Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology

This article demonstrates the feasibility of using the PedsQL—epilepsy module in order to screen for psychosocial concerns in a busy pediatric epilepsy clinic. Valuable details including the process for developing and refining the screening process are also included. https://lnkd.in/e3kk-tFg

So excited this is out now in Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology! It was so fun to think this through, work on this, and write with this fantastic group from the Digital Health SIG of The Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP), led by Dr. Alex Psihogios, Ph.D.! (Thank you also for letting me put song lyrics in the title…)

This was a fantastic collaborative opportunity! Thanks, Alex, for organizing and leading it!

Feeling uncomfortable in locker rooms is a frequently endorsed barrier to engaging in any organized physical activity among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) youth, who participate at rates nearly half that of their cisgender/heterosexual peers. Pediatric psychologists can help support LGBTQ+ youth explore strategies to navigate binary locker rooms through developing problem-solving skills and self-advocacy skills. Beyond the individual level, pediatric psychologists can also play a role in advocating for restructuring the binary nature of locker rooms given the potential mental and physical health benefits of having more inclusive spaces to access organized physical activity.

Approximately 250 million children across the globe aged 5 and younger are at heightened risk for delayed developmental milestones. Early detection, prevention, and intervention are crucial for optimizing academic, economic, and health outcomes for these children. Determining the practicality and usefulness of providing neurodevelopmental evaluations via telehealth provides important information as to alternative service delivery options for clinical care of young children. Conducting preliminary neurodevelopmental evaluations via telehealth with the option for further intervention if deemed necessary allows services to be more widely available to those who face undue burden attending in-person consultations.

Results from this study by Paul Enlow and colleagues suggest that improving adolescents’ self-efficacy in their ability to manage their #diabetes can help them use continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) more consistently. Interventions that bolster self-efficacy, including diabetes self-management education and coping skills training, may help adolescents who are struggling to use CGM more consistently. More research is needed to understand how family, community, and health care system variables affect CGM use. (apa.org)

Interventions for pediatric chronic pain often involve parents, yet parental chronic pain and stress are rarely addressed. Authors developed a brief virtual acceptance and commitment therapy-based intervention for parents of youth with chronic pain who have pain themselves. The intervention was feasible and acceptable. (apa.org)

This study evaluates the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of two innovative interventions for pediatric headaches: virtual reality-delivered biofeedback and yoga exercises. The findings indicate that these interventions are feasible and applicable (good attendance, limited or no discomfort, and positive evaluation) and show preliminary efficacy (improvements in frequency of headaches and functional disabilities).

This study describes the development of the Friends, Family, and Food Application (F3-App), with a focus on the community partner-driven design process. The F3-App was credible and highly accepted and recommended by families and promoted family communication around food allergy management. The F3-App that was developed was used in a subsequent randomized, controlled trial. (apa.org)

Several barriers limit the reach of parenting skills programs that reduce child problem behavior. Authors gathered feedback from parents and physicians to refine a parenting program that uses technology and delivery in pediatrics to overcome barriers. Future testing of the program will further inform implementation in pediatric settings.