Childhood is a very important period of life, and there are many behaviors, changes and formative influences which affect how children develop into adults. Child Psychologists are highly trained professionals who study these changes, and they work with children and adolescents to help them deal with a wide range of psychological and life problems. For example, a child psychologist might work with children who have behavioral problems, while an adolescent psychologist may work with teenagers who suffer from depression or eating disorders. Depending on where they work and the type of patients being worked with, child psychologists can perform a wide range of duties including:

• Performing IQ and Educational Assessments
• Diagnosing and Treating Learning Disabilities
• Working with Children and Their Families to Manage Behaviors
• Conducting Scientific Research

Child psychologists typically work in private practices, hospitals, schools and for the government. Sometimes child psychologists work with one patient for a number of years, and other times they work with patients on a very short-term basis. The work can be rewarding, but stressful as well, for they treat patients on a daily basis who can have severe mental disturbances. Child psychologist make good use of their excellent problem solving and analytical abilities to thrive in their jobs.

Education is highly important for child psychologists, and the minimum requirement for those who want to begin working with patients on a clinical level is a Master’s Degree. A Bachelor’s Degree does open doors for those who want to work with children, but not treat them.

One of the most common degrees for the profession is a PhD, generally a research degree which allows individuals to set up their own practice, teach, conduct research, and attain both clinical and counseling positions at universities, schools and the government.

Alternatively, students can choose to pursue a Doctor of Psychology (PhysD), which usually provides less research training and puts more emphasis on preparing students for careers as practitioner-scholars. According to the American Psychological Association, about 75% of all doctoral degrees in psychology are PhD’s; but either is fine for those wanting to become a child psychologist. Both these degrees taken between five and seven years of graduate study to complete, in addition to a research project and a dissertation.

Additionally, all child psychologists must be licensed by the state they want to work in. This license is a general psychology license.

Careers in child psychology are expected to see faster-than-average growth between 2007 and 2016, due to a greatly increased demand for services in hospitals, schools, social service agencies, and other locations. However, applicants should expect to face keen competition for available jobs, and the best opportunities may be available only to those with Doctoral degrees.

The salary range for child psychology careers is very broad, and depends largely on the level of qualifications obtained, and the type of location where an individual works. For example, a Child Psychologist working in a school may earn a salary of approximately $60,000, while a Child Psychologist with a busy independent practice may earn more than $120,000 per year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary range is between $35,000 and $102,000, with a median salary of $59,440.

Child Psychologists typically work with children up to the age of 12, although this is not a hard-and-fast rule. They may work with children who have psychological problems that result from family issues such as bereavement or divorce, or children who have behavioral problems such as conduct disorder, depression or anxiety disorder. Child psychologist typically employ very different methods of evaluating and treating children, as compared to the techniques a Psychologist might use if they work with adults.

Children are often difficult to work with in terms of psychological evaluation, due to their age and because they may be unwilling to undergo evaluation or treatment. The Child Psychologist must take these factors into account and develop methods that enable them to work with children who are resistant to the idea of treatment. In treating a child for a specific disorder, the child psychologist must not only work with the child, but also with their family members, teachers, and even medical specialists to determine the cause of their psychological problems and develop an appropriate method of treatment.

Developmental Psychologists often study key questions about the psychological development of children; however in recent years the field has expanded from its original confines of child development to include adolescent development and aging.

Developmental Psychology is typically a research-based type of career rather than one in which Psychologists work with people specifically for the purpose of helping them with psychological problems. Developmental psychologists study how human behavior changes as people age, including aspects such as moral development, aggression, the development of language, and emotional development. However, the knowledge and theories that

Developmental Psychologists may also work in daycare centers or outreach groups, education programs and other locations. They also are often researchers, but their research typically involves working with patients, too.

The field of Abnormal Psychology includes the study of diseases such as anxiety and mood disorders, personality disorders, psychopathology, sociopathy, and others. While some of these types of disorders are very rare in children, they do occur occasionally, often as a result of physical or psychological trauma.

The role of the abnormal child psychologist is to work with children with such disorders and help them recover, or to cope with living with a psychological disorder if a cure is not possible. This may involve very long term treatment, often over several years. Abnormal Child Psychologists will often work with family members, teachers, and medical specialists in addition to their patients, to develop effective treatment strategies that allow families to cope with the complex issues that arise for children with these types of problems.

Adolescent Psychologists tend to work with children of between 12 and 18 years of age, although this is not an absolute ‘requirement’. However, their specialty lies in treating adolescents with psychological problems such as depression, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, and aggression disorders that may result from problems that are related to family, school, or other issues.

Adolescent Psychologists are trained to understand the complex psychological issues that can arise simply due as a result of growing up and becoming an adult. Often this means using different methods for evaluating and treating adolescents that might be used for children or adults, and Adolescent Psychologists may often work with parents, family members and teachers to evaluate and treat an adolescent client.