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Alan E. Kazdin  John M. Musser Professor (Ph.D., 1970, Northwestern University) Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic Our clinical-research group studies developmental psychopathology and focuses on questions related to diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of childhood disorders, especially oppositional defiant and conduct disorder. We work with children referred for treatment for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior including aggression, theft, truancy, and firesetting. We are interested in developing effective child- and family-based interventions to improve current child functioning and to controvert the poor long-term prognosis of conduct problems. Identifying effective treatments requires research designed to understand the nature and scope of child dysfunction, parent and family factors (e.g., stress, clinical dysfunction) that contribute to adjustment and contextual factors (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, domestic violence, quality of family life) in which child dysfunction may be embedded. We study child-rearing practices, parenting, and ways in which parenting can be altered to improve child functioning at home, at school, and in the community. We have a clinic on campus that sees clinically referred children but also children from families who wish help with the routine challenges of child rearing (see www.yale.edu/childconductclinic). Our work focuses on psychotherapy more broadly by examining current child and adolescent treatment practices in use in the mental health professions, the clinical and research bases of these practices, and the implications for mental health services. As part of this work, we study factors related to engaging children and families in treatment, risk factors associated with premature termination from treatment, and factors during treatment (e.g., parent expectations, therapeutic alliance,) that can be mobilized to improve clinical outcomes. Also, we are interested in bridging the hiatus of research and practice by increasing the clinical relevance of psychotherapy research and by developing methods of evaluation for clinical use. In addition to research, our group is keenly interested in extending findings from scientific psychology to problems of everyday life (e.g., promoting a sustainable environment) and communicating findings on issues (e.g., parenting, child care) to the public. To that end, we have an active program of extending our work via the media to help families address the challenges of everyday life based on guidelines that can be drawn from psychological research (e.g., see www.alankazdin.com/press_room.htm). Sample Publications De Los Reyes, A., & Kazdin, A.E. (2006). Conceptualizing changes in behavior in intervention research: The Range of Possible Changes Model. Psychological Review, 113, 554-583. Kazdin, A.E., & Whitley, M.K. (2006). Comorbidity, case complexity, and effects of evidence-based treatment for children referred for disruptive behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 455-467. Perepletchikova, F., Treat, T.A., & Kazdin, A.E. (2007). Treatment integrity in psychotherapy research: Analysis of the studies and examination of the associated factors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75, 829-841. Kazdin, A.E. (2008). Evidence-based treatment and practice: New opportunities to bridge clinical research and practice, enhance the knowledge base, and improve patient care. American Psychologist, 63, 146-159. Kazdin, A.E. (2009). Psychological science’s contributions to a sustainable environment: Extending our reach to a grand challenge of society. American Psychologist, 64, 339-356. (APA Presidential Address) |
