Program Overview

Program Overview

DePaul University is a private, Catholic, urban educational institution operated in the tradition of St. Vincent de Paul. The Catholic influence does not manifest itself in the teaching of Catholic doctrine but is represented in the University's commitment to service. The University's mission is:

"to strengthen the dignity of each individual and to impact societal systems for the betterment of a just and humane community…The Vincentian quality of DePaul opens the heart as well as the mind to the basic dignity of each person and the corresponding duty to respond to the needs of those least able to provide for themselves. DePaul's urban character makes it an active participant in the life of the community of greater Chicago, both drawing from and contributing to this larger community." (Meister, R. A strategic plan for DePaul University: 1995-2000. DePaul University, 1995, p. 2).

The Clinical Psychology Program (which includes both Child and Community tracks) is one of four Ph.D. programs in the Department of Psychology at DePaul University. The American Psychological Association (APA) first accredited the Clinical Program in 1976, and it has held continuous APA accreditation since then. The Clinical Psychology Program trains students within a scientist-practitioner model. Beyond training in the basic science of psychology, the DePaul program provides training in and opportunities to conduct applied research with those who have been traditionally underserved by psychology. The particular emphases are in developmental psychopathology, community psychology, evidence-based treatments, diversity issues, and program evaluation with children, adolescents, and families of color.

In addition to several common training experiences, the Clinical Program has two areas of emphasis, or tracks: Community and Child. The Community track focuses on prevention, consultation, program development, empowerment, and health promotion, rather than traditional treatment. The Child track emphasizes training in developmental psychopathology, in the development of efficacious treatments for low income African American and Latino families, and the delivery of services for youth living in urban settings, including schools and community mental health centers. Applicants select an area of emphasis and are admitted to one of the two tracks. The two areas of emphasis are complementary to one another. Most of the research and training conducted in the Community track is focused on children, adolescents, and families, and the training received in the Child track is informed by Community principles (e.g., prevention, empowerment, health promotion). DePaul’s Clinical Psychology Program has received a number of recent awards and recognitions. See Recent Awards and Recognitions for a list.

The Clinical Program has 12 full-time faculty members, 6 in the Community area and 6 in the Child area. In addition, Dr. Leonard Jason is a research professor who contributes actively to the Clinical Program and supervises clinical students in research. All of the faculty conduct applied research that either focuses exclusively on children or adolescents of color or includes youth in research focused on broader populations. For example:

- Dr. Karen Budd's research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of an empirically-supported parent-child interaction therapy with low-income urban families of color. 

- Dr. Jocelyn Carter’s research focuses on relations among stressors, chronic illnesses, such as asthma, and depressive symptoms affecting low-income urban youth of color. 

- Dr. Sheldon Cotler's research has included psychotherapy outcome research as well as evaluation of preventive interventions with children and adolescents.

- Dr. Patrick Fowler's research uses strong scientific methods to inform developmentally-sensitive service provision and social policy aimed at youths and families in contact with the child welfare system.

- Dr. Kathryn Grant's research focuses on the effects of stressful life experiences on the mental health of adolescents and the development of interventions for low-income urban youth.

- Dr. Gary Harper's work has focused on partnering with community organizations to both develop and modify evidence-based health promotion programs (primarily HIV prevention) to meet the cultural, developmental, and community needs of urban, low-income youth of color.

- One of Dr. Leonard Jason's primary research agendas is the development of prevention and intervention strategies targeting addiction-related behaviors in youth.

- Dr. Christopher Keys' work has focused on developing and implementing interventions to promote the success of urban youth of color living with disabilities.

- Dr. Susan McMahon's research focuses on evaluation of violence prevention interventions with urban youth, school-based interventions, and risk and protective factors among African American youth.

- Dr. Antonio Polo's research focuses on the manifestation of internalizing problems in Latino youth and the devlopment and tailoring of evidence-based interventions to address the needs of this population.

- Dr. Sheila Ribordy's research has focused on psychotherapy, clinical training, and program evaluation, with a particular focus on the effects of maltreatment and trauma on developmental psychopathology.

- Dr. W. LaVome Robinson's research focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of cognitive-behavioral school-based interventions for African-American inner-city children and adolescents.

- Dr. Bernadette Sanchez's research focuses on the effects of mentoring relationships on psychological and educational outcomes in Latino youth.

Unique Strengths of DePaul's Clinical Psychology Program

In 2003, DePaul University's doctoral program in Clinical Psychology was reviewed by APA, and the program's accreditation was again renewed for the maximum allowable time period (seven years). At this most recent accreditation review, the program was found to be acceptable or commendable in each of the areas assessed including program eligibility, philosophy, curriculum, resources, student-faculty relations, self-assessment, public disclosure, and relationship with accrediting body. In addition, the program was commended, in particular, for its attention to cultural and individual differences and diversity, particularly as they relate to applied research.

During the oral feedback meeting, APA site visitors stated that they had not seen a program with greater strength in the area of diversity. In addition to the emphasis on applied research with youth of color as described above, diversity issues are emphasized in all clinical courses as well as in the DePaul Family and Community Services Center (DePaul FCS), where students receive much of their clinical training. The program has also recruited and retained a diverse faculty and student body. Four of the 12 faculty are people of color (2 African American and 2 Latino); 20 of the 47 currently enrolled students are people of color (12 African American, 5 Latino, 3 Asian American). Other forms of diversity (e.g., sexual orientation, disability, gender) are also represented in the faculty and student body. See excerpt from APA accreditation report below:

"The program has made systematic, coherent, long term and effective efforts to attract and retain students and faculty who represent diversity. The program offers a supportive and encouraging learning environment appropriate for training of diverse individuals. The program has implemented a coherent plan to provide students with relevant knowledge and experience about the role of diversity in psychological research and practice. The program's attention to diversity issues in applied research programs is especially commendable."

The site visitors also stated that they had not seen a program that better embodied its mission, and they highlighted the congruence of the broader university mission with the Clinical Psychology Program's particular goals. They noted that the program's emphasis on training Clinical Psychologists to work with underserved populations, particularly families of color living in urban poverty, embodies the university's Vincentian mission and its urban priority.

Finally, the site visitors lauded the program's in-house training clinic, DePaul FCS. Supported by State of Illinois funds and DePaul University, the DePaul FCS has provided psychotherapy and case-management to economically disadvantaged families living in the surrounding public housing developments of Cabrini Green and Lathrop Homes for over 30 years. The DePaul FCS Outpatient Child and Adolescent program offers the typical assessment of mental health services to youth 2 to 17 years and their families. Approximately 250 youth receive services each year in this program. Clientele are mostly racial minorities (83%), receive public assistance (86%), and have been exposed to a number of stressors including economic stressors, and community and family violence.

The DePaul FCS is also unique in emphasizing outreach to the community it serves. This is done by identifying, assessing, and linking at-risk youth and families to a variety of needed services, including medical, mental health, educational, housing, substance abuse, job training, etc. DePaul FCS staff recognize the importance of connecting community members and institutions in order to coordinate services and engage with families who may be mistrusting because of past negative experiences with the "system."

Several DePaul FCS programs implement evidence-based prevention and treatment approaches (targeting externalizing problems in school-age children in particular). In addition, under the direction of Dr. Karen Budd, the DePaul FCS and Clinical Program have partnered to evaluate (and modify as needed) an evidence-based treatment of Oppositional Defiant Disorder in low-income urban African American and Latino young children. Also in partnership with the DePaul FCS, Dr. Antonio Polo is involved in the dissemination and tailoring of an evidence-based program in a school setting and targeting depressed youth of Latino backgrounds.

Summary

In sum, DePaul University's doctoral training program in Clinical Psychology represents a unique training site that provides excellent general training in the fields of Clinical Child and Community Psychology while also offering an emphasis in applied research with underserved children and adolescents. The research programs of the Clinical faculty and the training provided in the DePaul FCS, in the context of strong university support for research on underserved populations of color, combine to create a program uniquely equipped to train scientists in applied research on effective prevention and intervention programs for low-income, urban, African American and Latino youth.