Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care

We recently completed a study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, that tested a communications skills training program for pediatric primary health care providers (doctors, nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants). The training combined elements of patient-centered care, family and cognitive  therapy, and motivational interviewing. Its goal was to build providers' capacity, in their day-to-day encounters with patients, to help with children's emotional and behavioral problems. The package of training skills had many overlaps with what are known as "common factors," the elements thought to be responsible for the impact of many forms of psychotherapy. In this first trial, we found that mental health outcomes improved for both parents and children of trained providers, and there was evidence that training helped reduce disparities between the mental health outcomes of African-American and white children.

Citations of papers from the study can be found under the "Publications" link on the left side of this page.

Click here for a sample of the training materials in English. We have also worked with colleagues in Brazil on an adaptation.  Click here for a sample of the training materials in Portuguese.