In mental health care, Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation Psychology stand out as two critical specializations that cater to different population needs.
Both fields offer promising career paths and are essential in promoting mental health and well-being. However, they differ significantly in focus, approach, and the populations they serve with their expertise.
Students often get confused while understanding these two professionals for their careers. RCI recognizes both Clinical and Rehabilitation Psychologists, but the education, roles, and responsibilities are different.
Rehabilitation Psychologist
Education Required: M.Phil in Rehabilitation Psychology
Rehabilitation Psychology focuses on helping individuals with physical, sensory, and developmental disabilities overcome barriers to effective functioning. These barriers can be due to the disability or societal factors that make rehabilitation challenging.
A disability can impact a person’s self-esteem, and ability to work, study, maintain relationships, and enjoy life. Rehabilitation Psychologists help these individuals address psychological issues and lead fulfilling lives.
They offer services like:
- Recognizing the psychological, social, biological, and environmental factors that impact rehabilitation and impede functioning.
- Diagnosing mental health issues in persons with disabilities.
- Implementing psychological and behavioural interventions to address identified problems.
- Assisting individuals in modifying their lifestyles to adapt to their limitations and manage conflicts or crises effectively.
- Addressing ethical and transition issues related to family, employment, and aging, while providing support to caregivers.
- Working with communities to promote health and enhance the quality of life and psychological well-being.
- Conducting research on how personal, attitudinal, and environmental barriers affect community integration and participation for those with disabilities.
Rehabilitation Psychologists are trained to work in various settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community agencies, applying their expertise focusing on empowering people with disabilities.
Read More: RCI Recognized 4-Year BSc Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychologist
Education Required: M.Phil in Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychologists apply knowledge and methods from all substantive fields of biopsychosocial sciences for the promotion and maintenance of the mental health of individuals. Mental health problems are continuously on the rise owing to changes in lifestyle, habits and mounting stress in personal/occupational/social domains across various sections of society.
Clinical Psychologist is expected to perform the following functions:
- Diagnose mental health problems.
- Conceptualize specific adult and child mental health problems within a psychological framework, giving due consideration to psychosocial/ contextual factors, and carry out relevant treatment/management.
- Apply psychological principles and techniques in rehabilitating persons with mental health problems and disabilities.
- Work with the psychosocial dimensions of physical diseases, formulate and undertake focused/targeted psychosocial interventions.
- Work with the community to promote health, quality of life and psychological well-being.
- Undertake research in the areas of clinical psychology such as mental health/illness, physical health/diseases and relevant societal issues viz. misconception, stigma, discrimination, social tension, gender construction, lifestyle etc.
- Undertake administrative and supervisory/decision-making responsibilities in the mental health area.
How to Become a Clinical Psychologist after NEP – Read more
