Department of Psychology

Clinical Graduate Program in Psychology - Research Training in Pediatric Psychology

 

Current Funded Research Projects: Dennis Drotar, Ph.D.

Overview/Goals:
To evaluate the impact of a new neuroscience based curriculum (Born to Learn) to promote infant development through home visitation conducted according to standardized protocol by trained staff at the Jewish Community Center of Cleveland.

Sample:
450 infants (younger than six months of age from contrasting socioeconomic backgrounds from the eastern suburbs of Cleveland ) were randomized to one of two groups: 1) Born to Learn curriculum group and 2) Family Infant Education group.

Design and Measures:
Randomized, prospective three-year follow-up using measures of cognitive development, behavior during testing, mastery motivation, security of attachment, parent-child interaction, language, competence in play, preliteracy skills.

Progress to Date:

• Enrollment to date


• One year outcome assessments nearly complete


• Measurement standardization reliability issues


• Issues in collaboration

Overview/Goals:
To describe the process of informed consent for the medical treatment of childhood cancer.

Sample:
150 families of children with cancer (leukemia) recruited across six different sites.

Method/Design:
Descriptive prospective study that includes a multimethod assessment of the information that is transmitted from physician to parent and/or child and relevant parent-child physician transactions. Methods include direct observation, audiotape, individual (parent/provider) and focus group interview.

Progress:

• Recruitment of the sample has been completed


• Preliminary findings:
  -Significant numbers of parents do not understand randomization
  -Significant numbers of parents do not distinguish study enrollment from treatment outside the study
  -Minority and lower socioeconomic status predict problems in understanding


• Findings are now being utilized to a new intervention study with physicians and nurses to enhance parents’ understanding of relevant aspects of informed consent

Overview/Goals:
To evaluate the efficacy of a tailored problem solving intervention approach that is designed to address specific barriers to adherence medical treatment in pediatric asthma.

Sample:
120 African American children and adolescents ages 6-17 years with moderate-severe asthma from economically disadvantaged families. Children and adolescents will be randomized into 1 of 2 groups: (1) Tailored Problem Solving Intervention which focuses on cognitive/behavioral intervention to address barriers to care, or (2) Family Education which focuses on educating children and families about asthma management and the need for adherence to treatment.

Design and Measures:
Randomized prospective clinical trial: Target outcomes include adherence to medical treatment as assessed by self-report and objective monitoring of medication usage, asthma related morbidity including symptoms, pulmonary functioning and health care utilization and quality of life 6,9, and 12 months following intervention.

Progress to Date:

• Enrollment of 65 children and families


• Development of treatment manuals


• Preliminary analyses

Overview/Goals:
To describe adherence to cancer treatment during the cancer (maintenance phase) using comprehensive methods (self-report and biologic assays)

Sample:
Adolescents ages 12-18 with ALL who are undergoing treatment for cancer

Design and Measures:
Descriptive prospective study: Adolescents are seen at the beginning of maintenance treatment for a four month following and given measures of adherence to treatment and barriers to adherence to treatment

Progress to Date:

• Enrollment of 50 adolescents and families


• Preliminary description of adherence to treatment based on self-report and biologic assays submitted for publication


• Data are being used to plan a problem-solving intervention to promote adherence to treatment


• Pilot and feasibility study of intervention is in progress

Relevant Recent Articles (D. Drotar, Ph.D.)

Articles in Refereed Journals

Drotar, D. (2002). Presidential address: Reflections on interdisciplinary collaboration in the new millenium: Perspectives and challenges. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics , 23 , 175-180.

Drotar, D. (2002). Behavioral and emotional problems in infants and young children . Infants and Young Children , 14 , 1-5.

Drotar, D., Palermo , T.M., & Landis, C.E. (2003a). Recommendations for the training of pediatric psychologists: Implications for postdoctoral training. Journal of Pediatric Psychology , 28, 109-115.

Drotar, D., Palermo , T., & Landis, C.E. (2003b). Training graduate level pediatric psychology researchers at Case Western Reserve University : Meeting the needs, challenges, and options for the new millenium. Journal of Pediatric Psychology , 28 , 123-135.

Drotar, D., Flannery, D., Day, E., Friedman, S., Creed, R., Gartland, H., McDavid, L., Tame, C., & McTaggart, M.J. (2003). Identifying and responding to the mental health service needs of children who have experienced violence: A community-based approach. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 8 , 187-204.

Drotar, D. (2003). Martin P. Levin Distinguished Award: Reflections on mentorship in pediatric psychology: Key issues and implications. Journal of Pediatric Psychology , 28 , 309-314.

Ievers-Landis, C.E., Burant, C., Drotar, D., Morgan, L., Trapl, E., & Kwoh, C.K. (2003). Social support, knowledge, and self-efficacy as correlates of osteoporosis preventive behaviors among preadolescent females. Journal of Pediatric Psychology , 28 , 335-346.

Walders, N., Childs, G.E., Comer, K., Kelleher, K.J., & Drotar, D. (2003). Barriers to mental health referral from pediatric primary care settings. The American Journal of Managed Care, 9 (10): 677-83.

Sices, L., Feudtner, C., McLaughlin, J., Drotar, D. & Williams, M. (2003). How do primary care physicians identify young children with developmental delays? A national survey. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics , 24, 409-417 .

Taylor , H.G., Yeates, K.O., Wade, S.L., Drotar, D., Stancin, T., & Montpetite, M. (2003). Long- term educational interventions after traumatic brain injury in children. Rehabilitation Psychology, 88 , 115-120.

Kodish, E., Eder , M., Ruccione, K., Lange, B., Angiolillo, A., Pentz, R., Zyzanski, S., Siminoff, L., & Drotar, D. (2004). Communication of randomization in childhood leukemia trials. Journal of the American Medical Association , 291 , 470-75.

Sices, L., Feudtner, C., McLaughlin, J., Drotar, D., & Williams, M. (2004). How do primary care providers manage children with possible developmental delays?: A national survey with an experimental design. Pediatrics , 113 , 274-282.

Drotar, D. (2004). Detecting and managing developmental and behavioral problems in infants and young children: The potential role of the DSM-PC. Infants and Young Children , 17 , 114-124.

Palermo , T., Witherspoon, D., Valenzuela, D., & Drotar, D. (2004). Development and validation of the child activity limitations interview: A measure of pain-related functional impairment in school-age children and adolescents. Pain, 109 , 461-470.

Yeates, K.O., Swift, E.E., Taylor , H.G., Wade, S.L., Drotar, D., Stancin, T., & Minich, N. (2004). Short-and long-term social outcomes following pediatric traumatic brain injury. Journal of International Neuropsychological Society , 10 , 412-426.

DeLambo, K.E., Ievers-Landis, C.E., Drotar, D., & Quittner, A.L. (2004). The association of observed family relationship quality and problem-solving skills to treatment adherence in older children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis. Journal of Pediatric Psychology , 29 (5), 343-353.

Drotar, D. (2004). Validating Measures of pediatric health status, functional status, and health- related quality of life: Key methodological challenges and strategies. Ambulatory Pediatrics .

Drotar, D. (2001). Promoting comprehensive care for children with chronic health conditions and their families. Children's Services: Social Policy, Research, and Practice , 4 , 157-166.

Drotar, D., Walders, N., Burgess, E., Nobile, C., Dasari, M., Kahana, S., Miller, V., Schwartz, L., Schaefer, E. (2001). Recommendations to enhance comprehensive care for children with chronic health conditions and their families. Children's Services: Social Policy , Research, and Practice , 4 , 251-264.

Drotar, D., & Lemanek, K. (2001). Steps toward a clinically relevant science of interventions in pediatric settings. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 26 , 385-394.

Stancin, T., Drotar, D., Taylor , H.G., Yeates, K.O., Wade, S.L. (2002). Health-related quality of life of children and adolescents following traumatic brain injury. Pediatrics , 109 .

Book Chapters

Drotar, D., Palermo , T., & Barry, C. (2003). Collaboration with schools: Models and methods in pediatric psychology and pediatrics. In R. Brown, (Ed.). Handbook of pediatric psychology in school settings (pp. 21-36). Mahwah , N.J. : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Gerhardt , C.A. , Walders, N., Rosenthal, S.L. & Drotar, D. (2003). Children and families coping with pediatric chronic illnesses. In K. Maton, C. Schellenbach, B. Leadbeater, & A. Solarz (Eds.). Investing in children, youth, families and communities: Strengths- based research and policy (pp. 173-179). Washington , D.C. : American Psychological Association.

Drotar, D. (2004). Health status and quality of life. In S. Naar-King, Ellis, D.A., & Frey, M.A. Assessing children's well being. A handbook of measures (pp. 104). Mahwah , N.J. : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Drotar, D., Sturner, R., & Nobile, C. (2004). Diagnosing and managing behavioral and developmental problems in primary care: Applications of the DSM-PC. In B.G. Wildman & T. Stancin (Eds.). Treating children's psychosocial problems in primary care (pp. 191-224) Greenwich , CT : Information Age Publishing.

Books

Drotar, D. (Ed.). (1998). Measuring health related quality of life in children and adolescents: Implications for research and practice. Mahwah , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Drotar, D. (Ed.). (2000). Conducting research in pediatric and clinical child psychology. A handbook of practical strategies and methods. New York : Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Press.

Drotar, D. (Ed.). (2000). Promoting adherence to medical treatment in childhood chronic illness: Concepts, methods, and interventions. Mahwah , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Editorials/Commentaries

Drotar, D. (2004). Commentary: We can make our own dime or two, help children and their families, and advance science while doing so. Journal of Pediatric Psychology , 29 (1), 61-63.
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