Mission and Goals

The mission of the Digital Health SIG is to provide a forum for members of the Society of Pediatric Psychology to share and learn about the development, evaluation, dissemination/implementation of pediatric health tools delivered via digital platforms (e.g., text messages, apps, wearable devices).

The goals of the Digital Health SIG are to:

1. Provide a forum to share advances and challenges in the development, evaluation, deployment, and/or use of digital health with pediatric populations.
2. Advance the ability of researchers and clinicians to reach and serve pediatric populations via digital technologies through the sharing of key resources.
3. Disseminate information relating to digital health research outcomes, methodologies (e.g., design principles), and the integration of digital health into clinical practice.
4. Foster collaborations and mentoring relationships to advance members’ own expertise in state-of-the art digital health methods, in order to ultimately advance the state of the science and integration of useful digital health tools into routine practice.

Activities

Our goals are achieved via meetings and symposia at the SPPAC; remote communications via the SIG listserv, webinars, Twitter account, and (eventual) website; and collaboration with other SPP SIGs.

We promote, share, and discuss pediatric digital health methods, products, and outcomes on our listserv, twitter, and website, such as:

• News (e.g., newly published articles, promotion of digital health trainings),
• Resource sharing (e.g., recommended technology vendors, sample grant applications, referrals to colleagues/mentors)
• Promotion of SPPAC programming relating to digital health topics
• Connecting researchers (in the Digital Health SIG and across other SIGs) to increase digital health-related SPPAC symposium and workshop submissions
• Given the rapid pace of change in technology, we will foster “works in progress” sessions to showcase emerging and innovative digital health tools and methods

We also offer professional and training activities such as:

• Webinars
• Facilitating networking and collaboration among members in-person at SPPAC and remotely via our listserv and Twitter
• Opportunities for student involvement, through a leadership position, an annual SPPAC Digital Health SIG poster award, and mentoring match-ups.

History and Structure

The Digital Health SIG was established in 2019 by current co-chairs Drs. Colleen Stiles-Shields and Alex Psihogios. Other members of the SIG leadership team include a Communications Leader and a Student/Trainee Leader.

Leadership and Contacts

Colleen Stiles-Shields, PhD, co-Chair
University of Chicago

Alex Psihogios, PhD, co-Chair
Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine

Jill M. Plevinsky, PhD, Communications Leader
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Caroline Cummings, MA, Early Career Leader
Texas Tech University

Emily L. Moscato, Ph.D., Co-Student/Trainee Leader
Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Adrian Ortega, M.A., Co-Student/Trainee Leader
The University of Kansas; Headshot attached

To Join

SPP invites members with a shared interest to consider joining one or more Special Interest Groups (SIGs) by logging into the Member Portal and going to "Join a SIG/RIG/Affinity Group" on the dropbox.