Dealing with children is not as easy as it seems because it is necessary to understand their mood swings which could be quite difficult to comprehend at times. To evaluate and analyze the psyche of children you need to gain knowledge of pediatric psychology. This is a specialized field of study that focuses on ADHD and autism, which has resulted in its significant demand. If you are considering a specialized degree in this discipline then you must gain enough expertise to serve professionally in the future.
Overview
Pediatric psychologists work with children to deal with behavioral challenges and mental development. It is an interdisciplinary field that includes clinical practice and scientific research. It addresses the psychological aspects of injury, health behavior promotion of children, and psychological aspects of illnesses in a particular setting. These issues are focused within a developmental framework and stress on the relationship dynamics that coexist between children and families along with health care system. These psychologists provide psychosocial services to pediatric health conditions. They cope with chronic and acute diseases, pain, mental stress, issues related to psycho-social continuum and other behavioral issues seen in children. They provide assistance for mental retardation and development disabilities. They must possess exceptional communication skills to deal with children.
Types of Degrees
Bachelors Degree: The first step for launching a career in this field is completing a bachelor’s degree program of four years in which students focus on coursework of biology, sociology, child development and psychology. A graduate will have great opportunities to work under the supervision of qualified psychologists during initial years of work. They could work as certified teachers and researchers in various institutes once they are done with their bachelor’s degree program.
Master’s Degree: A master’s concentration will help you acquire advance knowledge of this field with contemporary theories that have developed with time to deal with children and their varying behaviors. This degree will take two years to complete after which you would become eligible to apply for a doctoral degree program.
Doctorate Degree: To become a pediatric psychologist you must acquire a doctoral degree in either Psy.D or PhD in counseling or clinical psychology. It requires 4 years of graduate training and one year of additional internship. Students must complete a dissertation which should be based on original research. You must get licensed in order to practice the learned skills professionally in a particular setting.
Career Opportunities
Psychologists of this area are usually found working in schools, government agencies, private practices and hospitals. They might also work in local education authorities. Moreover, there is a need for these psychologists to serve in multidisciplinary teams along with other health and educational professionals. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics these professionals will encounter job growth of 12% till the year 2018. (www.bls.gov)
Salary
An annual earning of pediatric psychologists is recorded as $79,000. (indeed.com)
About the Author
Sara is a full-time writer working for PsychologySchoolGuide.net. Recently she has been writing about psychology related accredited college programs like pediatric psychology, counseling, child psychology etc. Click here to visit her website.
