Monitor on Psychology - March 2012 - (Page 59)

psychology further B Y B RENDAN L. S MI TH Taking Early career psychologists who take an interdisciplinary approach are finding career satisfaction and more opportunities than ever. M atthew Davis, PhD, often hears complaints from friends who are early career psychologists about mountains of insurance paperwork and trouble finding clients in today’s recession. But Davis, who earned his PhD in counseling psychology last year, has dodged those problems by crossing psychology’s traditional boundaries. Like a growing number of psychologists, Davis took an interdisciplinary approach to his education and training, and that has made his skills even more marketable than those of his peers. Since 1998, he has worked at the Utah Criminal Justice Center, where as a research analyst he studies juvenile justice programs in Utah and offers recommendations to improve outcomes for children and save taxpayer dollars. “Every year there is more and more opportunity to influence the criminal justice system,” Davis says. “I only know three other psychologists in Utah who do applied research in the criminal justice field. That’s really surprising to me because I think psychologists are the best trained to do this work because we have both research and clinical skills.” Davis has battled some stereotypes while working with lawyers, judges and probation officers who sometimes view psychology as just touchy-feely therapy that coddles juvenile offenders. “It’s almost like they think psychologists will be soft on crime,” he says. But Davis has shown skeptics how researchbased approaches to juvenile crime can help reduce recidivism, including the use of home-based programs with caseworkers for many offenders rather than detention in costly juvenile facilities. Many early career psychologists have gotten the message that some of their more established colleagues have not: Interdisciplinary work is the wave of the future, offering new opportunities in diverse fields, including medical settings, economics, public policy and education. “Being a psychologist in interdisciplinary practice is still 59 M a rc h 2 0 1 2 • M o n i to r o n p s yc h o l o g y

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - March 2012

Monitor on Psychology - March 2012
Letters
President’s column
Contents
From the CEO
Supreme Court rejects eyewitness protections
New member benefit: prevention screenings
A psychodynamic treatment for PTSD shows promise for soldiers
Was ‘Little Albert’ ill during the famed conditioning study?
New research identifies ways to improve eyewitness identifications
In Brief
‘Our health at risk’
Perspective on Practice
APA endorses higher education guidelines
TIME CAPSULE
QUESTIONNAIRE
Random Sample
Judicial Notebook
Help for struggling veterans
Driving out cancer disparities
In the Public Interest
SCIENCE WATCH
Practice, virtually
The legal and ethical issues of virtual therapy
Psychologist PROFILE
EARLY CAREER PSYCHOLOGY
Bringing life into focus
Pay attention to me
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Division Spotlight
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - March 2012

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/member_benefits
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201109_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/apa/monitor_201109
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com