Paediatric medical psychology is a specialised field within clinical health psychology focussed on the behavioural, developmental, and psychological needs of children, adolescents, and families in healthcare contexts. Paediatric medical psychologists address a myriad of problems by employing evidence-based evaluations and interventions in order to support the well-being of paediatric patients and their families. In this paper, we provide an overview of paediatric medical psychology including the education and training required to be a paediatric psychologist followed by common problems addressed by paediatric psychology, the settings paediatric psychologists work in, and the services they provide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: There is a need for a brief, validated measure of quality of life (QOL) for children to monitor their adjustment to burn injuries. We aimed to apply a Rasch analysis to an existing measure of QOL from the dermatology literature to a clinical sample of pediatric burn patients.
Methods: The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) was administered to pediatric burn patients (N = 253) during a standard clinic visit.
Pediatric burn injuries are stressful for parents, yet few burn clinics report screening caregivers. We evaluated psychometric properties of a two-item depression screener administered to parents of children with burns during outpatient clinic visits. We also examined associations between parent depression symptoms and child characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPruritus is a common problem following burn injuries; however, the literature to date has focused on adult survivors and/or pediatric survivors of large burns. The current study examines acute postburn pruritus in children under the age of 4 years (N = 256) with smaller burns (mean TBSA = 3.99%), which represents the most common type of patient typically treated in pediatric burn centers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study examined the latent profiles of child, parent, and teacher ratings of child depressive symptoms in a developmental sample of children from Hawaii at two time points (2nd and 3rd grade). The study attempted to identify patterns of agreement and discrepancy among raters and correlates of these patterns to test a new theory for understanding rating disagreements as Divergent Operations. Three profiles best described the ratings at both time points: Child-Only High Depression, Child-Only Mild Depression, and Normative (non-depressed).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParents commonly report elevated distress following a child's burn injury, yet limited research has identified child or injury characteristics that may explain parent distress. The main goal of the current study is to examine prevalence and predictors of parent distress following children's burn injuries by evaluating distress symptoms in a clinic sample of parents whose children present for evaluation and treatment at a regional burn center. Participants included parents of 407 children who experienced a burn injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examined differences between children with ADHD and comorbid depression ( = 26), ADHD only ( = 111), and a community control group ( = 130) on measures of family and maternal characteristics. The present study utilized a large, community sample. Diagnoses required positive endorsements from multiple sources.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Despite a call for the reduction and ultimate elimination of the use of seclusion and restraint, research on reduction of these practices in behavioral programs has been limited. This study sought to examine the effectiveness of a modified version of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (M-PBIS) implemented in a youth psychiatric inpatient unit to reduce use of seclusion and restraint.
Methods: This naturalistic, prospective study covered a four-year period (1,485 admissions).
Background: Premonitory urges are central to emerging behavioral models of chronic tic disorders (CTD). Urge reduction has been proposed as a behavioral explanation for tic maintenance and exacerbation as well as the efficacy of behavioral treatments. Prior investigations have produced inconsistent findings despite common methodologies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTic-suppression-based treatments (TSBTs) represent a safe and effective treatment option for Chronic Tic Disorders (CTDs). Prior research has demonstrated that treatment naive youths with CTDs have the capacity to safely and effectively suppress tics for prolonged periods. It remains unclear how tic suppression is achieved.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To evaluate the emotional and behavioral functioning of children with bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex (BEEC), taking into account developmental and gender considerations. This study also sought to overcome methodological limitations of previous studies evaluating psychological well-being of children with BEEC.
Methods: Eighty-six children were consecutively evaluated using the parent report version of the Behavior Assessment System for Children during visits to a multidisciplinary urology clinic.
The comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) represents a safe, effective non-pharmacological treatment for Tourette's disorder that remains underutilized as a treatment option. Contributing factors include the perceived negative consequences of tic suppression and the lack of a means through which suppression results in symptom improvement. Participants (n = 12) included youth ages 10-17 years with moderate-to-marked tic severity and noticeable premonitory urges who met Tourette's or chronic tic disorder criteria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Child Adolesc Psychol
October 2008
This study used latent profile modeling (LPA) with a community sample that included an enriched sampling of children (aged 6-11) diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (N = 271). Six classes of ADHD emerged from our LPA; only 17% of children fell into a class without significant co-occurring symptoms. In addition, nearly half of children were assigned to classes that could not be reliably distinguished using existing DSM-IV subtypes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Abnorm Child Psychol
October 2008
The longitudinal relationships between depression, anxiety, conduct problems, and inattention were investigated. The present study attempted to overcome the methodological limitations of prior research on childhood co-occurring syndromes by using continuous measures of constructs, controlling for multiple symptoms at baseline, and considering the role of age and gender. Using a community sample of 6-11 year-old children, we found evidence of homotypic and heterotypic continuity in baseline characteristics and their symptoms 5 years later.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA latent profile analysis was conducted on the co-occurring symptoms of 423 adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder as part of the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS), a multisite, randomized treatment trial. The participants had a mean (SD) age of 14.6 (1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe authors investigated the unique associations between family cohesion, family conflict, and depression for African American and European American adolescents (aged 12-17 years). In addition, they tested the influence of a cognitive variable on these relationships. Statistical analysis yielded some provocative findings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To investigate the family environments of children in a community sample with ADHD and co-occurring anxiety.
Method: Family Environment Scale, Behavioral Assessment System for Children, and Structured Clinical Interview are administered to parents of children with ADHD with and without anxiety.
Results: ADHD families are uniformly less cohesive and expressive and possess more conflict than families representing the community sample.
The present study investigated the pathways between attention problems and depressive symptoms, particularly the role of academic incompetence, among a community sample of urban African American children. Results supported the hypothesized path models from inattention to depressive symptoms for girls and boys. Academic performance in the spring of first grade mediated the relationship between inattention in fall of first grade and depressive symptoms in spring of 3rd grade.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examined whether others (i.e., teachers and parents) and self-appraisals of social competence mediated the relationship between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrior studies have found remarkable similarity in the family characteristics across a wide range of child psychopathologies. This study investigated the unique relationships between symptoms of depression, conduct problems/aggression, and inattention/hyperactivity and characteristics of the family environment. Parents and teachers completed multiple behavioral, emotional, and family measures to describe the characteristics of a community sample of 362 children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Consult Clin Psychol
February 2006
The authors investigated the role of parent behavior management and locus of control in mediating the relationships between ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and depression in a community sample of 232 children with ADHD and 130 community controls. Results supported the hypothesized path models to depression for older and younger subjects. For older subjects (10 years and older), a cognitive variable, locus of control, partially mediated the relationships between ADHD and parent management and depression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough ADHD and depression are common comorbidities in youth, few studies have examined this particular clinical presentation. To address method bias limitations of previous research, this study uses multiple informants to compare the academic, social, and clinical functioning of children with ADHD, children with ADHD and depression, and children without ADHD, all derived from a large community sample. High levels of comorbid depression are found in children with ADHD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF