Customer Reviews

Clinical Handbook of Psychological Disorders, Fourth Edition: A Step-by-Step Treatment Manual (Barlow: Clinical Handbook of Psychological Disorders)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a licensed mental health clinician. I've used the previous edition of this text and have reviewed the current one. While it is very informative regarding cognitive behavioral treatments, there is a serious deficiency. Some of these 'manualized' treatments utilize patient handouts as a core tool of the work. These are not included in the text. For example, Miklowitz and the Bipolar chapter. If I purchase a text like this, I don't want to have to purchase even more books to get the tools, or engage in extensive scavenging to find them, or spend the time creating my own. That defeats the purpose of my purchase. Perhaps the necessity of having to additionally purchase the published books of all these chapter writers is a goal of the editors and authors, but it is not my goal and won't happen. It inclines me to return to journal articles (which is perhaps best anyway) based on the needs of my caseload, because tools, patient surveys, handouts, are usually included. Call to the authors and editors: Do you want your work to inform clinical practice or not? If so, please make your work fully and genuinely usable for the clinician's office. Thank you.

This is an excellent reference handbook of the latest EBPs - I particularly like the two Unified Protocols that can be adapted to mixed emotional disorders since many patients suffer from more than one diagnosis.
Although this text isn't for absolute beginners, a novice therapist would be remiss in not having this text in his/her "tool box". It reviews current studies, literature - and then gives you step by step instructions for strategies. It doesn't, however, discuss the therapeutic relationship - so you have to be familiar with what needs to be done there, buy a different text or seek clinical supervision.
I'm a clinical social worker who is in private practice - I strongly recommend that other social workers purchase this if they want to have a competent practice.

This is an extensive resource of evidence-based treatments for just about anything you might encounter as a treating clinician. It is up-to-date, easy to navigate, and puts confidence behind your treatment decisions. I've found it is especially useful when developing treatment plans (particularly for managed care). This should be on the bookshelf of every psychotherapist.

excellent treatment manual for a variety of psychological disorders. Not an entry-level text, prior knowledge of psychology and psychopathology necessary for adequate use and understanding

This is the text that I plan on referring to most often when employed as a counselor. It gives step by step instructions, based on the most recent studies, of how to treat common psychological disorders.

I am currently using this book in a CBT class. A great book and one of the best, after having purchased other treatment manuals as it is very useful and practical. Highly recommended as part of a student or practioner's reference library. It has good analysis and treatment recommendations, recommended assessments for each disorder, and case vignettes. I believe it should also be required reading in all abnormal psych/clinical practicum classes.

Some times it's hard to find a good manual to both understand psychopatology and have updated information about the best ways to treat them. This book is, then, a must-have in every psychologist library.

This book is very helpful in what I am doing in my graduate classes. I enjoy reading it even though it may be a bit wordy, but nonetheless it is a good book. It gives great examples of case studies and puts to practice what we are all reading. I appreciate the book and I will keep it for when I am working in the counseling field.

I was disappointed to see Integrated Behavior Couples Therapy included in the book. Barlow admits there isn't much supporting evidence for this treatment. It may work great, but at this point can't be refered to as an evidence based treatment. My thought is a clinical handbook should include only those treatements which are EBT; meaning multiple studies and results validated and confirmed by neutral researchers.