Program Overview

Graduates, Students, and Faculty of Clinical Child Psychology Program at the Kansas Conference in Clinical Child Psychology (Lawrence), October, 2006

The Clinical Child Psychology Training Program leading to the doctoral degree (Ph.D.) is an initiative jointly affiliated with the Departments of Psychology and Applied Behavioral Science. The program is housed in the Dole Human Development Center. This interdepartmental program involves the resources of faculty in both departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The program includes a core faculty with specialty interests in clinical child and pediatric psychology.

The goal of doctoral training in Clinical Child Psychology at the University of Kansas is to develop scientist-practitioners capable of conducting research and interventions for a variety of human problems, particularly those involving children and families. Such work involves understanding, prevention, and treatment of mental health and physical health problems from a psychological perspective.

The KU CCPP sets out two overarching goals with subsidiary objectives to accomplish its integrated mission in the scientist-practitioner model of professional psychology: 

Goal 1, Clinical Practice Goal: To provide entry-level training in the ethical and empirically-based practice of clinical psychology, with particular attention to assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families.

Goal 2, Research Goal: To produce graduates who are capable of evaluating and contributing to the various research literatures on which clinical psychology is based.

The training program emphasizes the acquisition of general knowledge and skills in the behavioral, social, cognitive, and biological bases of psychology, and a thorough knowledge of research methodology and statistical analyses. A particular strength of the interdepartmental program is the developmental perspective presented through many aspects of training. Within the specialty's clinical training, students take courses in assessment and intervention, child psychopathology, behavioral and family therapy, and ethical/legal issues. Special consideration is given to ethnic and cultural diversity issues, prevention, public sector and social interventions, and professional issues. Didactic and practical experiences prepare the graduate for the multitude of roles open to clinical child psychologists. Students are able to assume positions in research/ teaching in universities, medical schools, and internship training sites, and direct service delivery in mental health centers, hospitals, and schools.

The design of the program implements the recommendations of national training models. In doing so, the course work and research/clinical experiences in the curriculum provide the bases in development, psychopathology, assessment and diagnosis, and intervention in child mental health work with children, adolescents, and families. Furthermore, the accreditation criteria for the American Psychological Association direct the specialized didactic and clinical experiences of the Clinical Child Psychology Program within the Clinical Psychology Training Program of the Department of Psychology. Students are admitted to the Clinical Child Psychology Program through the program admissions committee. Students are considered to be enrolled in both departments.

Students are expected to complete course work, practica, and research requirements for the doctorate within four years of full-time study followed by a required one-year predoctoral internship at an approved site. Students are expected to, and indeed want to, participate maximally in research and clinical experiences. A master's thesis, qualifying examination, and doctoral dissertation are formal milestones of progress through the program in addition to regular evaluation in courses, practica, and yearly faculty review. Additional information about the curriculum in Clinical Child Psychology is available upon request.

Upon entering the program, all students are assigned to a program faculty member for academic advising. Students may work with or be supervised in research and clinical work by any faculty member of the program or of the sponsoring departments with mutual agreement.

One of the orientations of the Clinical Child Psychology Program is to public sector programming and larger community considerations. Child problems are best considered in the context of the child's social, academic, family, and physical environments. Therefore, students have a number of excellent opportunities to participate in public service roles for psychologists on the KU campus, in the Lawrence community, and in Kansas City and Topeka. The Clinical Child Psychology Program has developed a specialized Child and Family Services Clinic as a separate facility in Dole Human Development Center. The program maintains clinical and research training relationships with Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, the Elementary Therapeutic Classrooms of the Lawrence School District, Children's Mercy Hospital, and KU Medical Center, among others. These and other agencies serve the public in numerous mental health functions.

Affiliated Departments

The doctoral program in applied behavioral science offers a Ph.D. in behavioral psychology with training in basic and applied research, including applied behavior analysis, community development, independent living, and rehabilitation. The doctoral programs in psychology offer the Ph.D. in clinical, cognitive, developmental, and social psychology. The clinical program has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1951 with an orientation to research-practitioner training. It offers particular strengths in health and rehabilitation psychology, psychology of women, psychopathology, and psychotherapy. The clinical program maintains a Psychological Clinic in Fraser Hall. The pediatric psychology divisions at the KU Medical Center and at Children's Mercy Hospital are strong resources.

Resources for Training

The student admitted to the Clinical Child Psychology Program has available the resources of the two departments, as well as those provided through the CCP program. These include the faculty of the Clinical Psychology Training Program as well as the faculty, research activities, and applied psychology facilities listed in the descriptive brochures for the Departments of Psychology and Applied Behavioral Science.