ABSTRACT
With this shift in thinking, the field began to expand considerably. The ongoing role of social and psychological factors in the development, consequences, and treatment of medical conditions and the role of those same factors in prevention and health maintenance all began to receive increased attention. When the focus of such interest is on children and adolescents, the field is typically referred to as pediatric psychology. The redefinition and expansion of the field is also reflected in the formation of professional societies and journals with a pediatric psychology focus (Aylward et al., 2009).
