Welcome to the Membership Application Process for SDBP

The Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics is an interprofessional organization dedicated to improving the developmental and behavioral health of children by providing exceptional leadership and promoting research, education, advocacy, and practice. SDBP advocates for an integrated approach to the biological, psychological, social, educational and cultural influences on children, youth, and their families. We are not a parent or client-based society. For more information on the Society, Click here.

Please read the information below regarding our categories of membership then you can proceed by selecting the online application that corresponds to you from the links below. Please note: Dues are collected at the time applications are submitted. Membership in SDBP is from January 1st to December 31st. For applications submitted in October or later the dues paid will be put towards the next year's membership.

While your application is in the review process, you are considered a "member with pending application". Once applications are reviewed by the Membership Committee, if further information is required, we will contact you. All approved applicants will receive an official "Welcome" email.

To Apply for SDBP Regular Membership, click here.

To Apply for SDBP Trainee/Recent Graduate Membership, click here.

There are three categories of membership: Regular members, trainee/recent graduate members and Emeritus. For a listing of membership benefits, click here. All members are encouraged to participate and engage in various committees, sections and special interest groups within the society.

Membership Categories

1. Regular Membership

Regular membership is open to all professionals committed to scientific inquiry, teaching, and/or clinical excellence in developmental and behavioral pediatrics as it affects the health care of infants, children, and adolescents. Regular members of SDBP have the right to hold office and to vote.

To apply as a regular member, an individual must be a practicing professional with a completed academic degree. In general, members will have completed a terminal master's degree or higher, in their professional field. This commitment should be described and documented by meeting one of the following four membership criteria:

  1. Research- A commitment to scholarly inquiry in developmental-behavioral pediatrics as evidenced by one or more published articles/chapters in a scientific journal or book relating to developmental and/or behavioral issues. The candidate should be the first author for such a publication.
  2. Teaching- A commitment to developmental-behavioral pediatrics teaching as evidenced by a Clinical Faculty appointment at an accredited teaching institution. The appointment and teaching commitment may be in any subspecialty or discipline related to developmental-behavioral pediatrics, such as behavioral pediatrics, developmental pediatrics, child psychiatry, pediatric psychology, children with disabilities, pediatric nursing, or pediatric social work.
  3. Clinical Practice- A commitment to the clinical practice of developmental-behavioral pediatrics as evidenced by at least half-time spent in such practice or board certification in either developmental and behavioral pediatrics or neurodevelopmental disabilities. This half-time practice commitment may be in any subspecialty or discipline related to developmental-behavioral pediatrics, such as behavioral pediatrics, developmental pediatrics, neurodevelopmental disabilities, child psychiatry, pediatric psychology, children with disabilities, pediatric nursing, or pediatric social work.
  4. Board Certification- The applicant has received board certification in developmental and behavioral pediatrics or neurodevelopmental disabilities.

In order to document the requirements specified in 1, 2, 3 and/or 4, applications for regular membership should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae (CV) and a brief description of one's work in the field of DBP in the designated area of the membership application.

International Members

SDBP warmly welcomes members from the international Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics community as regular members. International members are eligible to vote and hold office in SDBP. New member applications should be accompanied by an up-to-date curriculum vitae, and proof of residence outside the United States of America. Additionally, members from low and lower middle-income economies as classified by the World bank are eligible for discounted membership dues under the Lower Income Economies (LIE) category. For an accurate list of these economies, please click here.

Underrepresented Minority Professional in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics

SDBP supports Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of all professionals in the field of developmental and behavioral pediatrics. New Regular member applicants who also belong to a minority professional organization are eligible for a discount in their first year when joining SDBP. (Details are included in the application.)

2. Trainee/Recent Graduate Membership

Trainee/recent graduate membership is available to any applicant currently enrolled in a degree program related to aims of the Society OR has completed such training within the previous two years (after completion of the training program, the applicant must substantiate eligibility for non-voting membership status by a letter from their program director indicating the date on which training was completed.).
Trainee members do not hold office or vote but are strongly encouraged to join and participate in Committees/ Sections/ SIGs. Trainees who are eligible can apply for regular membership and forgo the trainee discount to hold full membership privileges.

To apply, an up-to-date curriculum vitae and a brief description of interest/studies in the field of DBP are required in the application, accompanied by one letter of good standing from the head/program director of the applicant's training program. A sample template for letter of good standing can be found here.

Pediatric residents and students can also apply for trainee membership with a CV and a letter from their program director/university verifying a special interest in developmental-behavioral pediatrics.

3. Emeritus Membership

A member with at least eight (8) years of regular membership may be granted Emeritus Status after age 70. Emeritus Members do not have the right to vote or hold elected office and are released from the responsibility of paying dues. Emeritus members will continue to receive the subscription to the Society's online journal (JDBP). Emeritus membership status is granted by sending a request to the Secretary-Treasurer.