Ahead of his keynote speech at the APS College of Clinical Psychologists Conference (CCLINConf) in Hobart, 18-20 September 2026, Harvard University Professor John R. Weisz Ph.D., ABPP shares his thoughts on the ‘almost dizzying pace’ of research into interventions for child and adolescent mental health.
In the fast-moving field of research that Professor John R. Weisz has dedicated decades of his career to, both the challenges and the potential of child and adolescent mental health interventions have shifted significantly. Faced with new technological advancements, and the ethical considerations they present, John and his team show no signs of slowing down.
As a Henry Ford II Research Professor of the Social Sciences in the Psychology Department of Harvard University and Professor in Harvard Medical School, John has witnessed the development of his research focus increase exponentially in recent years.
“What continues to surprise me most is the remarkable, almost dizzying, pace of research in this area. There are now more than 800 randomised clinical trials of interventions designed to improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing. My students and I do meta-analyses synthesising the findings of these trials, and we can’t keep up!” John says.
Professor John R Weiz’s valuable contribution to child and adolescent mental health research
Recognised for his prominent work in bridging the gap between academic research and clinical practice with his randomised controlled effectiveness trials and meta-analyses of youth psychotherapies, John is leading the way toward better mental health outcomes for children and adolescents.
While developing and evaluating treatments with young people in real-world practice settings, John has helped bring attention to an important question: how well do research-based interventions work in everyday clinical care?
His research has shown that treatment effects often decline when interventions move from controlled research settings into routine practice, which he calls the ‘implementation cliff’.
Why we still need new breakthroughs to benefit young people
Looking back over his career, John says there are a number of key findings that have fundamentally changed the way he thinks about psychological treatments.
“There are many youth interventions that have been found effective in clinical trials, with more than 75 interventions now classified as ‘evidence-based,’ but the average benefit produced by youth interventions has been stable for six decades. We need breakthroughs that can boost the benefit young people derive from these treatments. We also need strategies for taking our most effective interventions to young people around the world who currently lack access. This is something I’ll talk about at the upcoming College of Clinical Psychology Conference, and I would love to learn what breakthrough ideas are percolating in Australia.”
How psychologists are contributing toward innovations in mental health
At a time when many of us are feeling uncertain about the impact of AI on the role of psychologist, John’s work demonstrates how the expertise of psychologists and psychological scientists has led and continues to provide leadership in the development of these scalable, equitable and evidence-based interventions. The psychological profession has always led innovations in mental health. Now, more than ever, it must continue to do so. The APS College of Clinical Psychologists Conference is set to further showcase the role of the profession in being an authoritative voice, shaping the future of mental health in Australian and beyond.
John says, “We have so many effective treatments, yet the great majority of young people who need mental health care cannot access these treatments. Many live in places without trained mental health providers, and often in conditions that directly threaten mental health. As one example, UNICEF estimates that more than 50 million children and adolescents worldwide are directly exposed to the trauma of war and armed violence. Most of these young people have no access to mental health support from trained providers. We need to find scalable approaches that can reach these and other youths who need care and can’t find it. Toward this end, our team, along with many colleagues, is exploring the use of brief digital interventions that can be delivered at scale over the internet.”
Risks and rewards: AI developments in child and adolescent research
Now that AI has entered the mental health care conversation, John and his team have had to consider both technology’s implications and potential – the risks and the rewards.
“My students and research alums and I are excited about the prospects of AI, but also wary of the risks. On the plus side, digital interventions have enormous potential to make our interventions scalable, reaching many who will never be able to see a therapist. And AI carries the added benefit of personalising intervention, using conversational agents to help people figure out how to apply therapeutic concepts and skills to their distinctive lives.
“On the minus side, standardised digital interventions lack the flexibility and tailoring in-person therapy can provide, and adding AI for personalising, such as chatbot responses, can also add risks such as chatbot responses that elevate risk. Our challenge is to build on the enormous potential of tech advances while also constructing guardrails to ensure safety. That’s a work in progress, and it’s challenging!”
Despite these considerations, his research continues to forge a path toward a new frontier in youth mental health.
When asked what question he hopes the next generation of psychologists and psychological scientists in his field will answer, John suggests, “What changes can we make in our interventions or how we deliver them that will produce a major advance in treatment benefit?”
What John hopes to gain from his attendance at the 2026 APS College of Clinical Psychologists Conference
It’s clear that John and his team are optimistic about the continuing developments in their field, and John says he looks forward to learning about Australian psychologists’ ideas during his visit to Hobart in September.
“I would love to learn what innovative ideas Australian practitioners and researchers have for taking mental health intervention to the next level, and what new approaches and strategies could dramatically boost the benefit young people derive from the treatments we provide.”
Across all of John’s research, clinical partnerships, and mentoring, the greatest reason behind his optimism for the future of psychology comes from the clinical community.
“I’m optimistic about the impressive energy and creativity of the clinical community – the clinical practitioners who take treatment to the people and whose experience and wisdom inspire a continuing stream of new ideas, and the clinical scientists who build on these ideas – developing and testing a cascade of innovative interventions.
“I have been so inspired by the hundreds of clinicians we have worked with in our training programs and clinical trials in the US, and also by the 43 mentees in my lab who have gone on to faculty positions doing their own research on youth mental health care. I know the same vibrant practice-research partnership that I admire so much is a key to Australia’s remarkable impact and prominence in clinical psychology worldwide, and I look forward to experiencing it close-up in September.”
In addition to John’s keynote presentation, the 2026 APS College of Clinical Psychologists Conference program has been curated to bring you ideas, innovations and insights aimed at helping members to be prepared for changes and opportunities in our profession.
Learn more about the 2026 APS CCLIN Conference at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, on from 18-20 September.