<P> The field is often considered to have begun in 1896 with the opening of the first psychological clinic at the University of Pennsylvania by Lightner Witmer . In the first half of the 20th century , clinical psychology was focused on psychological assessment , with little attention given to treatment . This changed after the 1940s when World War II resulted in the need for a large increase in the number of trained clinicians . Since that time , three main educational models have developed in the USA -- the Ph. D. Clinical Science model ( heavily focused on research ) , the Ph. D. science - practitioner model ( integrating research and practice ) , and the Psy. D. practitioner - scholar model ( focusing on clinical practice ) . In the UK the Clinical Psychology Doctorate falls between the latter two of these models , whilst in much of mainland Europe the training is at masters level and predominantly psychotherapeutic . Clinical psychologists are expert in providing psychotherapy , and generally train within four primary theoretical orientations -- psychodynamic , humanistic , behavior therapy / cognitive behavioral , and systems or family therapy . </P>
<P> The field is often considered to have begun in 1896 with the opening of the first psychological clinic at the University of Pennsylvania by Lightner Witmer . In the first half of the 20th century , clinical psychology was focused on psychological assessment , with little attention given to treatment . This changed after the 1940s when World War II resulted in the need for a large increase in the number of trained clinicians . Since that time , three main educational models have developed in the USA -- the Ph. D. Clinical Science model ( heavily focused on research ) , the Ph. D. science - practitioner model ( integrating research and practice ) , and the Psy. D. practitioner - scholar model ( focusing on clinical practice ) . In the UK the Clinical Psychology Doctorate falls between the latter two of these models , whilst in much of mainland Europe the training is at masters level and predominantly psychotherapeutic . Clinical psychologists are expert in providing psychotherapy , and generally train within four primary theoretical orientations -- psychodynamic , humanistic , behavior therapy / cognitive behavioral , and systems or family therapy . </P>
around what year did the discipline of clinical psychology come in to existence
around what year did the discipline of clinical psychology come in to existence
1896
1896