33 Facts About Logan Wright

Logan Wright coined the term pediatric psychology, co-founded the Society of Pediatric Psychology and made numerous advances within the field.

Logan Wright was involved in the founding of the American Psychological Society in the mid-1980s when many psychological scientists split off from the APA.

Logan Wright earned all-state track honors at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Logan Wright graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University, where he had received a track scholarship and served as track team captain as a senior.

Logan Wright completed a graduate degree in religious education from Golden Gate Seminary and began teaching at Bethel College in Kentucky.

Logan Wright left Purdue for the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he served as associate professor and professor of pediatric psychology.

Psychologist Diane Willis wrote that Logan Wright "put pediatric psychology on the map" while at OUHSC.

Logan Wright worked with George Albee, president of the APA Section on Clinical Child Psychology, to evaluate the impact of having psychologists in the pediatric setting in 1967.

Logan Wright led an APA committee that identified 250 psychologists interested in pediatric work.

Logan Wright was one of the first to demonstrate that psychological interventions could enhance pediatric medical care.

Logan Wright became known for psychological research that impacted tracheotomy dependence, encopresis and medication refusal.

Logan Wright co-wrote The Encyclopedia of Pediatric Psychology, a long-respected reference for practitioners in the specialty.

Logan Wright left his academic position in 1979 to build 66 Sonic Drive-In fast food franchises across the United States.

Logan Wright had open heart surgery in 1983, spurring an interest in health psychology, especially in the relationship between Type A personality and cardiac rehabilitation.

In 1984, Logan Wright returned to academia as a psychology professor at the University of Oklahoma.

Logan Wright was involved in the controversial divide between the APA's scientists and practitioners in the mid-1980s.

Logan Wright helped psychology's scientists split off from the APA and form the APS.

Logan Wright authored four books including the Encyclopedia of Pediatric Psychology which is still used today.

Logan Wright received a long list of awards to include The Distinguished Psychologist Citation from the Oklahoma Psychological Association, the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Baptist University.

Some major contributions that Logan Wright had contributed were: Behavioral Interventions- Logan Wright believed these could improve children's adherence to medical treatments.

Logan Wright utilized techniques like positive reinforcement, modeling, and systematic desensitization that were used to reduce anxiety and enhance cooperation during medical procedures.

Pain Management- Logan Wright promoted strategies to manage pain and distress during medical procedures.

Logan Wright worked alongside many noteworthy Psychologists including Dorethea Ross and Lee Salk.

Logan Wright was given a unique opportunity being Native American in the field to assist in increasing cultural competency and awareness.

Logan Wright recognized the importance of understanding cultural differences in healthcare including the mistrust towards medical practitioners by native tribes in rural Oklahoma including the Osage.

Logan Wright believed that his heritage heightened his awareness of the cultural nuances when working with diverse pediatric populations.

Logan Wright advocated for the well-being of indigenous children and his interventions considered the specific needs and challenges faced by Native American youth.

Logan Wright worked on the reservations to ensure that psychological services were accessible and culturally relevant for these communities.

Logan Wright had to navigate cultural nuances while promoting behavioral interventions in pediatric care.

Logan Wright worked to address these disparities by advocating for accessible and culturally relevant psychological services.

Logan Wright was a trailblazer, and his legacy continues to inspire progress in psychology and cohesion within Indigenous communities.

In 1993, Logan Wright founded the North American Association of Masters in Psychology, an organization that advocates for psychologists who are trained at the master's level.

Logan Wright died of a heart attack on his ranch in Norman, Oklahoma in 1999.