The necessity and the challenges for a unified model of clinical psychology: A commentary on Salvatore et al., 2022

Abstract

Salvatore et al. (2022) have contributed a most important commentary about how patients and the profession of Clinical Psychology are at considerable risk as the trend towards specialization has meant that even core constructs in our field are not universally endorsed. A science without fundamental agreement about foundational concepts is at great risk. They go on to make several salient suggestions to facilitate addressing this substantial problem. In this commentary, the author strongly agrees with their concern and applauds their suggested next steps towards a resolution. He argues that all scientific pursuits benefit from both theory and research that has a broad focus as well as a very specialized focus. Advances in cell biology, for example have created a new and vital field of gene editing. The difficulty is when health care provider psychologists can no longer have dialogues about shared and overlapping theory and practice. Examples of collaborative work in World War II technology research and in the development of Chaos Theory are cited, as well as the philosopher Stephen Pepper's argument about the role of root hypotheses. He proposes beginning a process of an international working group to assist in this effort to reunify our field. He also cautions and specifies the significant obstacles to this endeavor.