New Liberal Arts Selection Rinsho-Shinrigaku (Clinical Psychology: Evidence-Based Approach)

Clinical psychology is a science that is useful for developing self-understanding and also one that can, through clinical practice, provide help to those who need it. The discipline has proved its worth throughout the world and made major contributions to society, and the field will undoubtedly be growing substantially in the future. We have written this work in the hope of awakening, in as many readers as possible, an interest in this field. The amount of material in this book, in terms of the number of pages, is approximately severalfold compared with an average textbook. We have confined ourselves to this length in order to provide the reader with a complete picture of the field of clinical psychology. If readers find a brief introduction to this subject insufficient, we would like them to turn to this book. The work is designed to serve a varied range of needs, as follows:

1) As an introductory text for the college student and a lifelong manual
The authors of this book are all affiliated with Tokyo University’s Komaba Campus, and we have aimed above all at fashioning this publication as a liberal arts introduction to the field for university students. We have put particular effort into covering the symptoms, mechanisms, and treatment of major psychological disorders. We anticipate that this information will serve to enhance the reader’s “mental health literacy.” Mental health literacy includes capabilities such as having knowledge about mental health, preventing mental health disabilities, reducing levels of stress in a person, and aiming for early detection and diagnosis. It covers all the skills required to maintain one’s mental health as a member of the community. We hope that this book will help readers understand how best to deal with any issue related to depression or other forms of anxiety that they may face and also help them consider how best to encounter and get along with their lives. Even after our student readers graduate and join the workforce as adults, we would like them to keep a copy of this book for use at their households, like a home medical guide for mental health issues. We also hope that the book will lead its readers to achieve deeper insights into their personalities. We would like this book to help its readers “find themselves” on the way to developing a healthy, well-balanced personality.

2) As a summary of the basics that the student can re-read throughout their four years of college
　Clinical psychology has two different facets: science and practice. What we have attempted to do in this work is, to draw a clear picture of clinical psychology as a science. Throughout the book, we have covered clinical practice in a way that stresses the links between the sciences and the fundamental tenets of psychology as a discipline, placing emphasis on evidence. Our aim is that this publication will set a new standard for textbooks at universities and graduate schools.

3) As a reference work and specialized text conveying the new shape of clinical practice
Dealing with clinical psychology in its practical aspect, this work explains in detail the three fundamental areas of clinical psychology (psychological assessment, abnormal psychology, and psychotherapy). It covers clinical psychology in the field and the systems in which it takes place, along with its specialized areas and ethics. A major paradigm shift has been taking place recently in clinical psychology in the West, and these developments have advanced in earnest with the advent of a new century. This work discusses the new shape of clinical practice in detail. In Japan as in the West, the costs of cognitive behavioral therapy have been covered by the national health insurance system since 2010, and national certification for the profession has been in place since 2015, as legislated by the Act on Certified Psychologists. The environment in which psychologists work is subject to major, ongoing change. This book is intended to serve as a textbook for psychologists that can provide lifelong learning throughout their careers.

(Written by TANNO Yoshihiko, Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences / 2017)