The book serves as a comprehensive guide to the theoretical and practical issues that concern research in clinical psychology. Specifically, it examines the philosophical and epistemological foundations of research methods, the research designs that cover the entire range of psychological research along with relevant examples, the validity issues that affect every research initiative, as well as the rules and processes for selecting a research sample.

The study of this book helps the reader understand the philosophy, logic, and process of research in psychology, recognize the breadth of methods for seeking and acquiring knowledge, reflect on the issue of the existence of an objective truth or its subjective experience, and contemplate the capabilities of different research methods to answer critical scientific questions.

Most importantly, this book ultimately helps the reader understand that there are no good or bad research methods, only methods that are compatible with the questions posed and the epistemological foundation on which they are based.