INTERVENTION RESEARCH - PUSHING BACK THE FRONTIERS OF PEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY

Intervention research in pediatric psychology assumes special importan ce given continuing pressures to develop and document the efficacy of interventions for pediatric populations. Studies presented in this iss ue illustrate the need for flexible approaches to intervention researc h including case studies and randomized trials, comprehensive assessme nt of health and psychological outcomes, assessment of social validity , identification of moderators of intervention effects, innovative tre atment applications and strategies to integrate research and practice, Recommendations to enhance the scientific basis and clinical relevanc e of intervention research include using case series to document promi sing methods, collecting data in practice settings, assessing costs ve rsus benefits, defining and assessing quality of psychological interve ntions, and conducting randomized clinical trials.