Training in Applied Developmental Science

In the second half of the 20th century, the focus of research and training in developmental psychology and related disciplines shifted from laboratory research and laboratory-based training to the study of human development in real-life contexts and to the application of developmental psychology to promote human development. Programs to train students in applied developmental science (ADS) grew out of the perceived need for well-trained specialists who can solve societal problems through research and education (Hagen, 1996).

Most available programs for training in ADS are offered in the United States, but graduate programs are also available in other countries, such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and other programs are being established, for example, in Germany. Graduate training in ADS is conducted across a variety of academic settings (e.g., university psychology departments, schools of education, child development [Page 1090]centers, health care facilities, gerontology centers). Most programs that are housed in psychology departments are labeled as applied developmental psychology. Because human development is a biopsychosocial process, and because developmental science is applied in many settings (e.g., education, health care), training programs need a multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary perspective. In programs that exclusively work with students from one field (e.g., applied developmental psychology), coursework in other disciplines is usually limited, and multidisciplinary collaboration has to be fostered by fieldwork. Other programs are open to students from different disciplines (e.g., developmental psychology, child psychiatry, social work) and offer courses from several disciplines.

Many universities in the United States offer doctoral and master's programs in ADS (e.g., Claremont Graduate University, George Mason University, Fordham University, University of Pittsburgh), and a minority also have a bachelor's program in that field. Whereas the doctoral program has a stronger focus on developing students' expertise in applied developmental research and on their qualifications to teach at the college and university levels, in the master's program, students develop skills necessary for implementing and evaluating effective programs for individuals, families, or communities. The bachelor's program builds skills for work in a special setting (e.g., child/youth development programs, day care centers, preschools, or community mental health centers). ADS programs also vary in their preventive versus clinical focus and in the age range studied. Whereas some programs follow a life span perspective (e.g., the Fordham University program, although students may specialize on a narrower age range), others focus exclusively on a special period of life (mostly on childhood; e.g., Eliotpearson Department of Child Development at Tufts University). Because of the heterogeneity of programs in ADS, the disciplinary or multidisciplinary model and goals of training must be labeled adequately so that students know the type of approach and techniques in which they will be trained.

In addition to master's and doctoral programs, some universities offer in-service training in ADS, for example, for mental health professionals, without offering a special academic degree. Finally, single courses in ADS are often implemented within the general training of developmental psychology and applied psychology; these courses provide students with a short overview of the field, without practical skills training.

Training in ADS integrates lectures, seminars, and readings with observations of and participation in community-based programs. Field experiences that are aimed at extending students' skills and understanding of development in context are an essential core element of ADS graduate training programs. They should provide the opportunity for participation and supervision in research, evaluation, service delivery, policy development, or budgetary and management decision making (Fisher et al., 1993). Fieldwork includes work with families (e.g., home visits for assessments and parental education), schools and educational institutions, child development centers (e.g., day care centers), departments of human services (e.g., child protection agencies), social welfare agencies (e.g., homeless shelters), correctional facilities (e.g., juvenile detention centers), health facilities (e.g., pediatric units), senior centers, nursing homes, and policy-making units (Rebok & Sostek, 1996). In addition, universities may have associated structures that promote fieldwork, for example, a human development laboratory or child study center that incorporates kindergarten and a special education unit, or a learning clinic.

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