Historical analysis in pediatric psychology: The influence of societal and professional conditions on two early pediatric psychology articles and the field's subsequent development

Authors

Lara M. Genik, University of Guelph
Jeffery Yen, University of Guelph
C. Meghan McMurtry, University of GuelphFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2015

Journal

Journal of Pediatric Psychology

Volume

40

Issue

2

First Page

167

Last Page

174

URL with Digital Object Identifier

10.1093/jpepsy/jsu084

Abstract

The field of pediatric psychology arose in the 1960s in response to a variety of societal and professional needs. 2 seminal articles written during this time, by Jerome Kagan (1965) and Logan Wright (1967), played key roles in the field's development. However, their efficacy in galvanizing a response from medical professionals and psychologists had much to do with broad-ranging developments in pediatric public health, intraprofessional changes among medical specialties, and a growing preoccupation with ''psychosocial'' and parenting issues. The purpose of this paper is to situate Kagan's (1965) and Wright's (1967) contributions within their social and historical contexts, and thereby to elicit reflection on the field's subsequent and continued development.