Introduction to Clinical Psychology Textbooks: What’s Missing?

Abstract

Textbooks are fundamental to higher education. Scholars have previously evaluated texts from a wide range of disciplines. However, similar analyses have yet to assess Introduction to Clinical Psychology (ICP) textbooks. This study examined 15 ICP textbooks, scanning for content on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs), with a secondary focus on the Eugenics movement. A 0-5 scale, with labels of “no rating, scant, brief, adequate, substantial, and extensive” was employed to code results. The results indicate that the mode values for general coverage of Developmental Disabilities, the Eugenics movement, as well as Intellectual Disabilities for children and adults were zero, or “no rating.” The mean ratings for each general category fell between “no rating” and “scant.” Frequency counts of specific IDDs were also investigated, with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) being, on average, the most prevalent. This study could be a catalyst for further analyses of ICP textbooks, and reflection about the content that psychological pedagogy prioritizes going forward. Keywords: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Eugenics