Diane Willis Award for Outstanding Article in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology

Congratulations to Sarah Martin and colleagues.

 
On behalf of the Willis Award Review Committee, it is my pleasure to announce the winner of the Diane Willis Award for Outstanding Article published during 2013 in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology .
 
This award honors Diane J. Willis, who served SPP as president and founding editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and the SPP newsletter. Articles are selected for this award on the basis of: 
 
  • Potential to significantly contribute to scholarship in the science and practice of pediatric psychology as evidenced by having a positive impact on the field/topic area by influencing or guiding future research, or having implications for policy, practice, training and professional developments.
  • Potential for long-lasting utility and value to the field.
  • Demonstration of particular innovation and excellence in approaching the topic for usefulness in application, development of theory, and appropriateness or advancement of methodology and design.
  • Providing an exemplar for others to model.
The first author of the winning paper is Sarah Martin, doctoral student at Georgia State University. The citation for the paper is:
 
Martin, S. R., Chorney, J. M., Cohen, L .L., & Kain, Z. N. (2013). Sequential analysis of mothers’ and fathers’ reassurance and children’s postoperative distress.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 38 (10), 1121-1129.
 
We would also like to recognize the following paper as an honorable mention for which the first author is Sara St. George, doctoral student at University of South Carolina and Pediatric Psychology Resident at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The citation for the paper is:
 
St. George, S. M., Wilson, D. K., Lawman, H. G., & Van Horn, M. L. (2013). Weight status as a moderator of the relationship between motivation, emotional social support, and physical activity in underserved adolescents.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 38 (4), 387-397.
 
I encourage the membership to log into the Journal of Pediatric Psychology to read these outstanding articles.
 
A huge congratulations to all of the authors on these papers for their outstanding work! And a special thanks to the other members of the committee: Ric Steele, Meg Zeller, Anna Maria Patino-Fernandez and Sean Phipps for their time and effort in serving on the review committee.