The Professional Adolescence of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Pediatric Psychology: Grown Up and Striving for Autonomy

We review the present and future of the specialty field of clinical child and pediatric psychology. The progress in education and training, science, practice, and organizational developments in this specialty is described with attention to the special issues of the developing field. Clinical child and pediatric psychology are well positioned for continued healthy development.     

Vale dictum: an editor's view of the field of pediatric psychology and its journal.

Examines activities of Editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology for issues published 1988-1992. Articles published during term are analyzed in terms of senior author gender, affiliation, academic rank, grant support, theoretical orientation, population type, population age, article type, and research purpose. Comparisons are made to earlier analysis of article trends in Journal by Elkins and Roberts (1988). A summary is provided of what the Journal reflects about pediatric psychology in terms of clinical practice, scientific research, and professional issues.     

Pediatric Psychology Training: An Analysis of Graduate, Internship, and Postdoctoral Programs

The field of pediatric psychology is in the early stages offormulating its own identity relative to other areas, such asclinical child and health psychology. This paper complementsother recent efforts to delineate training practices and guidelines.Questionnaires regarding doctoral, internship, and postdoctoraltraining experiences were obtained from 89% of the membershipof the Society of Pediatric Psychology. From this information,rankings of the most commonly attended programs at each traininglevel were derived. Some overlap was apparent between doctoralprograms that were conducive to training in pediatric and clinicalchild psychology; however, differences between programs in theseareas also were noted. The most commonly attended internshipand postdoctoral settings were those in major medical centersor children's hospitals. Suggestions for investigating the currentstatus of predoctoral, internship, and postdoctoral programsthat may be facilitative of training in pediatric psychologyare discussed.     

Training in Pediatric Psychology: Survey Results and Recommendations

Little specific information is available on the types of experiencesthat are important for training in pediatric psychology. Toaddress this need, the membership of the Society of PediatricPsychology (SPP) was surveyed regarding their views on the structureand content of training. A total of 160 completed forms werereceived, representing a return rate of approximately 32%. Surveyresults suggested that training in pediatric psychology should(a) encompass course work and applied experiences in developmentaland clinical child psychology, behavioral assessment and intervention,and child health psychology; (b) move from broad-based activitiesoccurring early in graduate training, to more specialized experienceslater on (internship and postdoc); (c) consider viewing postdoctoraltraining as a necessary step in the preparation of pediatricpsychologists. Distinctions between pediatric psychology andclinical-child and health psychology are discussed with respectto training needs.     

Pediatric AIDS/HIV Infection: An Emerging Challenge to Pediatric Psychology

The number of pediatric AIDS cases are increasing. This disease,with its social and political ramifications, as well as itsbiological consequences, presents a number of unique issuesfor psychologists. Some of the areas that present opportunitiesand problems for psychologists are briefly identified. Theseareas include prevention, clinical issues, public education,research, neu-ropsychological effects, psychoneuroimmunologicalissues, and ethical concerns. Current epidemiological projectionsand future directions for research are also discussed.     

Journal of Pediatric Psychology: A Content Analysis of Articles Over Its First 10 Years

This study provides a 10-year scientific and professional historyofpediatric psychology through a data-based content analysisof the Journal of Pediatric Psychology (JPP). All issues ofJPP from 1976 to 1985 inclusive (Vols. 1-10) constituted thedata base of 351 articles. Each article was categorized forthe following variables: (a) population age, (b) populationtype, (c) article type, (d) theoretical orientation, (e) seniorauthor affiliation, and (f) sex of senior authors and editors.One of the significant trends identified by this study showsan increase over time in applied research, indicating that JPPhas developed into a scientific journal oriented toward solvingimmediate problems in children's health care. This study notonly provides an important perspective on the history of pediatricpsychology but also demonstrates a method for obtaining historicalinformation from scientific media which is applicable to otherspecialty areas in psychology.     

Coming of age: critical challenges to the future development of pediatric psychology

Described five professional challenges that will affect the future development of pediatric psychology: specialization and professional identity, relationships with other professions, securing resources necessary for effective functioning, the conflict between clinical service delivery and prevention, and development of training models. To meet these challenges, pediatric psychologists need to maintain strong connections with other psychologists, develop new models of collaborative training, practice, and research, emphasize prevention activities, and enhance the scientific basis of pediatric psychology through innovative training programs and support for faculty development.     

Problems With Nomenclature of Specialty Training and Practice and Disclosure of Information Within Clinical Psychology

This commentary responds to Perry and Boccaccini (2009) by extending implications of the findings to nomenclature about specialties and specialty training, standardizing website information, and truth in advertising about clinical training programs.     

Science and Practice in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training

I evaluate the claim by Heatherington et al. (2012) that most clinical psychology graduate students are primarily educated in cognitive‐behavioral theory and therapy. I point out some limitations with their data, in part by describing my own experience in a “CBT” training program. I further contend that even if better data are needed, there may be cause for concern, especially with reference to recent training guidelines. I believe that it is important to consider how young clinical psychology is as a profession and a science and that graduate students in clinical psychology need both pluralism and a thorough grounding in history in order to keep our field moving forward.     

Context and Current and Future Activities of the Society of Clinical Psychology

Several themes and activities of the Society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12 of APA) are discussed: a seemingly inexorable trend towards more and more specialization, posing a challenge to the very identity of clinical psychology; the importance of broad and general education in core content areas, especially in the science of psychology; continuing education; a newly established committee on diversity to help promote and support the inclusion of diversity variables in both the scientific and political activities of the Society; and the Evidence-Based Practices in Psychology report, recently adopted by the Council of Representatives as the basis of APA policy.     

Internship and postdoctoral training in pediatric and clinical child psychology: a survey

A survey was designed to obtain data from pediatric psychology,clinical child psychology, and combined training centers. Sixtyprogram directors provided identifying characteristics aboutthe facility, application information for internship and postdoctoraltraining, information on clientele and case load of trainees,and specific training information. In addition, respondentsprovided definitions of the two areas and suggested differentiatingfeatures. It was concluded that the similarities are more numerousthan are the differences in training. Definitions suggest that(a) clinical child psychology has broader application than pediatricpsychology despite the latter's broader principles of application,and (b) pediatric psychologists rely heavily on the traditionalskills and techniques of clinical child psychology. The onlydifferentiating features identified were in terms of medicallyrelated populations of children served, collaboration with healthcare disciplines, and a specialized focus of viewing psychologicaldifficulties within the medical culture by pediatric psychologists.     

The Present and Future of Clinical Psychology in Private Practice

This article discusses clinical psychologists' current concerns, challenges, and opportunities in private practice. The future of clinicians in independent practice is presented within two paradigms, namely, psychology as a health profession, and psychology as life enhancement. Finally, the author argues that psychotechnology, corporate clinical psychology, and psychology as life enrichment will evolve within the future of clinical psychological independent practice.     

Predictors of doctoral student success in professional psychology: characteristics of students, programs, and universities

In the face of the rising number of doctoral recipients in professional psychology, many have voiced concerns about the quality of nontraditional training programs. Past research suggests that, on a variety of outcomes, graduates from clinical PhD programs outperform graduates from clinical PsyD and, to a lesser extent, counseling PhD programs. We examine an aggregate archival dataset to determine whether student or university characteristics account for the differences in outcomes among programs. The data show meaningful differences in the outcomes of clinical PhD, PsyD, and counseling PhD programs. Furthermore, graduates from research-intensive universities perform better on the psychology licensure exam and are more likely to become American Board of Professional Psychology diplomates. The available data support the notion that the ability to conduct research is an essential component of graduate education. In this light, PsyD programs represent a unique opportunity to train students in the types of evaluation and outcomes assessments used by practicing psychologists. We discuss implications for graduate-level training in professional psychology.     

Pediatric sibling donors of successful and unsuccessful hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT): a qualitative study of their psychosocial experience

OBJECTIVE: To examine the psychosocial impact of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs) on sibling donors, particularly in unsuccessful HSCTs. METHODS: Fifteen sibling HSCT donors, 8 who had participated in successful transplants, and 7 whose recipient sibling died, were interviewed (M age = 19.6 years at time of interviews, and 13.3 years at time of sibling's HSCT). Grounded theory methodology was used to derive themes from interviews. RESULTS: Siblings in the unsuccessful transplant group reported greater negative impact and feelings of guilt following the HSCT and were less likely to experience positive psychological effects. Both groups reported that informed consent involved "no choice" and that psychological aspects of the procedure outweighed physical aspects. CONCLUSIONS: Some themes differentiated sibling donors of successful and unsuccessful transplants, while others were common to both groups. All emergent themes reinforced the importance of providing sibling donors with developmentally appropriate, accurate information and long-term psychological support.     

Effects of Scholarly Productivity Expectations on Graduate Training in Clinical Psychology

We consider the potential upsides and downsides to expectations for high levels of scholarly productivity among clinical doctoral students in scientist–practitioner programs. As expectations for students rise, there is the potential for considerable growth as scholars. At the same time, there is the risk that an implicit emphasis on quantity of published scholarship can detract from other educational experiences that may ultimately enhance the quality of scholarly work. We consider this tension in the context of time management, creativity, motivation, intellectual risk-taking, and developmental timing of opportunities to publish scholarship.     

Ethical beliefs and behaviors of pediatric psychologists: a survey.

There is an absence of data concerning the beliefs about and compliance with ethical principles of pediatric psychologists. Survey data were collected from 169 psychologist members of the Society of Pediatric Psychology (Division 12, Section 5 of APA) regarding the degree to which they engaged in each of 101 behaviors and the degree to which they considered each behavior ethical. The data were categorized and examined in terms of the APA Ethical Principles. Results indicated that pediatric psychologists show significantly different beliefs and behavior comparing children, adolescents, and their parents. A "majority belief" scale was developed where 80% of pediatric psychologists agreed that a clinical behavior was ethical or not ethical. Female pediatric psychologists, compared to males, more strongly endorsed the majority belief items (p less than .01). In addition, psychologists who graduated from APA-approved graduate programs more strongly endorsed the majority belief items than did psychologists from non-APA programs (p less than .05). Increased awareness of ethical issues is hoped to improve self-regulation by psychologists.     

Clinical psychology students' perceptions of diversity training: a study of exposure and satisfaction

This study examined clinical psychology graduate students' definitions of diversity and their perceptions of their exposure to and satisfaction regarding their level of diversity training. Four hundred and ninety‐one students from Counsel of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) member programs completed an online survey. Overall, students perceived that their programs considered diversity narrowly, concentrating primarily on ethnicity, race, and culture to the neglect of sexual orientation, religion, language, and physical disability. Likewise, students expressed greater satisfaction with training regarding ethnicity/race and gender than broader areas of diversity, but rated the importance of addressing all areas of diversity as high. Although this study underscores the limited experience that students perceive they have had with various underrepresented groups, programs appear to have incorporated a variety of diversity training modalities that could be expanded upon to meet the interests of psychology students. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 65:1–15, 2009.     

Commentary on Norcross and Karpiak's “Clinical Psychologists in the 2010s: 50 Years of the APA Division of Clinical Psychology”

This commentary offers a challenge to Norcross and Karpiak's (2012) claim that the psychodynamic orientation is on the decline in clinical psychology, based upon the data that they present. I urge clinical psychologists/scientists to recognize that there are psychodynamic researchers who have embraced evidence‐based philosophy and practices; I advocate a rapprochement between Division 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology) and 39 (Psychoanalysis), and I propose a defense of pluralism in which all clinical psychologists recognize the obligation to engage other orientations and points of view that differ from their own and to do so respectfully.