Proceedings from the Workshop on Establishing Research Training Programs in Behavior and Health

摘要

A number of demographic, economic, and sociological factors are changing the pattern of training and employment for doctoral-level behavioral scientists at this time. Graduate enrollments have leveled off and are projected to decline throughout the 1980's. Employment opportunities in academia - while expected to grow - are being outpaced by employment in new settings. The following points are made in the report: (1) A greater number of older, more mature individuals, in the largest proportion women, are seeking graduate training in the behavioral sciences at this time. (2) The market for behavioral scientists remains good for those with quantitative skills. There appears to be a growing demand for such persons in nonacademic settings. (3) The area of behavior and health is not a unified field. Health behavior research is clearly at a stage of dynamic growth. (4) There is a need for post-doctoral training in the area of behavior and health. (5) There is a need for pre-doctoral support in health behavior research training, especially in those institutions which have strong programs of research in place. (6) There may be a special need to provide pre-doctoral institutional training grants to behavioral scientists teaching in health professional schools to permit a continuity in program development.