Should I Consider a Job as a Child Psychologist?
Jan 18, 2015 | 8:00 am
If one is considering becoming a child psychologist, they first need to know what is involved with the educational requirements and if they are the right potential candidate for the career field of child psychology.
A child psychologist will work with infants, toddlers, children, teens and will sometimes work with a particular age group. The key is to understand, prevent, diagnose their development, cognitive, social and emotional issues. Then, they come up with treatment plans to help those individuals.
Studying the field of child psychology jobs will include genetics, language development, personality, gender roles, cognitive, school academics as well as social growth. There are other things to consider such as cultural influences, peer influences and so on.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the job growth is projected to grow at 12% between the years of 2012 and 2022 with wage projections between $39,000 at the lower percentile, $70,000 at the median level and $110,000 at the higher end. Those with private practices and independent consultants might offer evening and weekend hours.
Education for Child Psychologist Jobs
There are opportunities at the master’s degree level, but there are many more opportunities at the doctoral degree level. After one has obtained their degree, they must also complete a supervised clinical internship that will usually last two years and then they will be required to pass state and national examinations in order to become licensed in the state in which they plan on practicing.
Duties that will be performed include diagnosing, treating, manage behavioral issues, administering psychological tests, conducting scientific research and planning a unique treatment plan either working with a team or individually.
Other Career Options
Other career options in child psychology might include abnormal child psychology that would work with children who suffer from psychological disorders such as anxiety, mood and personality disorders. Adolescent psychologists work with children around the ages of 12 to 18 who are dealing with things such as eating disorders, depressions and other disorders. A developmental psychologist will focus on development throughout the entire lifespan of that client.
A psychologist who works in the education system might work with children in grade schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, and clinics and study how people learn, individual differences, learning disabilities as well as those who might be gifted learners.
The field of child psychology is complex. Children do not always know how to communicate what is going on with them. Some children are too young to tell a traditional psychologist what they feel or think. Being able to observe at truly deep levels and understanding each patient individually, while also being able to gather information from the family and history of that patient, can make a massive impact. This profession also helps the family deal with issues that the child might be going through. It is important to understand that with the child going through issues it will also affect the family members around them. This is a rewarding profession for the right type of applicant, one who is discerning and interested in helping young people.