Review of: Clinical vs. Statistical Prediction

Reviews the book, Clinical vs. Statistical Prediction by Paul E. Meehl . The specter of the issue of clinical vs. statistical prediction continually lurks in the minds of most of us. Those who wish to do battle with this issue will find Professor Meehl's treatise helpful; it gives form and substance to an ordinarily amorphous problem. This book clearly delineates the processes of actuarial and clinical prediction and painstakingly summarizes and analyzes available empirical evidence regarding the relative efficiency of these two methods of prediction. The unfavorable position which the clinical process occupies in this review of the evidence ought to cause clinical and counseling psychologists to be less certain of the efficiency of their predictions. This reviewer has been torn by dual responsibilities to report Professor Meehl's work and to examine it critically. He has considered the book of sufficient importance for the audience of this Journal to report the book as best he is able and to ignore criticism as much as possible.