Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey: Factors Related to Compensation of Pediatric Psychologists

Productivity measurement in psychology and neuropsychology: Existing standards and alternative suggestions

Objective: The Relative Value Unit (RVU) system was initially developed to account for costs associated with clinical services and has since been applied in some settings as a metric for monitoring productivity. That practice has come under fire in the medical literature due to perceived flaws in determination of "work RVU" for different billing codes and negative impacts on healthcare rendered. This issue also affects psychologists, who bill codes associated with highly variable hourly wRVUs. This paper highlights this discrepancy and suggests alternative options for measuring productivity to better equate psychologists' time spent completing various billable clinical activities. Method: A review was performed to identify potential limitations to measuring providers' productivity based on wRVU alone. Available publications focus almost exclusively on physician productivity models. Little information was available relating to wRVU for psychology services, including neuropsychological evaluations, specifically. Conclusions: Measurement of clinician productivity using only wRVU disregards patient outcomes and under-values psychological assessment. Neuropsychologists are particularly affected. Based on the existing literature, we propose alternative approaches that capture productivity equitably among subspecialists and support provision of non-billable services that are also of high value (e.g. education and research).

Addressing Barriers to Career Development Awards for Early Career Women in Pediatric Psychology

OBJECTIVE

To provide person and system-level recommendations for supporting early career women in the field of pediatric psychology in writing and submitting National Institutes of Health (NIH) Career Development Award (K award) applications. Recommendations are provided in the context of common barriers, with a focus on practical solutions.

METHODS

Publicly available NIH reporter data were compiled to examine rates of funding for Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) members. Barriers that women face when initiating programs of research are described and applied to the field of pediatric psychology.

RESULTS

Of current SPP members, 3.9% (n = 50) have ever received an NIH K award. Approximately 88.5% of SPP members identify as women, including 89.0% of SPP K award recipients. A table of person- and systems-level recommendations is provided to offer strategies for mentees, mentors/sponsors, institutions, and national organizations to address the barriers discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

By addressing gender-specific barriers to submitting K award applications, we hope to increase the number of women K awardees and support the scientific advancement of pediatric psychology.

Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey: Updated Factors Related to Compensation

OBJECTIVE

The 2017 Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) Workforce Survey provides self-reported compensation by pediatric psychologists, identifies predictors of compensation, and establishes a better understanding of compensation within the context of gender and race/ethnicity minority status.

METHODS

SPP members who attended the SPP Annual Conference (SPPAC; April 2017) were invited to complete the survey at the conference through electronic tablets provided on-site by the Workforce Survey Committee. The survey was subsequently distributed online to SPP members who did not complete the survey at SPPAC. The statistical analyses used for this salary data employed flexible semi-parametric models, cross-validation, and prediction models for both the overall sample and academic rank subgroups.

RESULTS

Of 27 potential demographic and employment-related predictors from the 2017 SPP Workforce Survey, significant predictors of salary emerged within this sample: academic rank, time since obtaining doctoral degree, managing internal and external funds (of at least $50,000), years in primary employment position, obtaining Fellowship status in the American Psychological Association (APA), and managing other employees (at least 10 people). Given low response rates for males and individuals who identify as belonging to racial and ethnic minority subgroups, only limited, exploratory results are reported for these subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that not only is longevity in one's career important but managing funds/personnel and obtaining professional designations are also predictors of higher salaries for pediatric psychologists, in general. Specific implications of salary according to the psychologist's academic rank, gender, and racial/ethnicity group status are also explored.

Pediatric Psychologists' Career Satisfaction: 2015 Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey Results

Little is known about the career satisfaction of pediatric psychologists, who specialize in psychological research, teaching, and clinical service in the context of pediatric healthcare. As part of the larger Society of Pediatric Psychology Workforce Survey and in collaboration with the American Psychological Association Center for Workforce Studies, this study aimed to: (1) describe the career domains which pediatric psychologists perceive to be important and their satisfaction in each domain, and (2) compare satisfaction of pediatric psychologists across work settings, number of positions, appointment duration, professional roles, career stage, academic rank, and gender. Responses from 336 pediatric psychologists demonstrated high career satisfaction. Domains of career satisfaction that received mean scores indicating high importance include balance of work and personal lives, peer/collegial support, and flexibility and choice in the workplace, but on average respondents reported being only somewhat satisfied in these domains. Total satisfaction scores were significantly higher among pediatric psychologists in 9-10 month appointments, primarily research careers, and at higher academic ranks, but scores were similar across employment settings and genders. To enhance career satisfaction and retention, pediatric psychologists may seek additional mentorship or explore new employment roles, and administrators and managers may consider adopting workplace policies or making environmental changes that could address specific areas of need.

Public Significance Statement

This study suggests that overall, pediatric psychologists are highly satisfied with their employment. However, there may be some important aspects of their work that could be more satisfying. The findings have implications for identifying professional development strategies that can maintain or enhance satisfaction.