Future directions in clinical child and adolescent psychology: a delphi survey

Abstract

This study sought to identify the future directions in three domains: clinical practice, research, and training of clinical child and adolescent psychologists in the upcoming decade. Doctoral-level active members in the field were surveyed via a two-round Delphi survey (45 in round 1; 35 in round 2). Evidence-based practice received the greatest consensus by the participants and highest rank in each of the three domains. Other highly ranked clinical practice directions included prevention and early diagnosis and treatment, and clinical services for specific psychological problems. Research directions focused on biological and social factors interactions in the etiology and treatment and specific child and adolescent disorders. In the training domain, major directions included the pursuit of specialty training in child and adolescent psychology and training emphasizing the biological basis of behavior. Implications of these future directions are discussed.