The Clinical Studies Program
The Clinical Studies Program is based on the scientist practitioner model of training. The goal of the program is to train Ph.D. clinical psychologists who are well versed in empirically based methods of assessment and treatment, and who can contribute to this body of knowledge as clinical researchers and scholar clinicians. Three tenets guide the doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa: (1) Clinical practice should be based on the knowledge derived from basic areas of psychological inquiry (e.g., social psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, psychobiology, and learning); (2) Practice, research, and training in clinical psychology should be sensitive to individual differences; and (3) Principles of accountability and scholarship should be reflected in clinical practice. Clinical practice should be empirically based and clinicians should engage in ongoing assessment of clients throughout treatment.
- For a detailed description of the CSP program, please review the CSP Program Handbook (pdf).
- For a detailed description the CSP practicum, please review the CSP Practicum Handbook (pdf).
- Review Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data (pdf)
Admissions criteria include: research and clinical experience, grades, GRE scores, and letters of recommendation (preferably from professors and those who have supervised you in a research setting). Applicants must demonstrate a strong background in psychology at the undergraduate level, with coursework in statistics, methodology, abnormal psychology, and other basic areas such as physiological, cognitive, learning, behavioral, social, and developmental psychology. Applications are competitive with less than one in ten applicants gaining admission each year.
Program Course of Study (Overview)
All CSP students take graduate courses in core clinical topics, statistics and research methodology, history and systems, basic areas of psychology, plus clinical and other elective courses. Students complete at least four semesters of clinical practicum training, one-year of internship and a clinical comprehensive exam. Students complete empirical master’s theses and doctoral dissertations and are encouraged and supported to conduct clinical research throughout their graduate years.
Clinical Studies Faculty
I. Core Faculty
Dr. David C. Cicero, Assistant Professor, is focused on understanding the mechanisms involved in the development of psychosis and using that understanding to improve our ability to predict and prevent future psychosis. Most social-cognitive models of psychosis have included two specific components: Aberrant salience (i.e., the unusual or incorrect assignment of significance or importance to stimuli, which is thought to be associated with dopamine dysregulation; Kapur, 2003) and self-processing (i.e., the way in which an individual processes information related to the self). His research program focuses on: (a) defining and measuring the constructs of aberrant salience and psychotic-like experiences; (b) examining the relations between self-processing and psychotic and psychotic-like experiences; and (c) investigating the interaction between aberrant salience and self-processing in psychosis. Dr. Cicero’s research uses questionnaire and interview assessments of psychotic symptoms, basic social cognitive neuroscience tasks to measure aberrant salience and self-processing, experimental psychopathology paradigms to understand normal and abnormal belief formation, and advanced statistical techniques to examine the factor structure of psychotic-like experiences.
Dr. Frank J. Floyd, Professor and Director of Clinical Studies Program, has research interests that include three longitudinal investigations of adaptation in families of children with intellectual and other disabilities. The goal of this work is to understand how family interactions and family relationships (marital, parent-child, sibling) are influenced by raising a child who has disabilities, and how family adaptation, in turn, influences the psychosocial development of the child and the health and well-being of all family members. Dr. Floyd has also conducted research on parental bereavement and on sexual orientation identity development and family relationships among gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth.
Dr. Charles W. Mueller, Professor and Coordinator of the Clinical Respecialization Program, is focused on both research and applied work. He incorporates ideas and approaches from both social and clinical psychology. His primary research interests focus on applied social psychology with an emphasis on aggression and violence (e.g. effects of family violence, innovative treatments, and externalizing behavior problems) and children’s mental health service delivery (e.g. child and adolescent mental health systems improvement).
Dr. Brad J. Nakamura, Associate Professor, is interested in investigating dissemination and implementation concerns as they relate to diffusing evidence-based practices into community-based settings; youth assessment and diagnostic issues; and anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. Students interested in these topics, the scientist-practitioner training model, and working with children and adolescents are encouraged to apply to work with Dr. Nakamura in the clinical studies program.
Dr. Kelly M. Vitousek, Associate Professor, has research interests in eating disorders and cognitive-behavioral theory and therapy (CBT). Her recent work includes the assessment and enhancement of motivation for change in anorexia nervosa, development of modified CBT approaches for the eating disorders, therapist training in CBT, and caloric restriction for longevity. Dr. Vitousek serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Eating Disorders. Recent publications focus on motivation for change in the eating disorders, CBT for anorexia nervosa, problems in the assessment of personality traits and disorders, and the implications of caloric restriction for longevity on the eating disorder field. Dr. Vitousek is the Co-Director of the Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy at UH, and Director of the Eating Disorder Program.
The Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CCBT) is a training, service and research university-based clinic housed in the Department of Psychology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. The CCBT provides practicum training to UH Psychology Clinical Studies Program graduate students and post-doctoral residents, under the supervision of Department faculty members who are also licensed clinical psychologists in Hawai'i. Consulting and clinical assessment and intervention services are provided to clients, their families and community organizations. CCBT research has contributed to the advancement of knowledge at the local, national and international level.
Clinical Respecialization Program
I. General Description
The Clinical Studies Respecialization Program provides clinical training for individuals holding a Ph.D. in a basic area of psychology from a regionally accredited university (or foreign equivalent). Individuals who are already licensed in psychology or who hold an applied degree (e.g., Ed.D., Psy.D.) are not appropriate for this program. Upon satisfactory completion of core clinical courses, practica, and internship, the Respecialization student receives a certificate from the University of Hawai'i Graduate Division and is competitive for clinical research and teaching positions as well as eligible to sit for licensure in most states.
II. Clinical Training
Respecialization students are enrolled in practicum courses in their first year whenever feasible. Students receive training offered at a variety of settings in Honolulu, such as the Department's Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, the state hospital, mental health centers, schools, hospitals and medical centers, a veterans outpatient clinic, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Health, and Mental Health Clinics. Each student will be affiliated with a clinical training center for 10-20 hours per week for at least two academic years, although extensive summer training is sometimes possible. These centers provide experiences with a variety of populations and behavior problems such as children, families, veterans, outpatient and inpatient adults, substance abuse, eating disorders, medical/psychological disorders (e.g., pain, headaches, hypertension, smoking), school behavior problems, depression, and marital and family distress.
The required clinical core courses are as follows and typically require two years of on-campus training in the conceptual, practical and empirical bases of clinical psychology:
- PSY 670: Introduction to Clinical Psychology
- PSY 671: Introduction to Assessment I
- PSY 672: Introduction to Assessment II
- PSY 675: Treatment Research
- PSY 676: Psychopathology
- PSY 677: Child Practicum and/or 678 Adult Practicum (total of four semesters)
- PSY 771: Child Treatment/or 772 Adult Treatment: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- PSY 778: Internship in Clinical Psychology
After completing Assessment I and II (PSY 671, 672) and Child and Adult Treatment (PSY 771, 772), students must complete a minimum of two advanced assessment and treatment courses selected from an array of courses, one of which will be offered each semester on a rotating basis. These courses will include PSY 673 Introduction to Assessment III: Behavior Assessment, and seminars in Neuropsychological Assessment, Child Psycho-educational Assessment, Marital and Family Treatment, Psychopharmacology, Behavioral Medicine, and other topics to be arranged.
The Respecialization student is required to complete a 2000-hour APA-approved internship in clinical psychology (PSY 778). The number of APA-approved internships in Hawai'i is extremely limited and individuals should be prepared to go elsewhere for this aspect of training. Students may apply for a non-APA approved internship only after successfully petitioning the CSP faculty.
III. Admission Procedures
Admission to the Clinical Studies Respecialization program is competitive. Application forms and related information may be accessed via the Psychology Department and Graduate Division websites:
Individuals should apply as a Special Nondegree Student. Application deadlines are the same as those for graduate student application. All regular application materials are required, with the exception of GRE scores.