong Correlations of the PPI Basic Scales Discussion Broadening the Focus to All of Personality Pathology References Part IV: Psychotherapy: Critical Issues and New Directions Clinical Practice Guidelines: When Efficacy Is Not Enough: An Essay in the Honor of Scott O. Lilienfeld Introduction Clinical Practice Guidelines and Empirically Supported Treatments Empirically Supported Treatments The Empire Strikes Back Clinical Practice Guidelines Theoretical Plausibility Enters Consideration Treatments That Cause Harm Pseudoscience in Continuing Education Summary and Conclusions References New Perspectives in Cognitive Theory and Therapy Case Example: P.J. The Cognitive Model and the Theory of Modes Personality as an Agent of Adaptation Cognition: Levels of Cognitive Processing and Cognitive Content Within a Mode Evolutionary Perspective of Personality and Psychopathology: Aversive and Appetitive Domains Modal Activation: A Continuum from Transient Reactions to Psychopathology Psychotherapy Summary and Future Directions References The Future of Cognitive Therapy Cognitive Therapy: A Brief Overview Training in Cognitive Therapy Looking to the Future Language and Thought in Cognitive Therapy—Client Targets Language and Thought in Cognitive Therapy—Clinician Targets Conclusions References When Psychotherapy Fails Expertise in Psychotherapy Freud and His Successes Behavioral Therapy and Its Failures Worse During Psychotherapy Predicting Failures Potentially Harmful Treatments A Taxonomy Monitoring and Feedback of Symptomatology Final Thoughts References Part V: Controversies, Issues, and Future Directions Multiculturalism and Applied Psychological Science: Critical Considerations and Future Directions Definitional Issues Within Multiculturalism Dogmatic Emphasis on Group Differences Within Multiculturalism Multiculturalism as a Perceived Exclusive Ideology The Future of Multiculturalism in Psychology: Some Concluding Thoughts References Controversies in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder How Common Is PTSD? The Diagnostic Definition Conundrum The Role of Dissociation in PTSD Prediction of PTSD The Definition of a Traumatic Event Does Delayed-Onset PTSD Exist? The Optimal Treatment for PTSD The Search for Biomarkers in PTSD Summary References The Recovered Memory Debate: Wins, Losses, and Creating Future Open-Minded Skeptics The Memory Wars and Why They Matter Wins for Skepticism Losses for Skepticism The Future: How to Create Open-Minded Skeptics Summary References The Conundrum of Measuring Authoritarianism: A Case Study in Political Bias Test Bias in Political Psychology Theory-Ladenness Hidden Invalidity Authoritarianism: A Case Study in Political Bias A Brief History of Authoritarianism Research Identifying Political Bias in Authoritarianism Measures Recommendations to Reduce Political Bias in Measurement References Experiences of Lifelong Learners in Clinical Psychology A Brief History of Lifelong Learning Multiple Perspectives of Lifelong Learners The Experience of a Regulator of Lifelong Learning (J. Kim Penberthy) The Experience of a Questioning Expert (Brandon A. Gaudiano) The Experience of a Clinical Supervisor (Tara S. Peris) The Experience of a Researcher Who Needs a Statistical Upgrade (Bethany A. Teachman) The Experience of a Cognitive Behavior Therapist as a Phenomenologist (Gerald C. Davison) The Experience of an Evolving Psychopathologist (Steven D. Hollon) The Experience of a Humbled Educator (Jason J. Washburn) Conclusion References Index