Child and Adolescent

The Child and Adolescent SIG creates a place for clinicians and researchers to discuss, debate, and address issues relevant to the understanding and treatment of childhood anxiety and mood disorders. 

The SIG promotes networking between clinicians and researchers and helps combat isolation for therapists in private practice and offers opportunities for learning and connection between the annual conferences through online communication and CE.

To join the SIG, please login to your member account. Have a question about the member platform? Please contact ADAA.

Please view the ADAA SIG Guidelines


SIG Co-Chairs

  • Krystal Lewis, PhD, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
  • Ruth Lippin, LCSW, JD, Alighieri Care Management 

SIG Vice-Chairs

  • Liza Bonin, PhD, Baylor College of Medicine 
  • Julia Burch, PhD, McLean Hospital 

Board Liaison: 
Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine 

Congratulations to:

Rebecca Schneider, PhD - 2021 winner of the Child and Adolescent SIG Student/Early Career Award. Rebecca's presentation entitled "The Development of an ACT-Based DNA-V Multifamily Group for Youth OCD" will be available to watch through the 2021 Virtual Conference platform. To view the presentation, visit the Child and Adolescent SIG's booth in the Partner Solutions Hall and click on the appropriate link. The presentation can also be found in the On Demand list of presentations for the Clinical Track. 

Erika Vivyan, PhD 2020 winner of the Child and Adolescent SIG Student/Early Career Award. The SIG has hoped Erika would present her work on "Positive Behavioral Strategies in Exposure Practice" at the   2020 ADAA Annual Conference. Instead, Erika will be doing her presentation as a live webinar on August, 27, 2020.

Emily Bilek, PhD, winner of the 2019 Child and Adolescent SIG Student/Early Career Award! Emily presented her work on “Piloting a Self-distancing Augmentation to Exposure Therapy” at the Child and Adolescent SIG meeting on Friday, March 29, at the 2019 ADAA Conference in Chicago, IL.


2021-22 Annual Report 

The Child and Adolescent SIG focuses on bringing together clinicians and researchers and provides a supportive place for clinical dialogue. Our SIG continues to host monthly peer video consultations. We are also continuing to explore the possibility of having topic-focused consultations following a professional development webinar to discuss the clinical relevance for providers. An important goal for our SIG is to bridge the gap between research and practice and ensure that we are highlighting the relevance and applicability of current research. Although our peer consultation calls and meetings are largely attended by private practice clinicians and clinically focused academics, we strive to maintain a balance between clinical and research priorities.

This year, our SIG hosted our third annual award competition for students, trainees, and early career researchers/clinicians. Submissions reflected the application of evidence-based practices to the assessment and/or treatment of youth with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. We received some very strong submissions. Elizabeth Kitt, B.S. is the 2022 Student/Early Career SIG Award winner. Ms. Kitt will give an in-person presentation at the 2022 conference on family-level factors that impact anxious youths’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We plan to continue to host this award each year.

At the 2022 Conference, we will have a SIG meeting where Ms. Kitt will present her work and where we will then spend time engaging with our members to plan for the next year. We will survey members of our SIG to understand ways we can support one another and continue to have an active and engaging SIG. In addition, any new attendees and virtual peer consultation members will be acknowledged. We plan to continue recruitment over the course of the conference as well as identify members to give relevant webinars.

During 2022, we will focus on soliciting SIG-related submissions for the 2023 conference. We will organize collaborations with other SIGs and with ADAA committees to address current issues related to child and adolescent mental health and ensure we are focusing on the mental health needs of diverse, underserved communities.

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