Deirdre A. Caplin

Deirdre A. Caplin, PhD, MS

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Eccles Primary Children's Outpatient Services Building

Salt Lake City
801-662-5594

Primary Children's Hospital

Salt Lake City
801-313-7711

  • Deirdre Caplin, MS, PhD completed a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Purdue University School of Science, her PhD in Clinical Child Psychology from Ohio University, and her clinical internship in Pediatric Psychology at the University of Louisville Medical Center. She has been with the Department of Pediatrics Since 2001 and joined the Division of Behavioral Health in 2009. Dr. Caplin served as an Associate Program Director in the Pediatric Residency Program for 11 years and has transitioned from medical education in 2021 to lead mental health integration efforts in subspecialty pediatric clinics. She is the Clinical Director of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry Programs in Pediatric Behavioral Health. With her colleagues in Pediatric Behavioral Health, she has developed a program to train providers in communication with children and families, to inform clinical care for treating children and adolescents' behavioral health difficulties in the context of medical illness. Dr. Caplin has clinical expertise evaluating and treating youth experiencing functional disorders, including pain disorders, functional neurological disorders, autonomic dysfunction, and gut-brain interaction disorders. Dr. Caplin is trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy, nerve reprocessing therapies, clinical pediatric hypnosis, mindfulness based relaxation, and behavioral approaches, with a specific focus on functional improvement and management of chronic fatigue and chronic pain, as well as self-management of illness.

    Specialties

  • Deirdre Caplin, MS, PhD completed a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Purdue University School of Science, her PhD in Clinical Child Psychology from Ohio University, and her clinical internship in Pediatric Psychology at the University of Louisville Medical Center. She has been with the Department of Pediatrics Since 2001 and joined the Division of Behavioral Health in 2009. Dr. Caplin served as an Associate Program Director in the Pediatric Residency Program for 11 years and has transitioned from medical education in 2021 to lead mental health integration efforts in subspecialty pediatric clinics. She is the Clinical Director of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry Programs in Pediatric Behavioral Health. With her colleagues in Pediatric Behavioral Health, she has developed a program to train providers in communication with children and families, to inform clinical care for treating children and adolescents' behavioral health difficulties in the context of medical illness. Dr. Caplin has clinical expertise evaluating and treating youth experiencing functional disorders, including pain disorders, functional neurological disorders, autonomic dysfunction, and gut-brain interaction disorders. Dr. Caplin is trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy, nerve reprocessing therapies, clinical pediatric hypnosis, mindfulness based relaxation, and behavioral approaches, with a specific focus on functional improvement and management of chronic fatigue and chronic pain, as well as self-management of illness.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Pediatrics -Primary
    Psychiatry -Adjunct
    Academic Divisions Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
    Behavioral Medicine

    Education history

    Internship Pediatric Psychology - University of Louisville School of Medicine Intern
    Clinical Child Psychology - Ohio University Ph.D.
    Graduate Training Psychology - Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis M.S.
    Psychology - St. Bonaventure University B.A.

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Hemond JA, Franchek-Roa KM, Caplin DA, Hobson WL (2021). Teen Actors Teaching Communication Skills. Cureus, 13(11), e19515. (Read full article)
    2. Caplin DA, Smith KR, Ness KK, Hanson HA, Smith SM, Nathan PC, Hudson MM, Leisenring WM, Robison LL, Oeffinger KC (2016). Effect of Population Socioeconomic and Health System Factors on Medical Care of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol, 6(1), 74-82. (Read full article)
    3. Murphy N, Caplin DA, Christian BJ, Luther BL, Holobkov R, Young PC (2010). The function of parents and their children with cerebral palsy. PM R, 3(2), 98-104. (Read full article)
    4. Bale JF Jr, Caplin DA, Bruse JD, Folland D (2009). Practice parameters in child neurology: do pediatricians use them? J Child Neurol, 24(12), 1482-5. (Read full article)