BOX9-2 Clinical Psychologist Perspective: Karen D. Rudolph, Ph.D.Karen D. Rudolph is a Professor at the University of
Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She received her Ph.D. in
Clinical Psychology at the University of California, Los
Angeles, and completed a clinical internship at the
Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital at UCLA. She
has been a recipient of a William T. Grant Foundation
Faculty Scholars Award and a James McKeen Cattell
Sabbatical Award and is a two-time recipient of an
Arnold O. Beckman Award from the University of Illi-
nois. Dr. Rudolph has served as a PI and Co-PI on sev-
eral large-scale longitudinal studies funded by the
National Institutes of Health. She is an associate editor
for theJournal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psy-
chologyand serves on the editorial boards ofDevel-
opment and PsychopathologyandJournal of
Abnormal Child Psychology. She is currently co-editing
the third edition of theHandbook of Developmental
Psychopathologywith Dr. Michael Lewis. Her research
focuses on person-by-environment interactions that
predict the emergence and continuity of depressive
disorders in youth, with a focus on developmental
transitions (e.g., puberty, school transitions) that create
a context of risk for the onset or exacerbation of
psychopathology.
Dr. Rudolph shared her perspectives on the
field of clinical psychology and developmental
psychopathology.What originally got you interested in the
field of clinical psychology?
My interest in the field of clinical psychology emerged
in a fairly traditional way. Yes, I was the child who was
always interested in why people acted in a certain
manner, why siblings often develop quite different
interests and characteristics, why peer groups could be
supportive or cruel, and why some children struggled
more than others in the process of development. As an
undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, my
first (intellectually stimulating and yet delightfully
entertaining) introductory psychology course, taught
by Dr. Henry Gleitman, confirmed my general interest
in psychology. Whereas a course in developmental
psychopathology, taught by Dr. Rena Repetti, provided
anamefor my specific emerging interest in how
developmental processes contribute to differing social
and mental health pathways across children. An
internship and independent study project focused ontheory of mind in children with autism, supervised by
Dr. Leila Gleitman, provided manyfacesfor this inter-
est. My graduate training at UCLA with Drs. Constance
Hammen, John Weisz, and Stephen Hinshaw provided
a more nuanced perspective regarding the intersection
between personal vulnerabilities (ranging from coping
to interpersonal competencies to cognitive processing)
and contextual risks (ranging from the family to the
peer group to life stressors) that contribute to the
emergence of psychopathology across development.
Ultimately, I think indecision helped guide my pursuits
in the field of developmental psychopathology—rather
than choosing one particular area of specialization, I
could integrate my fascination with the many aspects
of human functioning that shape development.Describe what activities you are involved in
as a clinical psychologist.
My primary activities involve conducting research and
teaching in the field of developmental psychopathol-
ogy and providing service at both a local and national
level. My research integrates a variety of methodolog-
ical approaches, including large-scale survey research
within school settings, in-depth semi-structured inter-
views, laboratory and naturalistic observations of
behavior, biological assessment of stress reactivity, and
structured performance-based assessments (e.g.,
neuropsychological and cognitive tasks). My teaching
involves lecture and seminar courses for undergradu-
ate and graduate students as well as individual super-
vision of research conducted by undergraduate
research assistants and doctoral students. As a faculty
member, I serve on a variety of administrative com-
mittees within the department and university, and I
serve on master’s and dissertation committees for
graduate students. I am also involved in several activi-
ties in the field more broadly, including: (a) reviewing
manuscripts for multiple journals in the fields of clinical
psychology, developmental psychology, and child psy-
chiatry, as well as serving as an associate editor for the
Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology; (b)
reviewing grants for federal government agencies and
private foundations; and (c) reviewing conference
abstracts and helping to organize professional confer-
ences. Both in the context of my research and as a
service to the community, I present professional work-
shops to schools and families regarding various topics276 CHAPTER 9