Summer 2007 Internship Positions
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Program
State University of New York at Buffalo
Summer 2007 Internship Positions for Undergraduate Counselors, Aides, and Research Assistants
The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Program in the Psychology Department at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, announces positions for summer internships for undergraduate students and recent graduates in Psychology, Special Education, Premedicine, Child Development, Social Work, and related fields. Interns will work as paraprofessional counselor, developmental aides, or research assistants in the Children’s Summer Treatment Program (STP) for children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder (CD) or Oppositional-Defiant Disorder (ODD). The program provides treatment tailored to children’s individual behavioral and learning difficulties and serves children ages six through twelve. The ADHD Program is directed by William E. Pelham, Jr., Ph.D., who is a Professor of Psychology at SUNY Buffalo. In 1993, the Summer Treatment Program was named as a Model Program for Service Delivery for Child and Family Mental Health by the Section on Clinical Child Psychology and Division of Child, Youth, and Family Services of the American Psychological Association.
Interns will work from Friday, June 22, 2007 through Saturday, August 18, 2007.
The hours of internship are from 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, and 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM,and Saturday, August 18 . Wednesday, July 4, will be an observed holiday. In addition, counselors and aides continue to work with the children from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM one evening each week while parents participate in weekly parent training groups. A limited number of $2200 stipends are available.
In addition, academic course credit can often be arranged through the student’s own university department or SUNY at Buffalo. SUNY-Buffalo is offering twelve credits through the psychology department for participating in the program. Arrangements for credit may vary depending on the credit-granting department or university.
During the summer of 2007, we will be conducting several different types of STPs. One version will be our standard intensive behavioral program with elementary-aged children. Another, funded by an NIMH grant in which we are examining whether we can reduce or eliminate the need for medication among young ADHD children, will use behavior modification techniques designed explicitly to use with this younger age group. Finally, we will be conducting a modified version of the STP as a part of summer school for underachieving children from the Buffalo Public Schools. These opportunities all offer a unique and rich experience for undergraduates.
Prior to the start of the internship undergraduate counselors and aides will be required to memorize the operational definitions of the categories used in the behavior modification program and rules for daily activities. During the first two weeks of the internship, all staff members will undergo intensive training conducted by the ADHD Program staff. Students will learn the goals and procedures of the program, and they will learn to function as paraprofessional counselors during the eight-week Summer Treatment Program. During the internship, students will learn:
1. the etiology, nature, and prognosis of ADHD, CD and ODD;
2. the behavior modification treatment program (token/point economy system, time out, physical management, etc.);
3. behavioral assessment procedures for pinpointing and monitoring behavior change;
4. how to develop and to implement individualized behavior modification programs;
5. social skills and problem solving training procedures for children with peer relationship problems;
6. how to record behavioral and academic data and enter data.
Forty-five undergraduate Counselor, Developmental Aide, and Research Assistant positions will be available at SUNY-Buffalo this summer for undergraduate students and recent graduates. The selection process is competitive; thus interested students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Students who wish to apply for more than one position should submit only one set of application materials. Position announcements, the 2007 application, and directions for completing and submitting application materials are available immediately. To request application materials by mail, please send a letter of interest and a self addressed stamped manila envelope, with postage of $0.92, to:
The Center for Children and Families - Summer Treatment Program
University at Buffalo, Diefendorf Hall Rm. 106, 3435 Main St., Bldg. 20, Buffalo, NY, 14214.
