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Graduating Pediatric Residents' Preparedness to Provide Mental Health Care for Children and Adolescents
Elizabeth A Gottschlich1, Tylar W Kist1, Hilary M Haftel2
1Department of Research, Pediatrician Surveys, American Academy of Pediatrics, Itasca, IL.
Objective:
Examine graduating pediatric residents' preparedness to provide mental health care and examine program characteristics and mental health training experiences associated with such preparedness.
Methods:
National random sample of 1000 US pediatric residency graduates from the 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Survey of Graduating Residents; 428/991 (43.2%) responded. Residents rated how well their program prepared them (5-point scale, "poor" to "excellent") to care for children and adolescents with mental and behavioral health needs overall and 8 specific problems. Respondents provided residency program characteristics and indicated whether their continuity clinic had an on-site mental health professional and if they completed a psychiatry rotation. Multivariable logistic regression examined program characteristics and mental health training experiences associated with reported preparedness ("excellent" or "very good") to care for patients with mental health needs overall.
Results:
More than half of residents (51.4%) reported feeling prepared to care for mental health needs overall. Six in 10 felt prepared to care for patients with suicidal ideation or behavior (64.8%), low mood or depression (64.1%), inattention and impulsivity (59.0%), anxiety (57.2%), and signs of eating disorders (56.9%). Fewer felt prepared to address disruptive behavior and aggression (37.9%) and substance use (34.0%). Sixty-one percent had an on-site mental health professional; one third completed a psychiatry rotation. Those who had both of these training experiences were most likely to report feeling prepared.
Conclusions:
Gaps remain in residents' preparedness to provide mental health care, particularly around substance use and disruptive behavior and aggression.
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