Inquire, Inspire, Ignite! Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition Comes to SPPAC 2026 in Las Vegas!   NEW THIS YEAR! SPPAC 2026 is all about promoting innovative scientific inquiry, sharing inspiring…

2025 APA Scholar Award Reflection I am incredibly grateful to have been selected as a 2025 APA Scholar through SPP. The Scholar award gave me the opportunity to attend my…

Seizing the Day: Epilepsy Awareness and Advocacy   The Epilepsy SIG is comprised of psychologists and psychology trainees dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and youth with epilepsy…

SPP President’s Message – October 2025 Hello SPP, I hope this October newsletter finds you reenergized and inspired! It has been a busy few months at SPP.  Thank you to…

History Spotlight In Memoriam: Sue White, Ph.D. (1945- 2025) Leader, Advocate, Clinician, Administrator By Terry Stancin, Ph.D., ABPP and Michael C. Roberts, Ph.D., ABPP Sue White, Ph.D., was a leader…

History Spotlight In Memoriam: Glen P. Aylward, Ph.D., ABPP (1950-2025)   Pediatric Psychology Leader, Professor, Scholar, Mentor By Brandon S. Aylward, Ph.D., Terry Stancin, Ph.D., ABPP, and Michael C. Roberts,…

Ready to Become a Jolly Good Fellow? Becoming an APA Fellow stands among the most meaningful forms of recognition for psychologists who have made truly extraordinary contributions to pediatric psychology.…

CPPP Update from the Editor We are excited to announce that Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology (CPPP) has nearly fully transitioned to Sage as our publisher. We have only 2…

Connecting Communities & Advancing Care: 2025 Fall Conference Preview   We’re delighted to share exciting updates about our fourth annual Fall Virtual Conference, set for Friday, September 19, 2025. Built…

Introducing SAB Reconsolidation and New Roles The Student Advisory Board (SAB) is a group of students who are chosen to represent the student membership within Division 54. We work closely…

Updates from the Journal of Pediatric Psychology I hope everyone had a great summer! We are excited to provide updates on JPP. Impact Factor Our JPP Impact Factor changed this…

SPP at APA 2025 An extension of the exceptional programming at SPPAC 2025 where the theme was Moving Forward With Hope: Advancing Health Equity in Pediatric Psychology Through Science, Practice,…

Finding Community Affinity groups are commonly known as spaces where individuals with shared characteristics, goals, or interests can join in community. Following the inflection point in the social justice movement…

The message below was sent by APA Chief Advocacy Officer, Katherine McGuire, shortly after the passage of H.R.1 (“One Big Beautiful Bill”). However, because many may not have received it,…

Resilience in Red and Gold: The Fight Against Sickle Cell and Childhood Cancer   The Hematology/Oncology/BMT SIG is an engaged network of psychologists and psychology trainees committed to delivering best-practice…

SPP President’s Message – August 2025 Hello SPP, I’m still feeling energized from the APA Convention in Denver earlier this month. Our Division 54 programming was exceptional! Thank you to…

What Happens in Vegas…Will Ignite the Peds Psych World! Did you miss SPPAC 2025 in Phoenix, AZ? Last year we asked, and you answered: “What keeps you up at night…

Greetings SPP! We – your 2026 Conference Chairs – are looking forward to SPPAC 2026! We know that for many, SPPAC represents an essential grounding space for our collective membership…

From Silence to Support: Building a Religious Diversity Task Force   Introduction The American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA, 2017 found at https://www.apa.org/ethics/code) states…

SPP FVC 2025: Sustaining Excellence in Pediatric Psychology: Advancing Evidence-Based Practices through Community and Clinical Partnerships We are thrilled to announce this year’s Fall Virtual Conference (FVC), to be held…

Fortifying Futures: Join us at the European Pediatric Psychology Conference 2025! The SPP European RIG, the European Pediatric Psychology Network (EPPN) is delighted to invite professionals, researchers, and trainees from…

Gender Health SIG: Fostering Community for Ourselves and the Families We Serve   Helping gender diverse young people and their families thrive We stand by our belief that everyone has…

DIV 54 HIGHLIGHTS Expanding on the SPPAC theme of Moving Forward With Hope: Advancing Health Equity in Pediatric Psychology Through Science, Practice, and Advocacy, Division 54 will be ready to…

What’s on Our Playlists: Dr. Anna Hood’s Perspective on Health Equity Advocacy and Celebrating Pride Month   The Pediatric Psychology Podcast team had the pleasure of interviewing various speakers at…

APA has created a new resource to support psychologists who wish to engage in advocacy: the APA/APASI Response Center. This website offers a quick way to stay informed about how…

SPP President’s Message – June 2025 Hello SPP, As we welcome summer, I hope you’re finding time to recharge, celebrate, and reflect. June brings light, warmth, and joy through Pride…

Getting Research Funding in Uncertain Times Being a researcher is one of the core components of a pediatric psychologist’s identity, and getting funded to conduct research is key to a…

SPPAC 2025 Highlights, Featuring The SAB! For this Student Column, we, Annisa and Francesca (as the Student Representative and Student Representative-Elect), wanted to highlight SPPAC-related activities that were overseen by…

Dear members of the Society of Pediatric Psychology, It has truly been an honor to serve as your SPPAC 2025 Conference Chair. I have been deeply moved by the perspectives…

Solid Organ Transplant SIG Updates & Initiatives Mission and Goals The Solid Organ Transplant (SOT) SIG is a dedicated community within the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) for professionals committed…

It Takes A Village! Picture (Left to Right): Dr. Xzania Lee, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), Toni Smith (Howard University), Jade Lewis (Xavier University of Louisiana), and Dr. Anya Griffin,…

Reflections on SPPAC 2025 and SPP Updates! Hello SPP, What a remarkable time we shared at SPPAC 2025 in Phoenix! Returning from the conference, I have been feeling supported through…

In Memoriam Donald “Don” Joseph Brunnquell, Ph.D. (1952-2023) Pediatric Psychologist, Ethicist, Educator, and Clinical Consultant Donald “Don” Joseph Brunnquell, Ph.D. (1952-2023) was a true renaissance man, with multiple gifts and…

Elevating Pediatric Psychology: Board Certification through the American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (ABCCAP)   Becoming a board-certified specialist through the American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent…

Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology (CPPP) Updates Happy New Year! 2024 was a big year for Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology (CPPP)! A key highpoint is our shift in publishers.…

A Note from The Incoming Student Representative It is an honor that APA Division 54-the esteemed Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP)-has named me as the Student Representative and Student Advisory…

American Psychological Association’s Advocacy Fly-In   On February 20, the American Psychological Association hosted its annual in-person advocacy fly-in to Capitol Hill. I was invited to attend as the Federal…

Helping Families Navigate Community-Based Provider Reimbursement: Single Case Agreements    A common challenge, and opportunity, for pediatric psychologists is to identify therapeutic supports for pediatric patients and their family members…

Welcome Message from Jessica Valenzuela, PhD, ABPP Hello SPP,   In my first Progress Notes column, I’d like to convey the deep responsibility that I feel as I begin my term…

A New Chapter for Progress Notes: Strengthening Content and Community As Progress Notes continues to evolve, we remain dedicated to providing our members with rich, thought-provoking content. This year, we…

Updates from the Journal of Pediatric Psychology Change in Associate Editor Team  I would like to thank Dr. Chad Jensen for his 8 year service to JPP as Associate Editor…

DSD Advocacy and Navigating Evolving Executive Orders  The evolving landscape of terminology surrounding sex definitions has become a critical issue in pediatric healthcare, particularly following the recent executive order titled…

SPPAC 2025: Moving Forward with Hope: Advancing Health Equity in Pediatric Psychology through Science, Practice, and Advocacy  We are so excited to welcome you all to SPPAC 2025 April 3rd-…

Student Spotlight: Ansley Kenney Ansley Kenney is a fifth-year clinical psychology doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is mentored by Dr. W. Hobart Davies. Prior to graduate school,…

As our year comes to an end, I’m delighted to use my final column to highlight the many Pediatric and Clinical Child Psychologists who’ve earned board certification in our specialty…

As we move, post-election, into 2025, it is a great time to turn attention to our state legislatures.  Most states begin their legislative sessions in January.  Even before the recent…

The year end is always bittersweet, as we thank members, who will be rotating off the SPP Board of Directors at the end of 2024, and as we welcome the…

Co-Producing Anti-Racism Strategies to Promote Research Participation for Adolescents and Young Adults Living with Chronic Pain   Society of Pediatric Psychology: Anti-Racism Grant Background When it comes to children and…

History Spotlight In Memoriam Samuel LeBaron, PhD, MD (1943-2022) Psychologist/Physician Who Pioneered Hypnotherapy to Reduce Children’s Pain and Other Symptoms and Brought Medicine and Psychology Together in His Research and…

Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) Membership Reminders: Keep Your Profile Up-to-Date and Renew Your 2025 Membership   As we look ahead to a new year, SPP wants to ensure we…

We are delighted to introduce the newest members of the Student Advisory Board (SAB) for the 2025-26 term! This year, we received an impressive number of applications from an exceptionally…

Reflections on two years of service to the Society of Pediatric Psychology By: Perry A. Catlin, M.S. As I transition out of my role as Student Representative for Division 54,…

SPP Presidential Column – December 2024 Hello SPP, it’s hard to believe that this is my final column as SPP President. It has truly been an honor to serve the…

Moving Forward with Hope: Advancing Health Equity in Pediatric Psychology through Science, Practice, and Advocacy We are so excited to welcome you all to SPPAC 2025 from April 3rd– 5th…

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SPPAC 2025 Membership Reminders Diversity Corner ABCCAP Updates On the Student Front: New SAB Members Student Spotlight: Ansley Kenney Call for Awards of Distinction 2025 Board Transition 2025…

The 2024 APA Convention included excellent work by Society of Pediatric Psychology learners! SPP sponsored 2024 APA Scholar, Aisha Abdullahi (Nationwide Children’s; mentor Dr. Idia Thurston) and 2024 Student Award…

by Aisha Abdullahi “Attending the APA conference for the first time was a transformative experience! My wonderful mentor, Dr. Idia Thurston, made it even more special. She welcomed me with…

  Members of the Society of Pediatric Psychology are encouraged to consider becoming a candidate for Fellow of Division 54 American Psychological Association. Fellow status reflects recognition by colleagues and…

The General Election is Tuesday, November 5.  Please make it a priority to vote if you are eligible.  For the first time, APA has created a voter guide.  It has…

In this month’s Diversity Corner, 2023 Anti-Racism Grant Award Winner, Andrea Garcia, provides a project summary and updates on an impactful project shared with Michael Vilensky. The one-year anti-racism grant…

President’s Message Diversity Corner APA Final Review APA Scholar Testimonial Advocacy Corner Division 54 Fellows SIG Highlight: Urology

          Hello SPP, it has been a difficult month already. Our hearts have been with so many of our members and families abroad as we marked…

The Urology Special Interest Group (SIG) started in the Fall of 2022 when one SPP member wrote to the SPP listserv expressing interest in connecting with other pediatric psychologists working…

APA 2024 Recap Extending from the wildly successful programming at SPPAC 2024, where the question was posed: “What’s Next? Defining the Path Forward for Pediatric Psychology,” Division 54 continued the…

History Spotlight In Memoriam Dennis C. Russo, Ph.D., ABPP (1950 – 2023)   Dennis C. Russo, Ph.D., ABPP (photograph courtesy of the Russo Family) Pediatric Psychology Leader and Cognitive Behavioral…

The Rehab Medicine Special Interest Group held their first official meeting in November 2017. The mission of the SIG is to promote advancement of the pediatric rehabilitation field through education,…

Advocacy and Academic Promotion As the academic year begins, so do thoughts about academic promotion.  Promotion is the achievement of excellence and contribution to an institution and profession.  It demonstrates…

          SPP Presidential Column – August 2024         Hello SPP! The summer sure has flown by. August marked another great APA Convention in lovely Seattle, and we…

Presidential Message SAVE THE DATE! Click here for conference info and Call for Proposals (due October 1, 2024) 2024 SPP Fall Virtual Conference Read More! Advocacy Corner Journal Updates   International…

  Carrying forward the SPPAC theme of What’s Next? Defining the Path Forward for Pediatric Psychology, Division 54 will be present and ready to be “All In” at the APA…

The Society of Pediatric Psychology is pleased to announce the results of our SPP Board Elections. Please join us in congratulating our new and returning board members.       …

Leadership, Excellence and Advancement Program (LEAP) Join us for our first LEAP! APPLY HERE. Application deadline is July 1. We anticipate a competitive application process! Any mid- or late- career…

2024 Diversity Research Grant Recipient By Nicolette C. Molina, MS (PhD Student in Clinical Psychology, University of Oregon)   I appreciate the support from the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP)…

ABCCAP Board Certification – Individualized Review of Training/Credentials & Mentorship, in the style of Dear Abby By David A. Langer, PhD, ABPP (ABCCAP President) Dear “ABCCAPy,” I’m excited to be…

2024 Student Awards Announcement  SPP honored and funded several outstanding student award winners at SPPAC 2024.   Eugene Walker Education Award in Pediatric Psychology Katerina Castaño (Columbia University Irving Medical…

          SPP Presidential Column – June 2024         Happy summer, SPP! It’s always nice to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors this time of year. Summer is also…

Presidential Update Welcome message from Cindy Gerhardt, PhD READ MORE! SPP at APA   READ MORE! 2024 SPP Fall Virtual Conference Read More!   ADVOCACY CORNER New!  Updates from Amy…

Student Spotlight: Yustine Carruyo Soto Yustine Carruyo Soto is currently completing an undergraduate degree in psychology at McGill University and is mentored by Dr. Leandra Desjardins at the Sainte-Justine University…

Society of Pediatric Psychology APA Division 54 Society of Pediatric Psychology APA Division 54   Call for Student Advisory Board Applications The Student Advisory Board (SAB) consists of 13 trainees…

On behalf of the Willis Award Review Committee, it is our pleasure to announce the winner of the Diane Willis Award for Outstanding Article published during 2023 in the Journal of Pediatric…

Upcoming Episode Release of the Pediatric Psychology Podcast: “Equitable Treatment of Graduate Students in Psychology”  Ashley Wolfe, MA (Kent State University, Kent, OH) & Kathryn “Katie” Davis, MA (Boston University,…

Amy R. Beck, PhD, RYT 200 drbeckadvocates@gmail.com On June 11, the American Psychological Association hosted its now annual in-person advocacy fly-in to Capitol Hill. I was invited to attend as…

SPPAC 2024: Reflections From Our Chair Naadira C. Upshaw, PsyD, ABPP SPPAC 2024 will always be one of the most memorable highlights of my career! Our theme this year centered…

SPP Awards of Distinction 2024 (Clockwise from top) Distinguished Contribution Diversity: Heather Jones, PhD Michael C. Roberts Award Outstanding Mentorship: Joseph Evans, PhD Carolyn S. Schroeder Award Outstanding Clinical Practice:…

Seeds Planted in New Orleans Authors: Anya Griffin, PhD, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Justin L. Williams, PhD (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA; Perry A. Catlin, MS,…

 Society of Pediatric Psychology Virtual Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition This year the Student Advisory Board (SAB) was honored to host the inaugural SPP Virtual Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition, a pre-conference…

SPPAC 2024 Highlights Highlights from SPPA Conference Chair Naadira C. Upshaw, PsyD, ABPP READ MORE! SPPAC 2025 SPP Awards of Distinction   READ MORE Black/African American Affinity Groups SPPAC 2024…

Presidential Update Welcome message from Cynthia Gerhardt, PhD READ MORE! SPPAC SCHEDULE   READ MORE   ADVOCACY CORNER New!  Updates from Amy Beck, PhD, APA Division Advocacy Partner Read More!…

Amy R. Beck, PhD, RYT 200 drbeckadvocates@gmail.com   At APA’s Practice & SPTA (State, Provincial,  Leadership, and Territorial Psychological Associations) Conference this February, Dr. Cathy Grus, the Chief Education Officer…

Advocacy and Public Policy in the Society of Pediatric Psychology: How to Avoid History Repeating Itself  By Michael C. Roberts, Ph.D., ABPP and Anne E. Kazak, Ph.D., ABPP The Society…

Top 3 SPPAC-tacular Ways to Learn about ABCCAP Board Certification By David A. Langer, PhD, ABPP (ABCCAP President) & Laura Bava, PsyD, ABPP (ABCCAP Board Officer) 1 – Stop by our booth…