Overview Clinical Comps
OVERVIEW AND READINGS FOR CLINICAL COMPS (05-17-07)
NOTE: Generally, as you will see below, the structure and procedures of the 2007 Clinical Comps exam will very closely parallel those of the 2006 exam, with the exception of Question 5, as described below.
Date: May 17, 2007
From: Dan Fishman (Clinical Comps Coordinator)
To: Students Taking Clinical Comps
Subject: Procedures for Clinical Comps
I. CLINICAL COMPS, QUESTIONS 1-5
On the days of the Clinical Comps, August 16 and 17, students will have the schedule below. A question may be answered only during the period in which it is given out. Everyone must take the full one hour lunch break.
On Thursday, people should arrive between 8:30 and 8:45 am. General instructions will begin at 8:45 a.m. for the morning session and at 12:55 p.m. for the afternoon session.
On Friday, people should arrive between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. General instructions will begin at 8:30 am. for the morning session and at 1:55 p.m. for the afternoon session.
Schedule
9:00 am --12:00 noon, Thursday, Aug. 16, Question 1 - Clinical Case
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, lunch.
1:00 pm -- 4:00 pm, Thursday, Aug. 16, Question 2 - DSM-IV
8:45 am -- 10:45 am, Friday, Aug. 17, Question 3 -- Psychopathology
11:00am -- 1:00 pm, Friday, Aug. 17, Question 4 - Psychotherapy, Part I
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, lunch.
2:00 pm -- 4:00 pm, Friday, Aug. 17, Question 5 - Psychotherapy, Part II
1. Communication About the Comps:
Because the Comps listservs are not properly functioning, communications about Comps will take directly by email between Dan Fishman, the Coordinator (dfish96198@aol.com), and the students who will be taking the exam(s). Materials related to Comps will be posted on electronic, Rutgers University Libraries Reserve (see item below).
2. Library Reserve Site:
To access the Clinical Comps Information, go to the Comprehensive Exams course, listed as Independent Study 18:820:601:A1
3. Faculty Coordinators: The general exam will be coordinated by the Dan Fishman, in consultation with the Clinical Department Chair, Brenna Bry.
4. Questions and Courses: see below.
5. Number of Question Options Per Area: see below.
6. Past Exams: Past Exams will be available on the Library Reserve site. Note that exams are not identical each year. So also rely on the description contained in this Overview. Also, answers to past exam questions will not be available.
7. Library Reserve Site: To access the General Comps Information, go to the Comprehensive Exams course, listed as Independent Study 18:820:601:A1.
8. "Partial Open Book" Exam. Students can bring in the following outside materials to the exam, and ONLY these materials:
a) Primarily for Questions
2 and 3:
*** Quick Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-IV-TR (Quick Reference
to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM) by theAmerican Psychiatric Association
(Paperback - July 2000), OR
*** Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria From DSM-IV-TR (Desk Reference
to the Diagnostic Criteria from Dsm) by American Psychiatric Association (Spiral-bound
- September 2000).
b) Primarily for Question
5 (see reading list below):
*** Chambless, D.L., & Ollendick, T.H. (2001). Empirically supported psychological
interventions: Controversies and evidence. Annual Review of Psychology, 52,
685-716.
*** APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice. (2006). Evidence-Based
Practice in Psychology. American Psychologist, 4, 271-285.
*** Spring, B., Pagoto, S., Kaufmann, P. G., Whitlock, E. P., Glasgow, R.
E. et al. (2005). Invitation to a dialogue between researchers and clinicians
about evidence-based behavioral medicine. Ann Behav Med, 30, 125-137.
NOTE: You can only write notes on these materials relevant to the
materials themselves. You should not write notes as guides to other readings.
9. Citations in Answers: For each answer, a few relevant citations of important, published works are expected. For each citation, provide the last name of the first author, e.g. "Fishman.," (if there are other authors you know of, write, "et al," e.g., "Fishman et al."); and the approximate year of the publication.
10. Integrity Statement: Students must commit to and sign an "integrity statement" for the five questions. A copy of the appropriate integrity statement will be distributed at the end of Question 5. The integrity statement will say:
Concerning Questions 1-5 of the Clinical Comprehensive Exam, I have neither given information to nor received information from others concerning this question, nor discussed this question with anyone. This includes information exchanged by cell phones.
I understand that the above sentence is clarified by the following: Before I saw Questions 1-5, I was able to consult any written source relating to the topic and discuss it with any others. However, once I picked up (or saw) the actual questions, I was not able to talk to anyone else about it/them.
11. Page Limits: The page limits for each question will be specified on the question. These limits will be the same as in past years, as can be seen in the previous exams posted on the Library Reserve site.
12. Parking: Students should pick up their parking permits from their Departmental Administrator, Alicia.
13. Time Keeping. Please bring your own watch or clock for keeping track of time during comps. If you have a watch that beeps, be sure to turn off the beep for the exam so as not to bother other people. We expect folks to be attentive to time without excessive help from staff.
14. Cell Phones: Cell phones must be turned off during the exam, although they can be used before the exam begins, during the lunch hour, and after the exam. They cannot be used at any other time during which the exam is taking place.
15. iPod and related musical devices: Ipod and related musical devices with earphones only are allowed as long as they are only used for music and not for any verbal or written material.
16. Faculty Presence: A faculty member will be available (in-person or by phone) at the start of each session of the in-class exam to answer questions about the content of questions.
17. University Computers Only: Students may not use their own computers for the in-class exam. Only computers supplied by the university can be employed.
18. Grading:
1. Faculty graders will be assigned by the Clinical Comps Committee (Fishman and Bry). Criteria for assignment will be expertise as well as overall workload. To insure proper grading, be certain to provide the information requested for each answer so that it can be properly used in assigning graders to your exam.
2. The full details of grading procedures are provided in the Blue Book. Briefly:
a) All five questions graded satisfactory:
pass the exam without remediation.
b) One or two questions only graded satisfactory, written retake of entire
exam at a regularly scheduled comps testing date in the future.
c) Three (or four) questions graded satisfactory, one (or two) responses graded
unsatisfactory:
i) For each unsatisfactory question that is graded 3&3 or 3&4 by the two readers,
the question has to be remediated with an individual faculty member.
ii) For each unsatisfactory question that is graded 4&4 by the two readers,
the question requires a written re-take at a regularly schedule comps testing
date in the future.
3. The faculty will aim to complete the grading by October 15. All students will be notified of their individual results by letter at the same time.
4. Faculty graders have a space for comments in addition to assigning number grades to each answer. These comments, together with the original answers, will be available for review by the student after all the grading is completed. The graders sign their answers.
5. The student answers do not have names on them. Thus the faculty grading is done without knowledge of who the student is.
20. More About the Questions - see below.
21. Comp Boxes: "Comp Boxes" consist of material that past students have put together to study for the General Comps. Some faculty believe that using comp boxes is not necessary and may even be distracting. Faculty encourage the use of reading lists from relevant courses (for Questions 1-4) and as listed below as a base, and from the special "Hot Topics" reading list (for Question 5).
22. Comps Groups: "Comps Groups" are self-created groups of students who work together to prepare for Comps. While many students prefer them, other students prefer to study on their own.
23. SUGGESTED READING LIST: see below.
24. Outline of Content: The student will be asked to answer 5 questions, one drawn from each of the following domains:
(1) Clinical Case.
(2) DSM-IV as it addresses (A) Adult Psychopathology; or (B) Child Psychopathology. [The student will be able to choose a question from either category A or category B.]
(3) Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of Adult Psychopathology.
(4) Psychotherapy-I: (A) Psychotherapy Integration; or (B) the Role of Cultural Diversity in Psychotherapy . [The student will be able to choose a question from either category A or category B.]
(5) Psychotherapy-II: Empirically Supported Treatments (ESTs)/Evidence-Based Practice (EBP).
Note: There will only be one question in each of the following domains: 1, 2A, 2B, 3, 4A, 4B, and 5.
The Role of Courses: With the exception of part A of Domain 4 (integration) and Domain 5 (empirically supported treatments/evidence-based practice), the domains are closely linked to courses, and the faculty strongly recommends you review the relevant readings from courses. There is a reading list at the end of this outline that covers integration and empirically supported treatments. You might find that there are varying degrees of overlap between this supplemental reading list and your various course syllabi.
| DOMAIN | RELEVANT COURSES |
| 1. The Clinical Case: analyzing a clinical case from essentially a psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, or family systems theoretical perspective. The question is worded the same way as in last year's exam. | Psychoanalytic courses, cognitive-behavioral courses, or family systems courses. |
| 2. DSM-IV (A-adult and B-child): (a) the history, nature, structure, and content of DSM-IV; (b) age and diversity as they impact upon DSM-IV; and (c) problems and prospects concerning the future of DSM-IV. |
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3. Empirical Foundations of Adult Psychopathology. The previous domain
takes a broad look at psychopathology by addressing theses and issues
in the DSM-IV Manual. This question focuses on selected categories of
psychopathology in adults, and looks at them in depth from a variety
of perspectives. The adult areas are similar to those in past exams:
1. Schizophrenia 2. Panic Disorder 3. Alcohol Abuse and Dependence 4.
Major Depression You are expected to know about each of the 4 categories
from the following 9 perspectives: NOTE: There will be no choice of disorder in answering this question. You will be expected to be knowledgeable about all 9 areas (a-i) for each of the 4 disorders. |
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4. Psychotherapy-I: (A) Psychotherapy Integration, and (B) the Role of Cultural Diversity in Psychotherapy. (A-1) Integration, eclecticism, and nonspecific factors in psychotherapy. (A-2) Comparisons and contrasts among the following therapy approaches: cognitive-behavioral, family systems, and psychodynamic. Comparison may be on such factors as the role of the therapist/client relationship, the role of "personality" in the conceptualization and course of therapy, and the model's conceptualization of the therapeutic "process." (B) The Role of Cultural Diversity. |
Less covered in courses. The supplemental reading list is particularly important for this category. Cultural Diversity Course. |
| (5) Psychotherapy-II: Empirically Supported Treatments/Evidence-Based Practice | Less covered in courses. The supplemental reading list is particularly important for this category. |
23. SUGGESTED READING LIST: Note that each item is numbered by the question,
followed by a hyphen, followed by the number of the reading item within the
question.
QUESTION 4A. INTEGRATION
CLINICAL 4-1. Castonguay, L.G., Reid, J.J. Jr., Halperin, G., & Goldfried, M. (2003). Psychotherapy integration. In. G. Stricker & T.A. Widiger (Eds.) Clinical Psychology. Volume 8, (pp. 327-345). Handbook of Psychology, Irving Weiner, general editor: NY: Wiley
CLINICAL 4-2. Safran, J. & Messer, S.B. (1997). Psychotherapy Integration: A postmodern critique. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 4, 140-152.
CLINICAL 4-3. Fishman, D.B., & Messer, S.B. (2004). Case-Based Studies as a Source of Unity in Applied Psychology. In R. Sternberg (Ed.)., Unity in Psychology: Possibility or Pipedream?, 37-59. Washington, DC: APA. 2001, Journal of Psychotherapy Integration Article Series - Selected Articles
CLINICAL 4-4. Messer, S.B. (Ed.). (2001). Special issue on "Assimilative Integration. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 11, 1.
CLINICAL 4-5. Lampropoulos, G.K. (2001). Bridging technical eclecticism and theoretical integration: Assimilative integration. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 11, 5-19.
CLINICAL 4-6. Fisch, E.S. (2001). What is the end point of psychotherapy integration: A commentary. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 11, 117-122.
CLINICAL 4-7. Wolfe, B.E. (2001). A message to assimilative integrationists: It's time to become accommodative integrationists: a commentary Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 11, 123-131.
ORIENTATION TO QUESTION 5. Empircally Supported Treatments/Evidence-Based Practice (ESTs/EBP)
NEW TYPE OF QUESTION: It is important
to note that the nature of Question 5 has changed this year.
Thus, please disregard last year's orientation to
this question and the nature of the questions in past Clinical Comps exams!
RATIONALE OF THE NEW QUESTION: Because there has been considerable controversy and misunderstanding surrounding the important evidence-based practice movement in clinical psychology-and because we do not cover this development systematically in our classes, we have decided to restructure Question 5 so that it focuses on understanding the actual contents of three important documents of the past decade.
PARTIAL OPEN BOOK QUESTION: With the above rationale in mind, Question 5 will be a partial open book one, that is, you will be able to bring into the exam the three readings associated with this question, which are listed below.
BACKGROUND TO QUESTION: The original 1995 APA Division 12 Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures was charged with identifying psychological interventions with empirical support for treating specific disorders. The products from this Task Force included definitions of efficacy and effectiveness and criteria for evaluating evidence for psychological treatments. Using these criteria, they developed an ongoing list of psychotherapies considered to be "empirically supported treatments" (ESTs).
In 2005, the APA commissioned the Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice to define evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP). The formation of the 2005 Task Force was largely in response to ongoing questions about how psychological practice could most effectively incorporate science into clinical practice. The 2005 Task Force defined the elements of "evidence-based practice" (EBP), taking into account the full range of evidence that psychological practitioners must consider in clinical decision-making, including research, clinical expertise, and patient characteristics.
This year's Question 5 will be distinctly different from years past! Please note the following:
1. Q5 will focus on definitions from, and facts about, the 1995 and 2005 APA Task Forces.
2. Be prepared to discuss any of the following
topics:
a. Stated perceived problems that prompted the two Task Forces.
b. Goals and aims of the Task Forces
c. Definitions created by each Task Force (e.g., efficacy; effectiveness;
empirically supported treatments; and evidence-based practice)
d. Criteria established by the 1995 Task Force to determine if a treatment
is empirically supported.
e. What did each Task Force produce? That is, what were the results of each
Task Force in terms of information and recommendations produced?
With these points in mind, the readings for Question 5 are as follows:
Readings 1 and 2: These readings describe the perceived problems, original aims, goals, and products of the 1995 and 2005 Task Forces. You will also find definitions for efficacy and effectiveness, as well several criteria for "empirically supported treatments." Evidence-Based Practice is defined in reading 2 and recommendations are made on how to make clinical decisions for individual clients.
Item 3: This reading provides an independent reflection on the evidence-based practice model and its implications for individual practice and research. Note the following:
1. Examples are provided from the Behavioral
Medicine literature; so extrapolate the material to Clinical Psychology.
2. Note that the term "behavioral treatments" is used as NIH uses it, to denote
any psychological treatment. (The term differentiates psychological treatment
from pharmacological treatment.)
3. Also note that clinical psychologists are considered "health care providers,"
when we treat disorders covered by health insurance.
4. Finally, as indicated on the crossed-out sections of the Spring et al.'s
article, you are not expected to know the material from mid-p.130 through
p. 132, except for its last paragraph, which is very important. That is, you
do not need to know what researchers or systematic reviewers need to do to
advance EBP. Pay close attention, though, to what five steps clinicians take
in practicing EBP, which are listed in the last paragraph on p. 132.
Readings
CLINICAL 5-1. Chambless, D.L., & Ollendick, T.H. (2001). Empirically supported psychological interventions: Controversies and evidence. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 685-716.
CLINICAL 5-2. APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice. (2006). Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology. American Psychologist, 4, 271-285.
CLINICAL 5-3. Spring, B., Pagoto, S., Kaufmann, P. G., Whitlock, E. P., Glasgow, R. E. et al. (2005). Invitation to a dialogue between researchers and clinicians about evidence-based behavioral medicine. Ann Behav Med, 30, 125-137.