"The Paediatric Medical Trust fellowship is a multidisciplinary collaboration between a post-doctorate student from Italy (Dr. Petrocchi) in Clinical Child/Developmental Psychology and academics/practitioners from the UK in Psychology (Professor Rotenberg, Dr. Sargeant), Paediatric Medicine (Professor Lenny), Health and Rehabilitation (Dr. Rimmington), and the Asthma UK Health Organization (Ms. Versnel). The academics/practitioners have expertise in interpersonal trust, paediatric illnesses, and research methods. The purpose is to: (a) provide paediatric medical psychology training to the post-doctoral student to establish her career in that field, (b) obtain qualitative and quantitative research findings regarding the effects of interpersonal trust and other psychosocial factors on the treatment of children with serious illnesses, (c) redress the scarcity of professionals in Paediatric Medical Psychology, (d) establish guidelines for establishing and maintaining trust in the treatment of children with serious illnesses, and (e) redress the problem of non-adherence to prescribed medical regimes by children with serious illnesses. The fellowship is the first comprehensive and quantitative examination of the role that interpersonal trust plays in the treatment of children with serious illnesses and to develop evidence-based guidelines for establishing that trust. The qualitative study will comprise interviews or focus groups with children with asthma, children with diabetes, their parents and their paediatricians/physicians. The quantitative study will comprise an 8-month longitudinal study of 135 children with asthma. It will examine the extent to which children’s and parents trust beliefs in physicians and other psychosocial factors predict children’s adherence to prescribed medical regimes, physical health and quality of life. The fellowship will result in benefits to industry, children with serious illnesses, their parents and their paediatricians/physicians."