Personality Theory. Position and Derived Teaching Implications in Clinical Psychology

A teaching model for personality theories based on and resulting from an evaluation and theoretical position of the field is described. After a review of the problems and diversity of the field and their limiting implications, especially for the professional psychologist teaching the graduate clinical student, some of the possible reasons behind the difficulties are explained. These include diminishing emphasis on theory exploration and construction, dismissing classical questions about human nature, cutting bonds to related theoretical disciplines, disregarding questions that cannot be dealt with experimentally, and narrowing the definition of clinical psychology. These problems are addressed in order to derive a rationale for interdisciplinary and basic categories and dimensions serving as guidelines to the comprehension, examination, and teaching of personality theories. The teaching method integrates intellectual and experiential involvement. A sample implementation of the teaching program is proposed.