JPP Editor Update

---

Highlights from the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and tribute to Mary Jo Kupst

 

By Dennis Drotar, PhD

The number of JPP submissions for the first third of the year through April 30, 2011 was 75. Submissions are about on the same pace as last year but down from previous years—it is a good time to submit to JPP. During this period, the average time to editorial decision for the initial submission was 27 days.

 

Other highlights include: a special section on Health Care Transitions of Adolescents and Young Adults with Pediatric Chronic Conditions edited by Ahna Pai and Lisa Schwartz was published in Issue #2 (2011). A special issue on Family Assessment edited by Lamia Barakat and Melissa Alderfer is due out in June (Issue #5). A special section on Rural Health in Pediatric Psychology edited by David Janicke and Ann Davis will be out in July in Issue #6. Other special issues in progress include Families, Culture, and Health edited by Beth McQuaid and Lamia Barakat; Training in Pediatric Psychology (Denny Drotar and the associate editors); and Outcomes of CNS Disorders (Denny Drotar, Dean Beebe, and Glen Aylward).

 

We would like to call your attention to a new feature in JPP: Easy access to recent article collections. To help authors identify and access recent JPP article collections that are relevant to their work, we have developed a new feature on the JPP homepage. Authors can go directly to the website. Alternatively, from the JPP homepage, click: View the Collection, which will allow access to view and download collections of recent articles (2010-2011) in a number of content areas such as: editorial guidance for authors/reviewers, ongoing sections (e.g.,prevention, diversity/health care disparities, etc.), and selected content areas (e.g., pediatric pain). We hope that this new feature is helpful to you.

 

We had a lively Editorial Board meeting at the National Conference that included discussion of ways to reduce JPP review burdens on authors and enhance more effective dialogue among authors, reviewers, and managing editors.

 

As you may know, Grayson Holmbeck was selected as JPP’s new editor. We are privileged to have a scholar of his stature take over the leadership and carry on our outstanding tradition. Grayson and his team will begin reviewing new manuscripts Jan. 1, 2012. Our group will complete reviews of all manuscripts submitted in 2011 and remain on the JPP masthead through Dec. 2012. Susan Wood, who has done an outstanding job, will remain as editorial assistant.

Congratulations to Dr. Mary Jo Kupst on her July retirement from the Medical College and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is a professor of Pediatrics and director of Pediatric Psychology.

 

Kupst has served many important roles in both the pediatrics and psychology worlds, including past president of Division 54, past co-chair of the Children’s Oncology Group Psychology Committee, past co-chair of the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, and chair of the Human Research Review Board at Children’s Hospital.

 

Kupst was one of the first to study coping in childhood cancer and is an expert on ways to enhance parental support for children with cancer. She has held research grants from all major funding groups exploring the cognitive and psychosocial adaptation of stem cell transplant patients as well as the social functioning of children with brain tumors. She was a member of the team that developed the NIH Toolbox for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function.

 

An extremely dedicated and selfless teacher, Kupst has nurtured several generations of psychology graduate students and postdocs for whom she served as a model of the clinician-researcher.

 

She is also highly regarded by her hematologyoncology colleagues for her empathic understanding and down-to-earth rendering of the psychological status and needs of patients in their care. Her humility, dry humor and wit, clarity of understanding and connection to patients and families, deep ethical sense and trustworthiness in generously carrying out professional responsibilities will be missed throughout the world of pediatric psychology. We wish Mary Jo well in her next adventure.