Child health psychology.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 9(6) of Health Psychology (see record 2008-09119-001). The name of the author, Sharon Millstein, should be Susan Millstein.] The term child health psychology refers to the field of research on the behavioral aspects of children's health and illness. At this time we need to continue the work of the child health psychology special interest group and to draw into the Division of Health Psychology a much larger number of developmental psychologists, who need to be informed about the relevance of their scientific training to child health issues. We call the Division's attention and that of granting agencies such as the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to the following high-priority child health research issues: adherence to pediatric medical regimens; child health promotion; family influences on child and adolescent health and disease; and stress and coping in childhood illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Manual of Child Psychology": Erratum.

Reports an error in the review by Roger G. Barker of the L. Carmichael edited book, Manual of Child Psychology (Psychological Bulletin, 1955, Vol 52[3], 263-267). The sentence on page 266, right-hand column, should read "However, this reader found intriguing the world view so boldly sketched." (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 2005-10141-002). This book is a good picture of child psychology in 1954. The weaknesses of the Manual are largely the weaknesses of the science it surveys. A good manual of child psychology awaits a more mature science of child behavior. In the meantime this book and, it is to be hoped, its future editions provide an important aid in achieving this maturity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Clinical child psychology: A practice specialty serving children, adolescents, and their families": Correction to Jackson et al (2010).

Reports an error in "Clinical child psychology: A practice specialty serving children, adolescents, and their families" by Yo Jackson, Fred L. Alberts Jr. and Michael C. Roberts (Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2010[Feb], Vol 41[1], 75-81). The following sentence on page 79 is incorrect: “As evidence of the growing recognition of board certification, many institutions providing services to children, adolescents, and families are requiring their psychologists to become certified by ABPP (e.g., Mayo Clinic) and some insurance companies now mandate this for their panels (e.g., Group Health in Seattle).” In fact Group Health in Seattle does not mandate ABPP certification for psychologists. The sentence should not contain the example in the second set of parentheses. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2010-02467-010.) Clinical child psychology is a growing and vibrant field of practice and research within professional psychology. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the recent series of articles on specialties in Professional Psychology Research and Practice and delineate the development, design, and purpose of clinical child psychology. The article describes the current trends in the specialty and the challenges clinical child psychologists face in tending to the mental health needs of youth and their families. The need for the specialty and the definition of the scope of the work of clinical child psychologists is described. The parameters of training are also discussed, with a focus on the distinctiveness of the role of the clinical child psychologist. Outlined are applications of the work with children, adolescents, and their families including types of professional practice and collaborations with other professionals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical child psychology: A practice specialty serving children, adolescents, and their families.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 41(3) of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (see record 2010-11935-006). The following sentence on page 79 is incorrect: “As evidence of the growing recognition of board certification, many institutions providing services to children, adolescents, and families are requiring their psychologists to become certified by ABPP (e.g., Mayo Clinic) and some insurance companies now mandate this for their panels (e.g., Group Health in Seattle).” In fact Group Health in Seattle does not mandate ABPP certification for psychologists. The sentence should not contain the example in the second set of parentheses.] Clinical child psychology is a growing and vibrant field of practice and research within professional psychology. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the recent series of articles on specialties in Professional Psychology Research and Practice and delineate the development, design, and purpose of clinical child psychology. The article describes the current trends in the specialty and the challenges clinical child psychologists face in tending to the mental health needs of youth and their families. The need for the specialty and the definition of the scope of the work of clinical child psychologists is described. The parameters of training are also discussed, with a focus on the distinctiveness of the role of the clinical child psychologist. Outlined are applications of the work with children, adolescents, and their families including types of professional practice and collaborations with other professionals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Occupational health psychology.

Reviews the book, Occupational health psychology edited by Stavroula Leka and Jonathon Houdmont (see record 2010-10988-000). Leka and Houdmont describe their book as the first textbook devoted to occupational health psychology intended for undergraduate instruction in the field. Leka and Houdmont have chosen an interesting strategy in creating an edited textbook with individual chapters written by established experts in the field. In doing so, they have in many cases gotten “the best” people in a particular area to write chapters in their area of expertise. Despite their reliance on multiple authors, the editors have maintained a consistent style throughout the volume—each chapter begins with a chapter outline and ends with a chapter summary. Textboxes throughout are used to highlight individuals prominent in the field (e.g., Tom Cox) or to highlight applications and research issues and to provide definitions of key terms. I would expect that students will appreciate such pedagogical features in addition to the depth of expertise that underlies each chapter. Although not divided into sections, one can intuit a structure to the book that begins with a broad perspective on occupational health psychology and then progressively adopts a narrower focus. When I first heard of this book, I was pleased at the prospect of being able to assign a single textbook that would offer a survey of occupational health psychology. Although the authors met their explicit goal of covering the core education curriculum defined by the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, I am not convinced that they have produced a “stand-alone” text that provides an adequate coverage of the field. In particular, issues of workplace safety are strikingly absent from the text. Personally, I would feel the need to supplement this text with specific readings on issues of occupational safety and occupational disease in order to cover the major topics that comprise the field of occupational health psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Making Psychology a Household Word": Erratum.

Reports an error in "Making Psychology a Household Word" by Ronald F. Levant (American Psychologist, 2006[Jul-Aug], Vol 61[5], 383-395). This erratum clarifies the APA Council of Representatives response to the PENS Task Force Report at its August 2005 meeting. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2006-08928-002.) This article addresses Ronald F. Levant's four APA presidential initiatives for 2005. "Making Psychology a Household Word" was both the general theme for his presidency as well as an initiative in its own right. The other three initiatives were "Promoting Health Care for the Whole Person," "Enhancing Diversity Within APA," and "Developing an APA Position on Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology in the Schools, School Psychology Review, School Psychology Quarterly and Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation Editors Collaborate to Chart School Psychology's Past, Present, and "Futures".

This introduction will briefly describe the special journal issues that will be offered in Psychology in the Schools (PITS), School Psychology issues Review (SPR), School Psychology Quarterly (SPQ), and Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation (JEPC) on topics related to the conference. For almost a half-century, students in school psychology have investigated the "Boulder" and "Thayer" conferences, studying and exploring our foundation as scientist-practitioners and brooding over the "school" in school psychology. In a notable alliance, SPR and SPQ are publishing the proceedings of the conference jointly. As part of the School Psychology Futures Conference: Special Journal Issues se- series, Psychology in the Schools will publish a special issue entitled: Shortage of ries, School Psychologists in the April 2004 issue. School psychology quarterly will also be sponsoring a special issue addressing the faculty shortage in school psychology and related difficulties. Consultation emerged as a major thread throughout the School Psychology Futures Conference as participants brainstormed problems and solutions to meet the critical issues faced by school professionals as they work towards improving educational and mental health outcomes for children and families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychology and health.

Reviews the book, Psychology and health by Myles Genest and Sharon Genest (see record 1987-97178-000). Myles and Sharon Genest have ventured into the rapidly developing, but hazily delimited, area of health psychology and they have produced a brief, readable book that shows what all the excitement is about. They have selected a number of key areas for sharply focused, and sometimes penetrating, examination and the reader comes away with a fair understanding of the scope of the field. They set the broad context for health psychology by discussing the determinants of health, emphasizing the need for a multidimensional view of health; one which includes psychological, social, and environmental factors as well as the more traditional medical ones. They also introduce a preventive orientation and a public policy perspective, themes which are continued through the book. The authors are writing for a primary audience of psychologists and they write from a largely, although not exclusively, cognitive/behavioural point of view. Much of the book is a review of research in health psychology and the summaries of the research findings are outstanding in their organization and clarity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introducing the new Health Psychology series "Evidence-based treatment reviews": Progress not perfection.

Introduces the new Health Psychology series "Evidence-Based Treatment Reviews." Psychologists struggle continuously with the tension between the general implications of research conducted in their treatment area and the often unique needs and treatment possibilities for their individual patients. Recent concerns about this struggle in psychology have led to the initiation of an American Psychological Association presidential taskforce to propose an evidence-based policy: Evidence-Based Psychology Practice (EBPP). This struggle is not new. Medicine, similarly, has been dealing with the issue of how to translate research findings into evidence-based assessments and treatments. The process of joining our research with our practice, known as Evidence-Based Medicine, will be the cornerstone of a new series of articles in Health Psychology, entitled "Evidence-Based Treatment Reviews." Evidence-Based Behavioral Medicine is an extension of the Evidence-Based Medicine movement that identified the necessity of critically evaluating research to inform clinical practice (Rosenberg & Donald, 1995). In addition to mentoring researchers in presenting their findings in a more user-friendly style (e.g., Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, or CONSORT, guidelines; Altman, Schulz, Moher, Egger, Davidoff, Elbourne, et al., 2001), teaching clinicians how to review the evidence (e.g., Evidence Based Medicine Tool Kit), and compiling and summarizing the existing evidence for public consumption (e.g., the Cochrane Collaboration), it makes sense to integrate these efforts by presenting research reviews with clinician commentary in our professional journals as has already been done by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, e.g., DeAngelis & Fontanarosa, 2002; Levinson & DeAngelis, 2002). We seek to add to the health psychology evidence base by including two articles for each topic chosen: an Evidence Review and a Clinician's Comment. For this series, we envision that three or four evidence-based reviews will be published per year in Health Psychology and that each review will be accompanied by a three- or four-page commentary by a clinician to aid in the application of the research to a clinical practice. In this format, we hope to capture both the state of the clinical science and the challenging art of translating it into clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Medical psychology: Contributions to behavioral medicine.

Reviews the book, Medical psychology: Contributions to behavioral medicine edited by Charles K. Prokop and Laurence A. Bradley (1981). This book is another generally commendable entry on a growing list of books that overview the field of Medical Psychology, Health Psychology, or Behavioral Medicine. The book is divided into four sections: An Introduction, Assessment of Medical Disorders, Treatment and Prevention of Medical Disorders, and Special Topics in Medical Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. The second and third sections account for the bulk of the volume and comprise critical reviews of psychological approaches to assessment and treatment of specific health problems. Both assessment and treatment are mentioned by the editors as areas in which medical psychology has made unique contributions to behavioral medicine. Other issues described as important contributions--issues such as prevention and evaluation--are covered only briefly. This book is a highly useful source book. It is especially valuable to the applied researcher or practitioner who works with several departments in a medical school or other health setting. For such individuals, this volume can provide research and treatment programs in the specialty areas represented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health psychology at the crossroads.

Reviews the books, Handbook of psychology and health, volume I: Clinical psychology and behavioral medicine: Overlapping disciplines, edited by R. J. Gatchel, A. Baum, and J. E. Singer (see record 1985-97683-000); Handbook of psychology and health, volume II: Issues in child health and adolescent health, edited by A. Baum and J. E. Singer (1982); and Introduction to medical psychology by J. C. Norton (1982). The conflict between the traditional medical model and the biopsychosocial model threatens to prevent the establishment of health psychology's principles and identity. This conflict clearly characterizes the volumes presently under review. James C. Norton's Introduction to medical psychology aims to introduce mental health professionals to medicine, to teach behavioral treatments for disease, and to address issues of health promotion. The Handbook of psychology and health is a much more ambitious attempt to meet the same goals. The volumes are "intended for investigators, clinicians, teachers, and both graduate and undergraduate students." Given tradition, simplicity, inertia, and existing status structures, the traditional medical model has an almost overwhelming allure. Unfortunately, the traditional medical model also is inadequate, and its deficiencies cannot be remedied by forcing psychological and behavioral problems into its mechanistic clutches. By carefully reviewing and evaluating complex issues in health psychology while simultaneously endeavoring to prescribe clinical and medical treatments, the volumes under review delineate the dilemma facing health psychology; but they do little to resolve it. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction.

The development of effective interventions that focus on the manipulation and utilization of behavioral and psychological variables to influence health outcomes is an important component of health psychology. Investigators in clinical health psychology make important contributions to our basic understanding of the role of behavioral and psychological factors in disease and contribute to improved patient care in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs. The purpose of the present series of Health Psychology articles is to provide readers who may not be familiar with research in clinical health psychology with a sample of research in this area and to emphasize that the journal is an outlet for research in clinical health psychology. This series of articles represents some of the diversity and strengths of research in clinical health psychology. The investigations range from controlled laboratory investigations to worksite field interventions. The scope of outcome and process measures encompasses behavioral, subjective, and physiological changes. The studies utilize both hypothetico-deductive and inductive theoretical models to generate hypotheses. Finally, several of the studies provide outcomes that clinically benefit the study participants. It is hoped that identification of Health Psychology as a resource for clinical health psychology research will stimulate the submission of more high-quality articles in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Le défrichement: Recherche qualitative en psychologie chez les anglophones canadiens.

This is a French version of the article that originally appeared in Canadian Psychology, 2002(August), Vol 43(3), p. 139-140. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2002-17756-001). Qualitative research (QR) occupies a middle ground between the sciences and the humanities, which goes against established research practice in psychology and most related social and health science disciplines. At present, QR in Canadian psychology is beginning to take root in some universities and research organizations. Most of the contributors to this special issue reflect this development in Anglophone Canadian psychology. This article briefly introduces the contributions to this special issue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A final word--Editorial.

Four years ago, when the author agreed to edit the first three volumes of Health Psychology, a primary motivation was the opportunity to provide a vehicle for the expression of a very broad conception of the developing field of health psychology. In describing this point of view, he identified four major "dimensions" for the categorization of work by health psychologists. Now, as he completes his term as editor, he uses that categorical schema to look back over the material that has appeared in this journal, to see how well that conception of breadth has been realized. This review will show that the work that has been published does address a wide range of topics and issues, but that it remains concentrated in only a portion of the total domain established by these dimensions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles": Erratum.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 26(6) of Health Psychology (see record 2007-16656-006). The Letters to the Editor "In Response to Kalichman et al. (2006)" by Joshua Fogel (Health Psychology, 2007, Vol. 26. No. 5, p.537) and "Error Noted in 'Health Information on the Internet and People Living With HIV/AIDS: Information Evaluation and Coping Styles'" by Seth C. Kalichman (Health Psychology, 2007, Vol. 26. No. 5, p.537) were printed with the same DOI. This is incorrect. The DOIs should be as follows: Joshua Fogel (2007): DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.26.5.537a and Seth C. Kalichman (2007): DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.26.5.537b.] Reports an error in "Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles" by Seth C. Kalichman, Charsey Cherry, Demetria Cain, Lance S. Weinhardt, Eric Benotsch, Howard Pope and Moira Kalichman (Health Psychology, 2006[Mar], Vol 25[2], 205-210). Table 1 mistakenly reported that the correlation between total Internet use and gender was r = .14, which, given the coding for gender, would be interpreted as women using the Internet more than men. However, as correctly stated in the text and indicated throughout the rest of the article, men used the Internet significantly more than women. The correct correlation between total Internet use and gender in Table 1 should therefore be r = .14. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2006-03515-009.) Individuals who seek information on the Internet to cope with chronic illness may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims. This study examined the association between health-related coping and the evaluation of health information. Men (n = 347) and women (n = 72) who were living with HIV/AIDS and reported currently using the Internet completed measures assessing their Internet use. Health Web sites downloaded from the Internet were also rated for quality of information. HIV-positive adults commonly used the Internet to find health information (66%) and to learn about clinical trials (25%); they also talked to their physicians about information found online (24%). In a multivariate analysis, assigning higher credibility to unfounded Internet information was predicted by lower incomes, less education, and avoidant coping styles. People who cope by avoiding health information may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims that are commonly encountered on the Internet. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to the Special Section on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Implications for Rehabilitation Psychology.

This introduction to the special section of Rehabilitation Psychology on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) previews how implications for rehabilitation psychology are explored through 4 articles, each designed to build on the presentation and discussion of the prior piece: an overview of the ICF classification system; a review of contemporary applications of the ICF to clinical, government, and research uses; an update on clinical implementation efforts and related conceptual issues; and a specific application of the ICF to assistive technology service provision. The special section presents the ICF as a compelling development in the classification of functioning and health in health care service provision and, in particular, rehabilitation psychology practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Childhood abuse and current health problems among older adults: The mediating role of self-efficacy.

Objectives: Child abuse has negative consequences on health functioning and the self-concept. Prior studies have garnered support for these relationships in younger adults; yet few studies have looked at the effects of abuse on health in older adults and the psychosocial variables, specifically self-efficacy, that may influence the abuse-health relationship. Methods: Data obtained from the Physical Health and Disability Study were used to explore the impact of child abuse on current medical problems among older adults who were screened on physical disability status (N = 1396, Mean age = 67, SD = 10.2). The study was conducted in South Florida and used a multiethnic sample that is representative of the general population in this area. Results: Child abuse was associated with the number of current medical problems and disability. Child abuse was also related to lower self-efficacy, and self-efficacy explained the relationship between abuse and the number of health problems. Conclusions: There are far-reaching effects of child abuse on older adults' health and self-concept. Health care providers and gerontologists need to be aware that child abuse is a lifelong risk factor for increased disability and specific health problems, especially among the elderly. Future research should examine treatments designed to increase self-efficacy, especially among those who experienced child abuse, and observe any positive effects on health functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Health psychology in global perspective.

Reviews the book, Health psychology in global perspective by Frances E. Aboud (see record 1998-07478-000). Initially, the reviewer was unsure of what to expect from this book, and yet in completing it he feel humbled by the perspective it provided on international and cross-cultural health issues. The reading of this book has served to expand his definition of health psychology to include global and cross-cultural concerns. The organization of the book is logical and easy to follow. The first two chapters provide an introduction to the rest of the text. Each of the remaining seven chapters is dedicated to a specific health concern. Aboud's hope is that the reader will come to appreciate that solutions are not as simple as they might appear in the global health community and that enthusiasm must be tempered with "caution and realistic expectations." We must be careful not to stereotype other people and their problem, and recognize that health and well-being are expressed in different but entirely acceptable ways in different cultures. Courses in health psychology will benefit from the inclusion of this book. It incorporates case studies, case vignettes, and student activities along with the text in a manner that students will find challenging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)