Child psychology is an important field of study because it betters the lives of many. It helps children because it is an outlet for them to discuss their problems and perhaps receive some help and guidance. It also helps society as a whole because it studies behavioral trends and disorders and helps build understanding. There is a lot involved with entering the field of child psychology and maintaining an effective position. Perhaps it is best to begin by conveying what the job entails.
Job Description
To understand child psychology, one must understand psychology as a whole. A psychologist studies human behavior and thought processes by observing and recording how they relate to their environment. They must hypothesize why an individual acts in a certain way and determine their feelings and influences. The largest specialty of psychology is clinical psychology which is concerned with diagnosing and treating mental disorders. They do so by becoming an outlet for patients to express their confusion and concern about life situations that are important to them. A child psychologist is a type of clinical psychologist.
Child psychologists work with children who have developmental, behavioral and emotional problems including depression, anxiety, learning disabilities and eating disorders. They diagnose these disorders and suggest treatments based on their findings. They are also responsible for conducting IQ tests when necessary. Child psychologists assist children less than twelve years of age. They sometimes work with adolescents too, but that responsibility is often left to a separate adolescent psychologist. Child psychology is significantly different than working with adults. Children tend to have shorter attention spans. Also, working with children often requires parent or teacher consolidation so that the child can get help during his or her daily routine.
Psychologists generally have their own offices where they do the bulk of their work including appointments from patients. Private practitioners are free to set their own hours while those who work in schools are generally employed during the daytime and those in hospitals work at night and on weekends. Child psychologists may occasionally work along with social workers to confront issues of abuse.
Important Skills and Traits of Child Psychologists
While it is important to research and study behavioral patterns and understand disorders, there are certain personal traits that need to be developed in order to become a successful child psychologist. The first is emotional stability. Talking to troubled youth can sometimes be heart-wrenching, but it is important that a psychologist keep his or her composure. A child will not want to have a discussion is their psychologist is noticeably uncomfortable. Also, angry children have a tendency to be critical. An effective psychologist must be stable even through insults.
While it is important not to lose composure, a child psychologist must also be sensitive. Even if a patient’s problems do not seem realistic, they are very serious to the patient and that is why they’re seeking help. To accompany the sensitivity, a psychologist must also listen and always be attentive. A child is going to feel unimportant if the person they are confiding in does not seem to care. While listening, a psychologist should be sure never to interrupt. Some patients will talk and reveal all of their problems and past traumas with little prompting. Others will require perseverance. A child psychologist should be skilled at inspiring their patients to discuss their problems or else there will be no progress. Patience is also very important in this scenario because it is unhealthy to rush a child into disclosing their secrets. Sometimes, a patient’s reaction is the cue. Child psychologists should become familiar with how the typical person reacts when they’re feeling a certain way. Once a diagnosis is made, child psychologists need to be comfortable making decisions. There is rarely a right and wrong solution for a troubled child so the psychologist needs to be confident in the best course of action.
Child Psychology Treatment Settings
You may encounter a child psychologist in a variety of settings or environments. Your school may employ a child psychologist, or your school district’s special education services department may employ one. Daycare centers and elementary schools often consult with child psychologists to implement best practices for their staff; you may see the psychologist onsite observing the staff in action. And you’ll often find a child psychologist at your local hospital or other local health care services agency. It’s common for an individual child psychologist to work in multiple settings, for example, using their ongoing experience in private practice to aid in their consultations with daycare centers. Your pediatrician, family doctor, school nurse, or a social worker may be able to give you a referral to a psychologist.
Private Practice Psychologist: A child psychologist in private practice maintains a private office with a comfortable and comforting atmosphere where he or she sees patients one-on-one and in confidence. Treatment of young children, or family dynamic issues may necessitate that both children and parents, or other family members, be present in the treatment room. Therapy sessions typically last one hour.
School Psychologist: One interesting yet at times demanding careers in the field is school psychology. Both elementary and secondary schools employ psychologists. In fact, school psychologists comprise 29% of the field. These individuals not only see students who have personal issues but interact with teachers and parents to determine the best way to educate these students.
Developmental Psychologist: Developmental psychologists specialize in studying the standard developments that occur throughout a person’s life. For example, huge hormonal changes take place during puberty and menopause. Many developmental psychologists end up focusing on a single age range for their career. Some work directly with the elderly. Others may see adolescents exclusively and provide them with an outlet during puberty. Developmental child psychologists are often employed at daycare centers, schools, government agencies, hospitals, or they open private clinics.
Abnormal Child Psychologist: Abnormal child psychologists are seen when it is believed that a child may be sociopathic, psychopathic or suffer from a mood disorder or multiple personalities. They generally see the same patients and their parents for several years. Your pediatrician or another health care professional may refer you to a child psychologist specializing in this area in private practice or at another agency. You may also want to read about the differences between child psychology and child psychiatry.
Educational Requirements
In order to be a certified psychologist, one would need to acquire at least a bachelor’s and then pursue further education such as a masters or doctorate degree. Psychologists also need to meet the licensure requirements in their location of practice. These frequently require internships and many documented hours of professional experience in the field prior to application. The license needs to be renewed regularly, but the frequency varies by state. Some schools and other industries may hire psychologists with a master’s degree. Some psychologists earn a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, noted by the “PsyD” honorific after their name. They are just as qualified as “PhD” psychologists and must meet the same strict license requirements to practice. Psychologists that pursue a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology are typically driven by a desire to help patients and provide treatment in clinical settings rather than work in academic or pure research environments.
