Teaching Psychology in
Pakistan: Changing
Perspectives
Anila Kamal (Ph.D)
Tenured Professor and Director
National Institute of Psychology,
Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan
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Overview
• History of Psychology in Pakistan dates back
to 1920s.
• Mostly, Departments of Philosophy offered
Masters programs both in philosophy and
psychology
• These departments took initiatives in test
development and cultural adaptations of the
Western tests
• However, in the middle of last century,
independent departments of Psychology
were established in public sector universities
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• First professional journal of psychology in
Pakistan, the Pakistan Journal of Psychology
was published in June, 1965
• In the following years, Pakistan witness more
openings of new departments along with
establishment of well equipped experimental
laboratories.
• Meanwhile few departments also took
initiative to offer M.Phil and Ph.D degrees in
Psychology
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• Decade of 80s was signified with the
establishment of increased number of
departments of psychology in the affiliated
colleges of public sector universities.
• Training institutes for clinical psychologists
were also established.
• Different national associations of
psychology were also formed.
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National Associations of
Psychology in Pakistan
• Pakistan Psychological Association (1968)
• Pakistan Association of Clinical Psychologists
(1988)
• Advancement of Muslim Psychology (1988)
• Main objectives of associations include:
Promoting the status of psychology in Pakistan
Enhancing awareness among public
Providing guidance and training to students
Facilitating research and convening
conferences, seminars, and workshops.
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Teaching Psychology in Pakistan
• At present there are more than 30 independent
departments of psychology at private and public sector
universities and affiliated colleges.
• In academic settings, psychology is not part of school
curriculum till grade 10.
• Offered as elective course of General Psychology in
grade 11 and 12.
• In graduate program, more credit hours are offered
with major in Psychology.
• In masters program, psychology can be opted as a
major for specialization. Students have to take at least
60 credit hrs. courses in various fields of psychology
along with focus on specialized courses.
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• In Pakistan, specialization offered at Masters
level include clinical psychology, educational
psychology, I/O psychology, counseling &
guidance, psychometrics, developmental
psychopathology, and gender psychology.
• With the proliferation of masters programs in
various colleges and universities, there has
been a remarkable increase in the number of
psychologists.
• Allied disciplines like education, management
sciences, special education, and home
economics also offered psychology courses
as a part of their curriculum.
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• Universities in Pakistan have a uniform
undergraduate curriculum regulated by
Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
• Post-graduate programs (both M.Phil and
Ph.D) are offered in extensive number
universities in Pakistan.
• M.Phil program is of 2 years with one year
of coursework and one year of research
• Doctoral program is spanned over
minimum three years (including course
work, publication of research paper and
producing dissertation).
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• Common course works for M.Phil and Ph.D
programs are advanced research methods and
statistical data analysis by using different software
packages.
• Areas of specializations include: counseling and
guidance, community psychology, cross cultural
psychology, I/O psychology, psychological
assessment, psychopathology, school psychology
and special education, and others.
• Method of instruction: undergraduate and graduate
level: lecture based seminars, and group
discussions, class presentations and field work
• Postgraduate programs: practical application is
emphasized more than theory.
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Psychological Outreach Services
• Increase in urbanization: rise in psychosocial
problems
• Further aggravated by the ever changing socio
political scenarios in the country.
• Drug addiction, HIV, depression, suicide,
unemployment, PTSD (floods & earthquake;
internal displacement).
• Need to expand the role of psychologists in social
and health sector.
• Strong dearth of corresponding ratio of
psychologists available for the larger masses of
population (in economically underdeveloped areas)
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• Most of the clinical psychologists are
working in public and private hospitals and
clinics rendering mental health and
psychological services.
• Selection centers in both civil services and
armed forces have employed
psychologists as experts in construction
and administration of psychological tests.
• Very few educational institutions hire
psychologists as school counselors.
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Research Trends
• Besides quantitative methods, mixed design
research and qualitative techniques are used
in exploring indigenous problems.
• Developmental psychopathology, educational,
gender, and industrial-organizational
psychology have shown marked increase in
research and scientific exploration.
• Test construction, initial reliance on Western
tests has been replaced by the development
and validation studies conducted in relation to
achievement, intelligence, aptitude,
personality, and vocational interest.
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• Children: Cognitive development of
preschoolers, learning problems, educational
abilities, playful behavior, self concept and
achievement
• Clinical population: Aggression, conduct
related issues, emotional and behavioral
adjustment; prevalence and etiology of
particular disorders.
• Organizational context and industrial
/occupational settings.
• Women: sexual harassment, domestic
violence, marital adjustment, physical and
emotional abuse
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• Culture specific problems: honor killing
and gender discrimination.
• Special populations: disabled people,
minority groups, and ethnic subgroups.
• Special feature of researches conducted in
centre of excellence are the very first of
their kind such as doctoral study
conducted on the transgenders which also
paved the way for their regular legislation
in Pakistan which, in turn, is a milestone in
the history of our country
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Future challenges and Prospects of
Teaching Psychology in Pakistan
• More than 50% population of Pakistan is residing in
rural areas
• Larger ratio of population under 18 years of age
• Migration to cosmopolitan cities is very common
• Swift shift in social issues which are the products of
brisk transformations of social situation in Pakistan.
• Post 9/11 scenario: Affect on social, political, and
economic levels.
• War against terrorism has an extensive and far
reaching influence on the national and individual
lives of Pakistani people
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• Dire need to concentrate on these issues with
corresponding solutions:
• Changes in the curriculum of psychology: Two
prong purpose:
A) Impart training to induce positive behaviors of
resilience, religious tolerance, optimism and sense
of civic responsibility.
B) It will also facilitate enhanced understanding of
culture specific etiological reasons for the disruptive
actions.
• Psychologists need to work in congenial
relationships with the psychiatrists, physicians,
social workers, and other allied health professionals
for the resolution of such problems.
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Journals Published in Pakistan
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Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research (PJPR)
Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Pakistan Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
Pakistan Journal of Psychology
Pakistan Journal of Clinical Psychology
Pakistan Journal of Professional Psychology
PJPR: abstracted and indexed in Proquest, PsycInfo,
and Ulrich Periodical Directory, EBSCO, Vanderbilt ELibrary, University of Washington Database, San Jose
Library E-Catalogue, University of South Australia ECatalogue, OhioLINK, MONASH University E-Library,
TROVE National University of Australia, LexisNexis, ELibrary of Georgia State University.
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Center of Excellence in Pakistan
• National Institute of Psychology (NIP) is a
Center of Excellence in Psychology,
Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad,
Pakistan.
• Established 1976, it has rendered services
as a national organization in the
educational sector.
• Top ranked institute in Pakistan for the last
so many years.
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Main Focus Of NIP
• Advanced research on psychological issues
• National seminars and workshops
• Degree programs in psychology including M.Sc, M.Phil,
and Ph.D.
• Research projects: funded by both government and nongovernment organizations.
• Receiving assistance from the British Council,
International Center for Research and Development,
United Nations Development Program, and United
Nations Children’s Fund for the purpose of conducting
specific research projects
• NIP is associated with Center of the Asian Program for
Educational Innovation for Development (APEID).
• NIP is also a South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) Center for Psychology.
• The Center confers admissions to students from SAARC
countries into its degree programs.
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• Advanced training courses in psychology for
armed forces personnel and other organizational
settings.
• Training programs related to children, test
construction, research methods, advanced
analysis and computing are also provided.
• Published extensive number of books, research
monographs, manuals of indigenously developed
tests
• Test Resource Centre provide a collection of more
than 300 tests and scales for students and
researchers from all over Pakistan
• A sate of art library with a collection of more than
10,000 books and considers as one of the most
resourceful library in Pakistan
• Till 2013, NIP has awarded 526 M.Sc, 252 M.Phil
and 32 PhD degrees to the successful students.
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Conclusion
• Although psychologists in Pakistan are
actively involved in university teaching,
basic and applied research and
professional practice, still a lot of
improvement is required to meet the need
of current socio-political environmental
changes.
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Conclusion
1) Alterations in curriculum: Address the national
issues of the country and also keep abreast with
the changing trends in the international teaching of
psychology.
2) Research focus: Sectarianism, extremism, gender
discrimination, honor killing, religious hostility, and
patriarchy.
3) International linkages among the different
departments of psychology should be established
4) Meticulous online projects: Varying universities
across the globe
5) Pragmatic forum: Students to indulge themselves
in cross cultural research and scientific
investigations.
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Thank you !
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