Understanding the Biological Basis of Behavior(ORIGINAL PDF)

This book is an introduction to the biological basis of behavior, broadly defined, with practical applications for higher education programs that focus on advances in neuroscience. It has a special focus on training practitioners based on American Psychological Association (APA) health service psychology guidelines. It reviews and digests information for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists serving clients of all ages in a variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals, and clinics. Content for all developmental stages, including birth to geriatric practices are highlighted.

Some unique features of this book include:

• The integration of neuropsychological and theoretical foundations for clinical practice.
• Comprehensive consideration of projective, objective, and interviewing measures.
• Recent research in neuroimaging as it relates to clinical practice.
• Psychopharmacology and its effect within the neurosciences.
• Assessment for intervention in clinical, counseling, school, and neuropsychology.
• The use of research to guide neuropsychologically-based clinical practice.
• Eastern and western approaches to integration and case conceptualization.
• Interventions driven by brain-based scientific understanding.
• A variety of neuropsychological cases and report styles to improve practice

The enduring contribution of psychology into modern times will remain contingent on practitioners’ commitment to ethically-based, empirically-focused, evidence-based practice; continuing education; and scientific discovery. This book will help health service psychologists and counselors to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population by providing cutting-edge, evidence-based, ecologically valid neuropsychological interventions currently lacking within the field. Cultural considerations are provided within each chapter, which is especially important given societal inequity that continues to persist within our world. Implications for the COVID-19 pandemic are also discussed in light of neuroscientific advances in medicine.