Alan E. Kazdin, Ph.D.

John M. Musser Professor of Psychology, Child Psychiatry, and Institute of Social and Policy Studies

Research Interests

Our clinical-research group studies developmental psychopathology and focuses on questions related to diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of childhood disorders, especially oppositional defiant and conduct disorder. We work with children referred for treatment oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior including aggression, theft, truancy, and firesetting. We are interested in developing effective child- and family-based interventions to improve current child functioning and to controvert the poor long-term prognosis. Identifying effective treatments requires research designed to understand the nature and scope of child dysfunction, parent and family factors (e.g., stress, clinical dysfunction) that contribute to adjustment and contextual factors (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, domestic violence, quality of family life) in which child dysfunction may be embedded. We study child-rearing practices, parenting, and ways in which parenting can be altered to improve child functioning at home, at school, and in the community.

Our work focuses on psychotherapy more broadly by examining current child and adolescent treatment practices in use in the mental health professions, the clinical and research base of these practices, and the implications for mental health services. As part of this work, we have studied factors related to engaging children and families in treatment, risk factors associated with premature termination from treatment, and factors during treatment (e.g., therapeutic alliance, parent expectations) that can be mobilized to improve clinical outcomes. Also, we are interested in bridging the hiatus of research and practice by increasing the clinical relevance of psychotherapy research and by developing methods of evaluation for clinical use.

Links

• The Parenting Center & Child Conduct Clinic

Recent Publications

• Kazdin, A.E. (2000). Psychotherapy for children and adolescents: Directions for research and practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Kazdin, A.E., & Weisz, J.R. (Eds.) (2003). Evidence-based psychotherapies for children and adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.
• Kazdin, A.E. (2003). Research design in clinical psychology (4th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
• Kazdin, A.E. (2005). Parent management training: Treatment for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. New York: Oxford University Press.
• De Los Reyes, A., & Kazdin, A.E. (2005). Discrepancies among informants' ratings of childhood psychopathology: A critical review, theoretical framework, and recommendations for further study. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 483-509.
• Kazdin, A.E. (2005). Mechanisms of change in psychotherapy: Advances, breakthroughs, and cutting-edge research (do not yet exist). In R.R. Bootzin and P.M. McKnight (Eds.), Strengthening research methodology: Psychological measurement and evaluation. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Kazdin, A.E., & Nock, M.K. (2003). Delineating mechanisms of change in child and adolescent therapy: Methodological issues and research recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 44, 1116-1129.
• Kazdin, A.E., Marciano, P.L., & Whitley, M. (in press). The therapeutic alliance in cognitive-behavioral treatment of children referred for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
• Kazdin, A.E., Whitley, M., & Marciano, P.L. (in press). Child-therapist and parent-therapist alliance and therapeutic change in the treatment of children referred for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
• Nock, M.K., & Kazdin, A.E. (in press). Controlled trial of a brief intervention for increasing participation in parent management training. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Contact

Campus Address
Child Study Center
230 South Frontage Road
P.O. Box 207900
New Haven, CT 06520-7900

Office Address
NIHB-201

E-mail
alan.kazdin@yale.edu

Office Phone
203.785.5759

Fax
203.785.7402