Student Learning Outcomes

1. Developing General Knowledge in the Discipline of Psychology: Students will be academically prepared to work within health service psychology, developing the necessary knowledge base to competently, ethically, and effectively function as a clinical psychologist in a wide variety of settings with diverse populations. Students will understand and apply a knowledge of the history and systems of psychology, theories of psychotherapy, affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, sociological, and abnormal bases of behavior, integrative knowledge within multiple domains of psychology, research approaches, and psychometrics to health service psychology. In total, 13 areas of knowledge (made up of 13 Student Learning Objectives) will be emphasized within this Student Learning Outcome so as to build a solid scientific foundation that informs clinical practice.

1.1  History and Systems of Psychology: Students will obtain knowledge in the history and systems of psychology, including philosophical foundations, key movements and figures that influenced the field, the formal founding of the discipline of psychology, and current theoretical orientations and specialty areas, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.2 Theories of Psychotherapy: Students will obtain knowledge in the various theories of psychotherapy, including analytic, humanistic-existential, cognitive-behavioral, postmodern, and systems, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.3 Affect and Behavior: Students will obtain knowledge in theoretical and empirical models of emotion, affect, and mood, including the various roles that emotional states play in human behavior, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.4 Biology and Behavior: Students will obtain knowledge in the biological bases of human behavior, focusing on the structure and functioning of the brain, neurochemistry, hormones, and genetic influences, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.5 Cognition and Behavior: Students will obtain knowledge in cognitive processes, including memory, knowledge, learning, and thinking, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.6 Development and Behavior: Students will obtain knowledge in lifespan development, including the various stages of life, physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development, and death and dying, applying this understanding to the procession of clinical psychology.

1.7 Social Functioning and Behavior: Students will obtain knowledge in social psychology, including social perception, attitudes, biases, group processes, and discrimination, applying this understanding to the procession of clinical psychology.

1.8 Abnormal Behavior: Students will obtain knowledge in psychopathology, including DSM-5 diagnoses and treatment approaches that correspond with the various diagnostic categories.

1.9 Advanced Knowledge: Students will obtain advanced knowledge within the discipline of psychology by integrating several domains of human functioning, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.10 Research Methods: Students will obtain knowledge in quantitative and qualitative research methods, as well as experimental and non-experimental research designs. Students will gain an understanding of assessment strategies, sampling methods, replication, and strategies for testing and validating theories. This knowledge of research will be applied to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.11 Statistics: Students will obtain knowledge in quantitative research, including statistical procedures for analyzing psychological data, descriptive and inferential statistics, univariate and multivariate analytic strategies in the psychological sciences, hypothesis testing, power, effect sizes, and estimation, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.12 Psychometrics: Students will obtain knowledge in psychometrics, including psychological measurement, scale development, strategies to evaluate measurement quality, standardization, measurement theory, reliability, and validity, applying this understanding to the profession of clinical psychology.

1.13 Training in Specific Content Areas: Students will obtain knowledge in human sexuality, alcoholism/chemical dependency detection and treatment, child abuse assessment, treatment, and reporting, spousal and partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention strategies, aging and long-term care, and psychopharmacology, consistent with the education requirements for psychology licensure in the state of California.

2. Developing Specific Competencies in the Profession of Clinical Psychology: Students will be globally minded and equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology, developing the necessary foundational and functional skills to competently, ethically, and effectively function as a clinical psychologist in a wide variety of settings with diverse populations. Specifically, students will understand the role that several key competencies play in health service psychology, developing these skills incrementally as they move from practicum placement to internship, followed by graduation and independent practice. The six competency domains within the CBU PsyD Program focus on (a) professionalism, (b) relationships, (c) science, (d) the application of evidence-based practice, assessment, intervention, and consultation, (e) supervision, and (f) systems, all of which emphasize the value of individual and cultural diversity and the empirical literature within clinical psychology. Among these competency domains within this Student Learning Outcome, 13 specific competencies will be tracked via both formative and summative assessment methods, captured in 13 Student Learning Objectives.

2.1 Professionalism, Professional Values, and Attitudes: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the foundational knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to display integrity, professionalism, accountability, sensitivity to others, and a professional identity as a burgeoning clinical psychologist, valuing individual and cultural diversity in the process.

2.2 Individual and Cultural Diversity: Students will be globally minded and equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology, developing the foundational knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to be sensitive and responsive to clients with a variety of differences, including culture, race, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, language, socioeconomic status, disability, and national origin. Given the importance of this competency, a special emphasis will be placed on helping students to cultivate the flexibility and self-awareness necessary to see the self as different from others, working effectively within a wide variety of worldviews.

2.3 Ethical and Legal Standards: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the foundational knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to apply the APA Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct, California law for mental health providers, and federal law (e.g., HIPAA) to their work with individuals, groups, organizations, and systems. Applying both ethics and law to clinical practice will also involve using decision-making models and consultation to arrive at an ethical solution with the best interest of the client in mind, valuing individual and cultural diversity in the process.

2.4 Reflective Practice, Self-Assessment, and Self-Care: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the foundational knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to engage in continuous self-awareness, self-reflection, self-monitoring, and self-care, applying a firm understanding of competent clinical practice to assess professional practice. This includes being open and flexible in supervision, moving towards actively seeking out supervision to offer competent, ethical, and effective clinical services to consumers of mental health services and valuing individual and cultural diversity in the process.

2.5 Relationships and Interpersonal Skills: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the foundational knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to effectively build and maintain professional relationships with individuals, groups, systems, and organizations. This competency includes interpersonal skills, emotion regulation, effective written and oral communication, and conflict resolution, drawing from the professional psychology literature to build alliances, repair relational ruptures, and value individual and cultural diversity.

2.6 Scientific Knowledge, Methods, and Research: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the foundational knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to understand and apply research, research methods, and data collection and analytic strategies to practice. Students will especially focus on theoretical and empirical knowledge within clinical psychology, given this program is based on a practitioner-scholar model. Yet, students will also have the ability to join research groups and experientially learn about research strategies within the School of Behavioral Sciences, and more specifically the Center for the Study of Human Behavior. Particular skills emphasized within this competency include critical thinking about the scientific base of the field (including strengths, limitations, and directions for future research), an awareness of clinical psychology as a subfield within psychological science, the application of scientific methods, theoretical models, and evidence-based approaches to professional practice, and the valuing of individual and cultural diversity.

2.7 Evidence-Based Practice: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the functional knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to combine research, clinical experience, and client factors so as to offer effective care. This competency includes an understanding of evidence-based practice, applying empirical models to assessment and intervention. Burgeoning approaches (e.g., transdiagnostic treatment models that have growing research support in the clinical psychology literature) and individual and cultural diversity will be emphasized.

2.8 Assessment: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the functional knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to apply an understanding of measurement, psychometrics, assessment methods and strategies, diagnosis, case conceptualization and recommendations, and the presentation of assessment results to clinical practice. Students will move towards being able to independently select and administer a battery of tests, drawing from their knowledge of psychometrics, in order to integrate their findings into an assessment report that offers, at minimum, a presenting problem, background information, behavioral observations/mental status, the reliability and validity of tests used, testing results, a diagnostic impression, and treatment recommendations. An understanding of client strengths and psychopathology are emphasized, as is the importance of valuing individual and cultural diversity.

2.9 Intervention: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the functional knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to apply an understanding of treatment planning (rooted in an understanding of the client’s background information, diagnosis, and a case conceptualization that is grounded in a theoretical orientation), basic clinical skills, evidence-based interventions (grounded in an empirical model, but flexible enough to adjust to the client’s needs), and the ability to track the treatment process through evaluation strategies that draw from a variety of reliable, valid outcome instruments, tools, and measures. The importance of valuing individual and cultural diversity is emphasized.

2.10 Consultation: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the functional knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to apply an understanding of consultation-based services, recognizing the unique role of a consultant as separate from therapists, faculty, or supervisors. With this competency, students will learn to identify and apply assessment strategies and methods, grounded in the consultation literature, that take context and individual and cultural diversity into consideration, properly addressing the referral question so as to offer helpful recommendations.

2.11 Supervision: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the functional knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to apply an understanding of models, expectations, roles, procedures and processes, supervisee knowledge and skill acquisition, supervisor-supervisee relationship, and individual and cultural diversity to clinical practice.

2.12 Interdisciplinary Systems: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the functional knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to apply an understanding of interdisciplinary systems to clinical practice. This competency focuses on students’ ability to value the unique contributions of other professions to multidisciplinary client care, effectively operate within such contexts, and enhance professional relationships across disciplines so as to develop a set of shared goals. An awareness of the importance of individual and cultural diversity is also emphasized.

2.13 Advocacy: Students will be equipped to serve within the profession of clinical psychology by developing the functional knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to apply an understanding of advocacy to clinical practice. This competency includes a recognition of the role that social, political, cultural, and economic influences play in individual, institutional, and systemic functioning, helping others to impact change at community or societal levels.

3. Developing General Knowledge of Both Psychological Science and a Christian Worldview and the Specific Competency of Integrating Science and Faith in the Profession of Clinical Psychology: Students will be biblically rooted within the profession of clinical psychology, developing the ability to integrate a Christian worldview into previously developed and well-established theories and empirical models, starting with psychological science as the foundation and exploring ways the Christian tradition aligns with clinical psychology. Students will also learn how to begin with a Christian worldview, using several biblical traditions to build, test, and evaluate theory, starting with the Bible as the foundation and exploring ways the scientific method can help to enrich, deepen, and empirically validate a biblical view of suffering and healing in the 21^st century by focusing on assessment and intervention for Christian clients. In total, 4 Student Learning Objectives are captured within this particular Student Learning Outcome, which leads to the development of faith integration as a specialty area in clinical psychology. ( Eric Johnson at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary offered helpful feedback in the development of these four SLO Objectives.)

3.1 Theological Considerations: Students will be biblically rooted when working with Christian clients by understanding and applying Christian theology to the foundations of clinical psychology. Referred to as an “integrationist” approach, students will competently integrate a Christian view of God into previously-established theoretical and empirical models within clinical psychology so as to help Christian clients ameliorate suffering. Students will also develop the ability to start from a Christian view of the triune God, exploring ways to build theoretical and empirical models that are rooted in the Bible in order to help Christian clients heal, integrating clinical psychology as a way to strength a distinctly Christian view of God. Areas of investigation, from an “integrationist” perspective, include the God image, God attachment, and religious coping literatures, along with “Christian psychology” topics, such as how a view of God’s infinite power, wisdom, love, and holiness impacts mental health and the Trinity as a model for Christian relational functioning. These themes, among others, will be applied to clinical practice, including the assessment and treatment of Christian clients in psychotherapy.

3.2 Worldview, Ontological, and Epistemological Considerations: Students will be biblically rooted when working with Christian clients by understanding and applying the basics of a Christian worldview to the foundations of clinical psychology, comparing and contrasting these building blocks with the various worldviews in psychology today. Students will also explore ontology (the nature of reality), including the importance of starting from this vantage point before moving on to epistemology. Finally, students will review the various epistemologies, applying them to the foundations of clinical psychology. Focusing on three distinct epistemologies—reason, empiricism, and divine revelation—students will explore the prioritization of ways of knowing from psychological and Christian perspectives. From an “integrationist” point of view, empiricism is heavily relied upon as a starting point, followed by attempts to integrate divine revelation when working with Christian clients. On the other hand, “Christian psychology” attempts to begin with divine revelation, turning to empiricism as a way to deepen an understanding of scripture. Each of these ways of knowing will be detailed, along with strategies to apply the various epistemologies to research design and clinical practice, culminating with the effective, ethical, and competent care of Christian clients.

3.3 Biblical Anthropological and Axiological Considerations: Students will be biblically rooted when working with Christian clients by understanding and applying a biblical anthropology of the self—rooted in the Christian meta-narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration—to the foundations of clinical psychology. Referred to as an “integrationist” approach, students will competently integrate a Christian view of the human self into previously-established theoretical and empirical models within clinical psychology so as to help Christian clients ameliorate suffering. Students will also develop the ability to start from a Christian view of the self, exploring ways to build theoretical and empirical models that are rooted in the Bible in order to help Christian clients heal, integrating clinical psychology as a way to strengthen a distinctly Christian view of the self. Areas of investigation, from an “integrationist” perspective, include spiritual development models, along with “Christian psychology” topics of consideration, such as human sin, shame, a two- or three-part view of the self, and Jesus’ call to self-denial. These themes, among others, will be applied to clinical practice, including the assessment and treatment of Christian clients in psychotherapy. Students will also be biblically rooted when working with Christian clients by understanding and applying axiological considerations to clinical practice. Focusing on biblical values, students will explore the similarities and differences between the values promoted within clinical psychology and those explicated within the pages of the Bible. Students will explore both an “integrationist” view, identifying points of overlap between clinical psychology and the Bible, and a “Christian psychology” perspective, exploring distinctly Christian understandings on the role that biblical virtues (rather than more general values) can play in enhancing clinical work with Christian clients.

3.4 Redemptive Considerations: Students will be biblically rooted when working with Christian clients by understanding and applying redemptive considerations to clinical practice, including God’s common and special grace. Focusing primarily on the redemption God offers within the Christian life, students will explore the notion of communion with God, including the psychological and spiritual benefits of spiritual formative practices, as well as topics such as mercy, grace, justification, sanctification, divine union, solitude, and fellowship with both God and other Christians in the Body of Christ. Special attention will be devoted to Christian contemplative practices, including burgeoning empirical support for contemplative prayer as a Christian alternative to mindfulness-based interventions in psychotherapy.