Psychology Training Clinics and their Practices: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Psychology school clinics provide psychological services to the community and play an important role in the professional training of psychologists. In view of their relevance, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature on psychology school clinics, characterizing the practices developed in these settings. Searches were conducted in the LILACS, SciELO, and PePSIC databases using the keywords “psychology school clinic AND psychology” and “training clinic AND psychology.” A total of 105 articles published between 1995 and 2019 were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The material was organized into six thematic axes: (1) characterization of the clientele; (2) individual interventions; (3) group interventions; (4) couple and family interventions; (5) initial interviews and the psychological assessment process; and (6) services and aspects of psychology training. The findings indicate a limited volume of publications for the period analyzed, highlighting the need for further studies and for greater dissemination of the practices developed in psychology school clinics, in order to strengthen their social role.