WASHINGTON - Psychologist Alan Kazdin, Ph.D., the John M. Musser Professor of Psychology, Child Psychiatry, and Institute of Social Policies at Yale University, has been elected president of the American Psychological Association (APA) for 2008.
Dr. Kazdin, who currently directs the Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic, has a unique combination of research, clinical and administrative experience. "Alan Kazdin's exceptional qualifications make him an able leader of the APA," said Yale President Richard C. Levin. "His energy and passion for advancing the field of psychology and science will be a great asset to the association."
During his presidency, Dr. Kazdin plans to promote APA's mission of advancing psychology's scientific interests and the application of research findings to promote health, education and the public welfare.
"I am eager to work with APA members, APA's governing body [the Council of Representatives], state and provincial organizations and APA divisions and directorates," added Kazdin. "I am also interested in partnering with other disciplines and professional organizations, both in the U.S. and globally. By doing this, I hope to increase our impact, advance psychological research and place psychology more internationally. Also, I'd like our field to play a more critical role in serving the areas of diversity, children and families, health care and social policy," said Kazdin.
Psychology has much to contribute to solving world problems, such as nutrition and disease, traumas of war and natural disasters, said Kazdin. By promoting research, training and clinical services that are sensitive to diversity, culture and identity, "psychologists will be better able to develop more culturally sensitive services in the U.S. and also collaborate with many other countries and understand their needs."
For the last 30 years, Kazdin has been researching the development, treatment and clinical course of child aggressive and antisocial behavior. The research conducted at the Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic examines effective treatments for children with severe aggressive and antisocial behavior and child, parent, and family factors that contribute to therapeutic change.
Kazdin hopes through APA's communication efforts to better inform the public about the latest research on health and social issues. "Psychologists are in a position to initiate positive changes by communicating how important lifestyle is to overall health and by disseminating their research findings in key policy areas, like day care, treatment of prisoners and worker safety," said Kazdin.
Dr. Kazdin's work has been recognized through ongoing National Institutes of Health funding support, including two research career awards and a 10-year merit award from 1987 to 1997. Kazdin has published over 600 articles and has authored or edited 43 books and chapters, with a focus on psychotherapy research, clinical practice, child and adolescent disorders and research methodology.
Additionally, Dr. Kazdin currently serves as Associate Editor of the Annual Review of Psychology and as Series Editor of books in Psychology for Yale University Press. Kazdin has previously served as editor of Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Psychological Assessment, Behavior Therapy, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice and Current Directions in Psychological Science and as Editor-in-Chief of APA's Encyclopedia of Psychology.
Dr. Kazdin received a PhD in clinical psychology from Northwestern University. Before his current appointment, he was on the faculty of Northwestern University, Pennsylvania State University and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at San Jose State University.
In 1989, Kazdin joined the faculty of Yale's Department of Psychology, with a joint appointment in the Child Study Center. As chair of Psychology from 1997 to 2000, Kazdin hired over a dozen new faculty members, including five in the senior ranks. In addition, under his leadership, the department established a number of new programs, including one in neuroimaging and cognition.
Kazdin will serve as a member of the APA Board of Directors and the association's president-elect in 2007. He will assume the office of president on January 1, 2008.
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 145,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.