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Healthcare increasingly emphasizes collaborative treatment by multidisciplinary teams. This is the first research focusing on psychologists’ participation in team-based care, the mix of professionals with whom psychologists collaborate, and how these collaborations vary across practice settings. Data are from 1607 respondents participating in the American Psychological Association Center for Workforce Studies’ 2015 on-line Survey of Psychology Health Service Providers. Practice settings differed markedly in systemic organizational support for interprofessional collaboration and in psychologists’ participation in collaborative activities. Psychologists in individual private practice reported least support for and least occurrence of interprofessional collaboration. Psychologists’ collaboration with non-behavioral health professionals, such as non-psychiatrist physicians and nurses, was more frequent in general hospitals and VA medical centers. Across settings, greater contact with another health profession was generally associated with psychologists being more confident about working with that profession. However, for work with psychiatrists, that association was attenuated. A collaborative practice model is presented for psychotherapy patients also treated by physicians or other professionals who manage a patient’s psychotropic medication.

The 8th biennial national conference of the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers (APAHC) was held in Detroit, MI, March 9-11, 2017. All speakers were invited to contribute manuscripts based on their conference presentations to this special issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, and five presenters did so. All manuscripts were peer reviewed by experts in the field. The Conference Co-Chairs, Drs. Amy M. Williams and John A. Yozwiak, serve as Guest Editors for the special issue with Associate Editorial support from Dr. Elizabeth D. Cash. This article provides a brief overview of the rationale for the choice of the conference theme and the speakers, and a brief introduction to the articles in this special issue.

This study explored mock juror perceptions of elder sexual mistreatment (ESM). In Experiment 1, 118 participants read a fictional criminal trial summary of an ESM case in which a 76-year-old woman was allegedly abused by either her son or a neighbor. In Experiment 2 ( n = 360), the ESM occurred in either a nursing home or the elder's home and the alleged perpetrator was either her son or a nursing home worker. Conviction rates were relatively low in both experiments (25% and 33%, respectively). Women were more pro-prosecution than men in case judgments. Overall, the study provides evidence that mock jurors may question the credibility of elders in ESM cases.

Little is known about how barriers to research participation are perceived, affected by or interact with patient characteristics, or how they vary over the course of a clinical trial. Participants (285) in the Renin-Angiotensin System Study (RASS), a randomized clinical primary prevention study of diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy at 2 Canadian and 1 US university, rated potential barriers to research participation yearly for 5 years. Baseline barriers rated as most adversely affecting participation were: missing work; frequency of appointments and procedures; study length; number of appointments and procedures; access to study location; and physical discomfort associated with procedures. Inadequate social support, unstable job, and the use of alcohol and drugs were cited relatively infrequently, suggesting that although they may be important, candidates for whom these might be issues likely self-selected out of the study. Gender and gender by age interactions were found for specific perceived barriers, such as work and child care, and baseline barriers correlated with adherence. Elucidating the natural history of barriers to research participation is a step toward identifying strategies for helping participants overcome them, and ultimately may enhance the conduct of research.

Physician shortages in the US are expected to intensify with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These shortages may negatively impact access to care, quality of care, and confidence in the system’s ability to adequately provide for health needs in the US. Concerns regarding physician demand underscore how critical Graduate Medical Education funding is to preparing the physician workforce. In 2014 5.6 % of US medical school seniors did not match into residency. Psychology has faced longstanding training imbalance issues with a misalignment between the number of internship positions and the number of applicants. The authors summon attention to the damaging effects a training imbalance poses to a health care profession, its trainees, and ultimately the public it serves.

Two experiments investigated mock jurors' perceptions of elder abuse (EA) in a physical assault case. In Experiment 1, participants read a fictional criminal trial summary of a physical assault case in which the alleged victim was 66, 76, or 86 years old. In Experiment 2, the age of the alleged victim was 76 years old, but the gender of the alleged victim and the gender of the defendant were crossed. The results of the experiments showed that women believed the alleged victim more and rendered a guilty verdict more often than men. Overall, the alleged victim was believed more than the defendant regardless of the age of the alleged victim, and most verdicts were guilty. These results are discussed in terms of the factors that affect perceptions of alleged victims of EA in court.

This study investigated the impact of type of out-of-court disclosure in a child sexual assault case involving a 6-year-old alleged victim. Community participants read a fictional criminal trial summary of a child sexual assault case in which the alleged victim’s out-of-court disclosure of the assault was: (a) complete on two occasions or (b) incomplete at first, but later included the full account of the incident. The results showed that there were more guilty verdicts, higher ratings of the defendant’s guilt, and greater belief of the alleged victim when there was full disclosure on two occasions compared to when there was a delay in full disclosure. These results are discussed in terms of the impact the nature of out-of-court disclosure can have when a child testifies in a sexual assault case.

This study investigated the perception of elder neglect by undergraduate mock jurors. Ninety-eight men and women read fictional criminal trial summaries of a neglect case (i.e., First-Degree Criminal Abuse) in which the age of the alleged victim was 76- or 86-years-old and the alleged victim had either a cognitive deficit or a physical disability. The results showed that the alleged victim's health status affected perceptions of mock jurors. There were more guilty verdicts and higher ratings of the defendant's guilt when the alleged victim had a cognitive deficit than when she did not. These results are discussed in terms of the implications of bringing cases of elder abuse to court.

Objective: This study investigated the effect of child witness demeanor (defined as crying) on mock jurors’ decisions in a simulated First-Degree rape trial. Method: One hundred and thirty-three undergraduates serving in the role of mock jurors read a trial summary in which the primary independent variable was the demeanor of the alleged child victim (i.e., calm, teary, hysterical crying). In addition to reading the summary, participants viewed pencil drawings of the witnesses that were presented as “courtroom drawings.” Results: The results showed that the teary condition led to more guilty verdicts and a greater belief in the alleged victim than the other demeanor conditions. Conclusions: Findings from this study indicate that demeanor can impact the perception of a child who is an alleged sexual assault victim in court. However, it is not simply the case that any display of demeanor will lead to a positive outcome for the alleged victim. Instead, it appears that too little or too much emotion from the alleged child victim negatively affected credibility in the eyes of the mock jurors.

Two experiments investigated the impact of DNA evidence in a child sexual assault (CSA) case involving a 6-year-old alleged victim. In Experiment 1, participants read criminal trial summaries of CSA cases in which only DNA evidence was presented, only the alleged child victim's testimony was presented, or both forms of evidence were presented. When DNA evidence was presented, there were more guilty verdicts and greater belief of the alleged victim than when only the alleged victim testified. In Experiment 2, DNA evidence was countered by an alibi witness testifying as to the defendant's whereabouts at the time of the alleged assault. The alibi witness reduced the influence of DNA evidence compared with when DNA evidence was presented without this witness. These results are discussed in terms of the comparative strengths of DNA evidence versus the testimony of the alleged victim.

A substantial number of children and adolescents experience chronic illness. Due to medical advances, many young patients survive into adulthood. A chronic illness has the potential to affect several facets of a young patient’s life. The impact that chronic illness may have on various domains of psychosocial functioning will be reviewed. Youth with chronic illness and their families can experience a variety of consequences, but many adjust well and have favorable outcomes. However, factors associated with chronic illness and its treatment may influence the trajectory of development and functioning. The psychosocial treatment of youth with chronic illness will be covered. Issues pertaining to adherence to treatment regimens and means to enhance adherence will also be addressed. Recommendations for practice and future research will be offered.

This article reviews the use and perceptions of videoconferencing in psychology internship training from the perspective of interns. Videoconferencing offers a means of expanding training beyond conventional on-site models. Psychology interns completed an online survey about their experiences with videoconferencing and perspectives of its impact on training. Most participants encountered it in their didactics. Some used it for supervision or other purposes. Interns’ perspectives were complex, with videoconferencing seen as supporting learning similar to conventional training in some ways, yet as less desirable overall. Direct comparisons between videoconferencing and on-site training revealed interns perceived videoconferencing as somewhat less effective, and as deleteriously affecting learning dynamics. Challenges and potential benefits of incorporating videoconferencing into psychology internship training were identified. Potential benefits include augmenting available internship training and increasing rural sites’ access to training.

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects a significant proportion of adolescent mothers. Adolescence presents unique challenges that may make the young mother more vulnerable than her adult counterparts to PPD. PPD impacts a mother's ability to care for her infant and has been associated with adverse effects on child development. A review of the literature on adolescent PPD was undertaken. The prevalence and the effects of PPD are reviewed, common screening instruments for PPD are compared, and the results of treatment outcome studies are highlighted. There is a need for randomized controlled studies of interventions for adolescents with PPD. Findings from treatment outcome studies with adults with PPD and pregnant adolescents who are depressed suggest that psychosocial interventions may also be effective for adolescents with PPD. Issues in assessment and treatment of PPD among adolescents are considered.

This study explores problems associated with the psychology licensure process from the perspective of licensure applicants. Respondents (n = 218) participated in a survey about the licensure process, problems encountered, and the effect of licensure delays. Problems included adverse effects for applicants, consumers, and hiring organizations. Half of the participants perceived delays in acquiring their licenses. Problems associated with delayed licensure included financial burdens, barriers to professional development, and emotional effects. Delays affected eligibility for third-party payer networks and delayed access to services by various consumers, including underserved populations. Delays also adversely affected employers and colleagues as well as applicants’ perceptions of boards. The authors provide recommendations for promoting boards’ efficiency to improve licensing boards’ applicant review processes, as well as enhanced training of students in the requirements for licensure and the application process.