Problems and interventions of a pediatric psychology clinic in a medical setting: A retrospective analysis Original Research Article

This article provides descriptive information of an outpatient pediatric psychology clinic in a major medical center in a metropolitan area. The characteristics of 250 patients were coded from archived files, representing a random sample of 10% of all cases referred. The majority of patients were boys between 2 and 12 years of age and the most frequent presenting problems were externalizing problems, such as noncompliance, attention problems, hyperactivity, and aggression. Behavioral treatments were administered for the majority of the patients. This study demonstrates the practice patterns of a psychology unit in a pediatric setting. The findings belie a characterization of the field of pediatric psychology as only medically related applications, but point to issues of successfully fulfilling the needs of referral sources and expanding marketing niches.