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

This article provides descriptive information of an outpatient pediatric ps ychology clinic in a major medical center in a metropolitan area. The chara cteristics of 250 patients were coded from archived files, representing a r andom sample of 10% of all cases referred. The majority of patients were bo ys between 2 and 12 years of age and the most frequent presenting problems were externalizing problems, such as noncompliance, attention problems, hyp eractivity, and aggression. Behavioral treatments were administered far the majority of the patients. This study demonstrates the practice Patterns of a psychology unit in a pediatric setting. The findings belie a characteriz ation of the field of pediatric psychology as only medically related applic ations, but point to issues of successfully fulfilling the needs of referra l sources and expanding marketing niches.