* Follows the widely praised scientific clinical approach that balances clinical and empirical/experimental coverage.
* Analyzes research, rather than simply citing it, encouraging students to think critically about what they are learning and to develop a framework for evaluating research evidence.
* Involves the reader in a collaborative quest for answers to questions in the discipline. This serves both to motivate the study of abnormal psychology while also enhancing student problem-solving skills.
* Excels in its integration of current research. Davison, Neale, Blankstein and Flett include one of the largest and most current collections of references of any abnormal psychology text. Focus on Discovery boxes provide interesting, in-depth discussions of specialized topics related to the text material. These allow students to deepen their understanding and strengthen their analysis skills. The Canadian Clinic Focus boxes examine both specific clinics in various regions of Canada and clinical intervention issues.
* Provides the most comprehensive coverage of aging available (Chapter 16), an important topic first pioneered by an earlier edition of the text.
* Includes considerable material on cultural factors and how behaviour is conceptualized in different cultures.
* Full chapter on outcomes and issues in psychological intervention. Chapter 17 discusses process and outcome research on treatment; it reviews, evaluates and offers critical appraisal of various interventions and examines controversial issues such as cultural and racial factors; politics and ethics of community psychology; and the integration of psychotherapy.