AACAP's Program Committee invites you to submit abstracts of original investigations for consideration in the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), October 23-28, 2023, in New York, NY. Before beginning a submission, please thoroughly review the Instructions and Rules and Regulations for the Annual Meeting in the tabs above.

AACAP is planning for an in-person meeting in New York and as such, will require all presenters to be in-person in New York for their presentation. AACAP will continue to monitor public health and safety and will consider safety measures if necessary closer to October. As you prepare your submission, please make sure all speakers are willing and able to attend in person.

All submissions must be peer-reviewed by the Program Committee. Topics may include any aspect of child and adolescent psychiatry that advance the field and can be used to improve the well-being of children and their families.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A variety of session types will be presented at AACAP's Annual Meeting. Each session type has a specific set of requirements that need to be followed for the submission to be reviewed by the Program Committee. All submissions, regardless of the type, require the following:

  • At minimum, session submissions require an abstract and at least two (2) learning objectives.
  • Abstract requirements vary; see Summary of Submission Requirements at the bottom of the Instructions tab.
  • All potential presenters and authors are REQUIRED to complete a disclosure of financial relationships form*. The submission will be rejected if these disclosures are not received. Lack of disclosure may jeopardize AACAP's ability to provide CME credits.
  • All submissions are accepted as is and we expect presenters to present what was originally accepted.
  • All presentations and materials should be in English.
    • To facilitate effective communication, the Program Committee strongly suggests that participants who do not use English as their primary language have their submission materials, posters, and/or slides reviewed in advance by colleagues with an excellent command of the English language. 

    MAKE YOUR SUBMISSION STAND OUT

    • The Program Committee encourages submitters to think about ways to effectively engage the audience to create a learning environment that goes beyond didactic lectures. Please see this list of techniques to include active engagement in your sessions. If you plan to include one or more of these methods, please indicate those details in Step 1 of your submission.
    • Thoroughly read the detailed descriptions of each type of program to determine the best format for your content. The Program Committee does consider the appropriateness of the format for the proposed content as well as the submission's adherence to the stated guidelines.
    • The Program Committee welcomes and encourages submissions from students, trainees, and junior investigators, but requires that these submissions be reviewed by a senior faculty member or other senior mentor prior to completion.
    • Submissions highlighting AACAP's Presidential Initiative, CAPture Belonging, are encouraged. See additional instructions about incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion content in submissions in the Instructions tab. 

    If you have any questions about these submission requirements or would like assistance with your submission, please email meetings@aacap.org.

    *Please note that individuals with an ownership interest in a privately held ACCME-defined ineligible company or employment with an ACCME-defined ineligible company may not speak in any session regarding the ineligible company’s line of products, except New Research Posters and the Commercial and Industry Pipeline (which do not offer CME credit). The ACCME defines an ineligible company as "any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients." The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical service directly to patients to be ineligible companies. For questions regarding this rule, please contact cme@aacap.org.

    AACAP's 70th Annual Meeting Call for Papers Rules and Regulations

    In order to submit a proposal, all submitters MUST agree to the rules and regulations outlined below.

    Operating Principles For Extramural Support of AACAP Meetings and Related Activities

    Click here for the most recent version of AACAP's Operating Principles for Extramural Support of AACAP Meetings and Related Activities. These are the guidelines that govern all AACAP meetings.

    Satellite Symposia

    Satellite Symposia are not allowed at AACAP's Annual Meeting. Please contact AACAP's Development Department at 202.966.7300 ext. 113 or email development@aacap.org for a copy of the most current corporate sponsorship guidelines and/or sponsorship opportunities.

    Audiovisual Equipment Policies

    Basic audiovisual equipment is free of charge for all sessions. Upon acceptance, the chair/s of a program will be asked to submit a request for equipment, including an LCD projector, DVD player, microphones, and standard sound equipment. Presenters are urged to carefully consider AACAP costs and not request unnecessary equipment. Internet connections are not considered standard AV equipment, though basic wireless connections will be available in the meeting rooms. If you require equipment other than the items listed above, you must include a description of these needs in your review abstract and your proposal to cover the costs for this equipment.

    All presenters should anticipate presenting in person. AACAP cannot provide the AV infrastructure to bring in presenters virtually for live sessions.

    Content Validity Statement

    AACAP’s CME and Program Committees expect that the educational content of your submission is fair and balanced, and that any clinical content that is presented supports safe, effective patient care. All recommendations for patient care should be based on current science, evidence, and clinical reasoning, while giving a fair and balanced view of diagnostic and therapeutic options. All scientific research referred to, reported, or used in support or justification of a patient care recommendation must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

    If your presentation explores new and evolving topics or treatments that may have less evidence base, please identify that content in your submission and explain how the presentation will present a balanced, objective view of that content, including a range of perspectives.

    Disclosure of Financial Relationships

    All potential presenters and authors must complete a disclosure of financial relationships form. This is a REQUIREMENT for all authors of all submissions. The submission will be rejected if these disclosures are not received. Lack of disclosure may jeopardize AACAP's ability to provide CME credits. These disclosures will be listed online, in the Program Book, and the Book of Scientific Proceedings. In addition, disclosures must be given verbally during the session. The Program Committee monitors disclosures at every session. Should you need to make changes to your disclosures after February 15, 2023, email meetings@aacap.org.

    Employees of Ineligible Companies

    Employees of ACCME-defined ineligible companies (commercial interests) or owners of stock/equity in privately held ineligible companies (commercial interests) may not speak in any session regarding the ineligible company’s line of products, except New Research Posters and the Commercial and Industry Pipeline program (which do not offer CME credit). The ACCME defines a ineligible company as "any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients." The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical service directly to patients to be ineligible companies. For questions regarding this rule, please contact cme@aacap.org.

    Ethics

    Authors are expected to conform to accepted ethical standards of not submitting original research findings in multiple conferences or journals. Information that has already been presented or accepted for publication should not be submitted. Authors uncertain about their compliance with this rule should contact meetings@aacap.org.

    Limit on Submissions

    An individual presenter cannot be listed on more than five (5) submissions of any type, including a maximum of two (2) posters. Additional submissions beyond this limit may be rejected.

    An individual may be listed as an author on as many submissions as necessary as long as they are not presenting. Please review the submission roles to better understand the difference between an author and a presenter.

    ORCID iD

    An ORCID iD is a nonproprietary alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies an academic author. It is a 16-digit code, in the format: 0000-0000-0000-000X. Publishers use it to unambiguously attribute any published work to the correct authors. ORCID is a not-for-profit association of publishers and academic organizations that maintains the central registry of these personal identifiers (ORCID iDs) and associated public profiles for authors in academic publishing. Please visit http://orcid.org/ for more information.

    ORCID iD is collected during the "People" step of the submission (click on 'Edit Person' to add this information).

    Scheduling and Preliminary Program

    AACAP does not generally honor requests to schedule presentations on specific days. In submitting, authors assert availability to present on any day of the Annual Meeting, October 23-28, 2023. Individuals who are accepted for multiple presentations may be required to find substitutes for themselves due to scheduling conflicts. 

    If you have a scheduling conflict that is unavoidable, please email meetings@aacap.org by March 31, 2023, with the conflict and the Program Committee will take it into consideration.

    Upon acceptance of the presentation, information will be sent only to the Chair(s)/First Author(s) to indicate acceptance, provide registration materials, and provide any additional information on the presentation. It is the responsibility of the Chair(s)/First Author(s) to communicate this and all other information regarding the presentation to all co-presenters.

    The preliminary program, containing the meeting schedule, will be available on AACAP's website, www.aacap.org, in June 2023; registration opens in early August 2023.

    Program Committee's Senior Investigator Non-Member Travel Award

    The Program Committee offers a limited number of Senior Investigator Non-Member Travel Awards for the Annual Meeting each year. Senior Investigators are defined as non-member, non-child psychiatrists doing seminal scientific research in areas related to AACAP's mission. Consideration for Travel Awards is also based on applicants' potential scientific contributions to the meeting, financial need, recent scientific work, whether they are addressing a topic with high priority for AACAP, and travel distance to the meeting. If you are eligible for this Travel Award, please enter your interest in the "People" step of the submission. If a Travel Award is granted, the awardee will receive complimentary meeting registration and a travel stipend. AACAP holds the rights to waive informalities in the application process.

    AACAP Committee Chairs may also make recommendations for Travel Awards on behalf of eligible applicants who are processed as participants in Committee-sponsored submissions. A brief statement as to how the applicant's attendance at the meeting would enhance the program and otherwise meets criteria for an award should be included in the "People" step, listed under that presenter (there is a request field for this award).

    Program Committee's Patient/Parent Travel Award

    The Program Committee is offering a limited amount of funding to support travel by patients and/or the patient’s family members who agree to participate in a clinical-based session. If a live interview is proposed as an integral part of a session (i.e., a Clinical Case Conference session), the program chair may request a stipend for patient/family travel support. Consideration for this travel award is based on the impact of the patient and/or family member’s participation on the overall program. However, program acceptance does not guarantee that the travel support will be awarded. Travel awardees will be notified over the summer (via the program chair).

    If a speaker on your program is eligible for this Travel Award, please enter your interest in applying for this award in the "People" step of the submission, listed under that presenter's name (there is a request field for this award). If a travel award is granted, the awardee will receive complimentary meeting registration and a travel stipend. AACAP holds the rights to waive informalities in the application process. 

    Travel Reimbursement and Honoraria

    AACAP does not pay for travel, hotel, or honoraria expenses for Annual Meeting presenters. All Institute presenters receive an honorarium. No other presenters receive honoraria for the Annual Meeting.

    Review Decisions

    All review decisions of the Program Committee are final. All acceptance and rejection letters will be sent via email in May 2023. Suggestions for improvement are provided upon request by emailing meetings@aacap.org

    Registration Fees

    All presenters (member or non-member) are required to register for the meeting and pay registration fees. AACAP members and all child and adolescent psychiatrists, whether presenting or not, are required to pay full registration fees. Non-child and adolescent psychiatrist presenters must register, but for a reduced fee. Submitters should inform co-presenters of these policies.

    Roles and Responsibilities

    When putting together a submission, there are a variety of roles an individual can be assigned to. Please review the roles and responsibilities carefully to understand what each person is responsible for and will be asked to do if the submission is accepted.

    Session Recording Information

    Clinical Perspectives, Institutes, Symposia, and other programs such as Plenaries and Honors Presentations are recorded, and recordings of the presentation are sold. Speaker PowerPoint slides are also captured during the recording process and included with the audio. Speakers on these types of programs will be asked for permission to be recorded during the submission process. In addition, in the unlikely event that the 2023 Annual Meeting needs to be 100% virtual, we are asking all presenters for permission to record their program in case it is necessary to do so. 

    Student and Trainee Submissions

    AACAP highly encourages and supports program submissions from presenters with bachelor's-level degrees, students, and current trainees (residents, fellows, and post-docs). AACAP does require that Presenting Authors who meet this criterion should indicate this by checking the "Student/Trainee Submission" box in Step 1 of the application.

    The Program Committee requires that all Student/Trainee applications be reviewed and approved by a senior co-author/mentor prior to final submission. Presenting authors should enter the name of the senior reviewer in Step 1 as well.

    Visit AACAP's website for medical students and residents for complete details about all of the Annual Meeting awards and programs for this group.

    SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

    All information must be submitted online. Applicants are encouraged to compose their Review and/or Proceedings Abstracts using their own word-processing software, where they can more conveniently check spelling and grammar. The completed abstract can be copied and pasted into the online forms.

    DEADLINES

    Submissions must be submitted online by the following dates. There can be no exceptions.

    Wednesday, February 15, 2023

    Deadline for submissions for Clinical Case Conferences, Clinical Consultation Breakfasts, Clinical Perspectives, Extended Workshops, Institutes, Media Theatre, Member Services Fora, Other Programs, Posters, Special Interest Study Groups, Symposia, Wellness, and Workshops. Notification of acceptance is given in May 2023 via email to the listed Chair(s) of the submission (please note, the chair receives this notification - not all speakers on a submission).

    Wednesday, June 7, 2023

    Deadline for submissions for late New Research Posters. Notification of acceptance is made in August 2023 via email to the presenting authors of the poster. If data are available, please submit the Poster for the February deadline.


    Deadlines will be enforced. The submission page will close at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on the designated dates; therefore, late submissions cannot be accepted. Incomplete submissions will be automatically rejected.

    PRESENTATION FORMATS

    The program is organized into the following types of presentation formats. Please choose the preferred format carefully to be sure it best fits the criteria. Click on any format to see the detailed submission requirements and to access the appropriate submission form.

    ALL SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING

    • The title of the submission
    • The chair's contact information
    • Educational learning objectives
    • Names, organizations, contact information, email addresses, and disclosures for all authors
    • Review and Proceedings Abstracts as outlined below

    REVIEW AND PROCEEDINGS ABSTRACT REQUIREMENTS

    Overall
    Proceedings
    Abstract
    for entire
    SESSION

    Overall
    Review
    Abstract
    for entire
    SESSION

    Individual
    Proceedings
    Abstract
    for each
    PRESENTER

    Clinical Case Conference Not Required REQUIRED Not required
    Clinical Consultation Breakfast Not required REQUIRED Not required
    Clinical Perspectives REQUIRED Not required REQUIRED
    Extended Workshop REQUIRED REQUIRED Not required
    Institute REQUIRED REQUIRED REQUIRED
    Media Theatre Not required REQUIRED Not required
    Member Services Forum Not required REQUIRED Not required
    Other Program Not required REQUIRED Not required
    Poster REQUIRED Not required Not required
    Special Interest Study Group Not required REQUIRED Not required
    Symposium REQUIRED Not required REQUIRED
    Wellness Not required REQUIRED Not required
    Workshop REQUIRED REQUIRED Not required

    Review Abstract:

    "Review Abstract" is the term used by the Program Committee for the 8,000-character document (not including spaces; approximately 1,000 words) each Chair must include with his or her submission. A Review Abstract is required for all submission types, except for Clinical Perspectives, Posters, and Symposia. It is your chance as a chair to explain your ideas in detail to the Program Committee. The Review Abstract is not published. For Institutes, a Review Abstract is required for the overall submission, but is not required for each individual presentation.

    To prepare the Review Abstract, follow these instructions:

    • Limit each Review Abstract to 8,000 characters (not including spaces; approximately 1,000 words)
    • The Review Abstract must include a bibliography of at least 1 and no more than 5 references
    • Organize the Review Abstract around Objectives, Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Bibliography, and the form requires you to use those specific headings
    • Give the background of the specific hypothesis (or hypotheses)
    • State methods, data, sample size, and data analyses used; data collection and preliminary analysis should be complete
    • Include clinical implications, when appropriate
    • State measures used and provide information regarding reliability and validity
    • Tables, diagrams, and images are permitted
    • Incomplete studies or submissions that promise results by the time of presentation are likely to be rejected
    • If the proposed instrument reported in the submission has not been published and if the author is not part of the submission, indicate the author's agreement for the use of the instrument in this research
    • If the work reports on an unpublished instrument, the Review Abstract should address issues of reliability and validity
    • Indicate whether there will be handouts of all or part of the instrument; include clinical implications, when appropriate

    Proceedings Abstract:

    A "Proceedings Abstract," not exceeding 2,000 characters in length (not including spaces, approximately 350 words), is required for all Clinical Perspectives, Extended Workshop, Institute, Poster, Symposium, and Workshop proposals. These abstracts will be published in a supplemental issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry that is published in October 2023. It must be organized around four headings:

    • Objectives
    • Methods (e.g., data, data analyses, sample size)
    • Results
    • Conclusions

    Proceedings Abstracts should not also be used for the Review Abstract. The Program Committee expects to see more detail in the Review Abstract so that they can more fully evaluate the submission.

    The deadline for submissions has been reached.

    Resuming or Revising a Submission

    Once you have submitted Step 1 of your submission, you will automatically receive an email that includes a password-protected hyperlink. You can resume or modify your submission up until the submission deadline by clicking on the hyperlink in that email. For help in submitting an abstract online, e-mail technical support.

    Abstract submissions and revisions are no longer being accepted.

    But you can still view your abstract. If you can find the confirming email mentioned above (from aacap@confex.com) then you will have found a direct link to your submission. If you remember the abstract ID# and password, enter those codes below.

    FAQs

    AACAP Annual Meeting Call for Papers Frequently Asked Questions

    When is the absolute latest that I can complete my submission on the online submission site?

    The site will be shut down at 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. For late New Research Poster submissions, the site will be shut down at 11:59 pm EDT on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

    What do I need to include in my submission?

    The items that need to be included in your submission vary based on the type of presentation you would like to present. There is a description of the requirements for each type of submission in the Call for Papers. To find this, go to "Begin a Submission" and click on the type of program you're submitting or click on the Summary of Submission Requirements Grid.

    How do I know if my submission is complete?

    The last step for all of the submissions is to confirm that all of the information is entered correctly and check the box indicating your agreement with the AACAP Rules. Once your submission is complete, the chair will receive a confirmation email as well.

    I completed my submission, but now want to make a change. Can I?

    Changes can be made to submissions until the deadline. Your confirmation email will include login information for you to return to your submission and make changes. Please be sure to save this email somewhere so you have it for future reference.

    What is the difference between the Review Abstract and the Proceedings Abstract?

    The Review Abstract is what the Program Committee will use to evaluate your submission. See the detailed explanation of the Review Abstract on the Instructions tab. The Proceedings Abstract will only be used if your submission is accepted. This is the abstract that will be printed in AACAP's Annual Meeting Book of Scientific Proceedings. See the detailed Proceedings Abstract Submission instructions on the Instructions tab. NOTE: You cannot use the same abstract for the Review Abstract and the Proceedings Abstract; they should be two separate abstracts. The Review Abstract should be significantly more detailed than the Proceedings Abstract.

    How many characters are allowed in the Review Abstract?

    The Review Abstract is limited to 8,000 characters (approximately 1000 words), not including spaces and headings. The title of the abstract and names of the authors are not included in this character count. Text that is incorporated into a chart or graph is calculated in this character count. Review Abstracts should be organized around the following headings: Objectives, Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Bibliography. Bibliographies should include at least one (1) and no more than five (5) references.

    How many characters are allowed in the Proceedings Abstract?

    The Proceedings Abstract is limited to 2,000 characters (approximately 350 words) not including spaces and headings. The title of the abstract and names of the authors are not included in this character count. Proceedings Abstracts should be organized around the following headings: Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.

    How will speakers enter their disclosures?

    All speaker disclosures must be submitted by the February 15 or June 7 deadlines, respectively. If the chair or primary author submits the abstract(s), he/she must also submit the disclosures for each speaker and author before the submission will be considered complete. Speakers and authors will have the opportunity to review their disclosures and contact information immediately after the submission deadline to confirm the accuracy.

    Am I required to submit my demographic information?

    Speakers and presenters are not required to submit their demographic information in order to be considered for the AACAP Annual Meeting program. However, as AACAP continues to focus on strengthening the diversity of the field of child and adolescent psychiatry, we encourage you to share as much as you are comfortable sharing with us. If a speaker prefers not to share their demographic information, they should select “Prefer not to say” from the drop down menus.

    When will I hear whether my submission was accepted?

    If the submission was completed for the February deadline, the Program Committee meets in April and sends acceptance and rejection emails in May. For submissions completed for the June deadline, acceptance and rejection emails are sent in August.

    Are satellite symposia allowed?

    Absolutely not. Participation in a satellite symposia or other unapproved scientific events will result in disqualification from the meeting. All events MUST use the Call for Papers submission process to be included in the Annual Meeting.

    Can I make scheduling requests?

    Please email your request to meetings@aacap.org with specific dates and reason for your request by March 31, 2023. AACAP cannot guarantee that they can accommodate your request but will make its best effort to do so.

    Will AACAP pay for the hotel or travel expenses of my VIP non-member speaker?

    No. Honorarium will not be offered for any other programs beyond institutes. No exceptions are ever made to this policy.

    However, non-member, non-child psychiatrist presenters can apply for a Program Committee Senior Investigator Non-Member Travel Award in the "People" step of the submission process. As well, chairs of programs that are submitting for a clinical-based session are able to apply for a Patient/Parent Travel Award. Consideration for this travel award is based on if the input of the patient and/or family member greatly enhances the overall program. If either type of Travel Award is granted, the awardee will receive complementary meeting registration and a travel stipend. Awardees will be notified in June.

    I have a non-member presenter who has NOTHING to do with child and adolescent psychiatry. Does s/he really have to pay a registration fee?

    After your submission is accepted, please email meetings@aacap.org with details of your request. In some cases, the Program Chair may waive non-member presenter registration fees, but only if the presenter is not associated with our field and is not otherwise attending the meeting.

    I am a non-member presenter. If my program is accepted, do I have to pay registration fees?

    Yes, all accepted presenters MUST register for the Annual Meeting. If you are a non-member, we have discounted rates for non-member presenters. Information about how to get the discounted rate will be sent in early August when registration opens.

    I’m an author on a poster. Do I get the speaker registration rate?

    No. An author on a poster does not qualify for the speaker registration rate. Only a Presenting Author can register with the speaker rate. There can be a maximum of two (2) Presenting Authors on a poster.

    What does "committee sponsorship" mean?

    AACAP has over 60 committees who work on various projects throughout the year. Many of these committees sponsor Annual Meeting programs as part of their functions. If a committee sponsors an Annual Meeting program, its members need to be actively involved in the program proposal and speaker selection. Please coordinate with the chair of the committee if you would like to seek committee sponsorship for a program. The Program Committee does not give preference to program proposals that are sponsored by an AACAP committee.

    Do I have to be a member of AACAP or a child and adolescent psychiatrist to submit?

    No, anyone can submit a program proposal for AACAP's Annual Meeting.

    Who can I call with other questions?

    For technical support with the online submission site, call customer service at The Conference Exchange at 401.334.0220. For questions about the content of your submission or the review process, contact a member of AACAP's Meetings Department at 202.966.7300, ext. 2006 or email meetings@aacap.org.

    Can a Student, and/or Trainee submit to the Call for Papers?

    AACAP highly encourages and supports program submissions from presenters with bachelor's level degrees, students, and current trainees (residents, fellows, and postdocs). Presenting authors who meet this criterion should indicate this by checking the "Student/Trainee Submission" box in Step 1 of the application. The Program Committee requires that all Student/Trainee applications be reviewed and approved by a senior co-author/mentor prior to final submission.

    What health and safety precautions will be taken in New York?

    The health and safety of AACAP's attendees is our top priority. We will continue to monitor a variety of health and safety factors and will determine exact health and safety protocols closer to the meeting. Please note that full vaccination against COVID may be required.

    I'd like to present at the meeting, but would prefer not to travel. What should I do?

    The health and safety of AACAP's attendees is our top priority. AACAP will continue to monitor a variety of factors to determine the safety of a large gathering closer to the meeting. However, as of December 2022, attendance at the meeting in New York is a requirement to present. If you are certain that you are not able to travel to New York, please do not submit this year.

    Can I present virtually?

    Institutes will be presented virtually in 2023, but all other program types should be prepared to present in-person in New York. Presenters should not plan on presenting virtually for anything other than Institutes. AACAP will continue to monitor the safety of a large gathering.

    Can I reuse materials in a submission that I've already presented somewhere else?

    Authors are expected to conform to accepted ethical standards of not submitting original research findings in multiple conferences or journals. Information that has already been presented or accepted for publication should not be submitted. Authors uncertain about their compliance with this rule should contact meetings@aacap.org. If you make changes or updates to a previous presentation, that is acceptable to submit for presentation.