Child Psychology Today

Although students and practitioners of child psychology today still draw upon some of the earliest theories in their field, developed by the likes of Freud and Piaget, the practice of child psychology now and the thinking behind it differs greatly from those early days. Child psychology is no longer solely the concern of professionals in the field. An increasing number of parents are taking an interest in the subject and want to know how the principles of child psychology can help support their child's emotional, mental, social and educational development. However, when a child does need the support of an educational or child psychologist, nothing can substitute for skills, experience and knowledge of a professional who has at the very least a doctorate degree in the field.

Latest Developments In Child Psychology

Both parents and professional psychologists can read up on recent child psychology news in child psychology articles online and in magazines and journals. Child psychology journals are generally speaking aimed at trained psychologists and therefore may not be accessible to ordinary parents in terms of the jargon and terminology they contain. Parents who are new to the topic might be better off picking up some books on the subject, specifically written for ordinary Moms and Dads, to help them understand and promote their children's development.

Finding Child Psychology Information

In an average well-stocked bookstore, a visit to the self-help or parenting section will lead you to numerous books with a child psychology connection. Some child psychology topics about which parents have become increasingly concerned include developmental and behavioral disorders such as ADHD and autism. Child psychology books for parents address these kinds of topics from the perspective of a primary care giver within a family, not from that of the professional child psychologist observing a child who is not his or her own. Some child psychology books may have deceptive titles, making it difficult to know whether it's really a child psychology publication. For example, the title "Children and Divorce" doesn't specifically mention child psychology, but it's very likely that a book with this name would touch on how a child's emotional and social development is impacted by the breakup of his parents' relationship, making this a child psychology book.

Child Psychology Tests

When parents are concerned about a child's emotional state or behavior in school, they may turn to a child psychologist for an assessment. The psychologist tests the child to determine whether he or she has any developmental issues that need to be addressed. There are different kinds of child psychology tests: IQ tests (primarily used in connection to educational psychology), attitude tests (how a child feels about the people around him, or about a recent change or situation in his life), neuropsychological tests (to check whether or not brain function has been impaired following illness or injury) and personality tests (to assess how a child reacts to certain situations or problems). In some cases, a child will need to undergo one or more different types of test. In child psychology today, testing methods have been developed which are neither stressful nor worrying for children. A lot of the time, the child thinks he or she is playing a fun game, and isn't aware of the testing process.

Child Psychology Careers

Child psychology jobs in the United States go only to those who have a child psychology degree - and a doctorate at that. The requirements for working in child psychology today vary from state to state, but pretty much everywhere, you'll need to have the doctorate, and relevant work experience in your field of specialization and you'll have to take an exam to acquire a license to practice. In terms of personality, you'll need to be patient, and capable of developing a good rapport with (in some cases emotionally troubled) children. You also need to be a good team player, as you'll have to work with doctors, teachers and parents as a regular part of your job.