The stated purpose of this book is '… to demonstrate the clinical method of the psychologist, its nature and historical background, its application in various settings, its use in diagnosis and prognosis, and its use in treatment'. The editor warns that the book is not a study in dynamics, a report of research nor a manual for psychological testing. Fifty-three articles published since 1937, in psychological books and journals, make up the contents. The authors are members of, or are eligible for membership in the American Psychological Association.

The book is divided into four parts with a separate bibliography for each section: I The Clinical Method; II The Functions of the Clinical Psychologist; III Diagnostic Methods; IV Methods of Treatment. There are seven hundred seventy-six titles listed as