Opportunities For Psychologists Research Articles

Belonging matters: The impact of social identification with classmates, friends, and family on interpersonal distance and bullying/cyberbullying in adolescence.

In adolescence individuals enlarge their social relationships and peer groups acquire a strong importance for their identity. Moreover, adolescents can experiment negative relationships with peers, i.e., bullying/cyberbullying. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between the feeling of belonging to a specific group, social identification, the distance that adolescents maintain interacting with others, interpersonal distance, and bullying/cyberbullying behaviors. Adolescents (age range 10-15 years) completed online measures of group identification (social identification with classmates, friends and family), interpersonal distance, and bullying and cyberbullying (perpetration and victimization). Results showed that adolescents with low social identification with classmates and friends chose larger interpersonal distance. Additionally, low scores in social identification with classmates were associated with higher victimization in cyberbullying. In contrast, adolescents with low scores in social identification with family were more involved as bullies in bullying and as victims in cyberbullying. Male adolescents were more likely to be victimized in bullying than females. This study underlines how social identification with peers and family works as a buffer in interfacing strangers, adjusting the distance maintained with them, and as a protective factor against aggressive relationships in adolescence. This study provides new opportunities for psychologists in understanding the psychological dynamics that shape social interactions among adolescents.

Qualität forensisch psychiatrischer und psychologischer Gutachten

The quality of court-ordered psychiatric and psychological evaluations has been the focus of substantial debate. The recent development of guidelines for writing expert reports, the improvement of forensic training opportunities for psychologists and psychiatrists and the implementation of a stricter regulation of mental health professionals admitted as experts in court have laid the groundwork for higher quality expert evaluations. Overall, the measures appear to yield a positive effect, although instances of questionable quality remain. The current review illustrates the potential for improvement and underlines the fact that all involved disciplines must act to ensure that only high-quality reports are used in court.

Ethical dilemmas working with older adults: in-depth interviews with Australian psychologists

ABSTRACT Objective As Australia ages there are increasing opportunities for psychologists to contribute to the wellbeing of older adults. These clients have particular vulnerabilities that need to be considered when dealing with ethical issues. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of how Australian psychologists manage ethical dilemmas when working with older adults. Method Eighteen psychologists participated in semi-structured interviews during which they provided 30 cases which were identified as suitable for analysis. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using interpretative content analysis. Results The 30 case studies included a range of residential situations and professional settings. The findings indicated that: (1) Ethical dilemmas presented by psychologists reflect the ethical principles of respect, dignity and propriety, (2) Many considerations are taken into account by psychologists when deciding how they manage ethical dilemmas, and (3) Elder abuse is a challenging and prevalent ethical issue for psychologists. Conclusions This study demonstrates that psychologists use a sophisticated process of ethical decision making when working with older adults and provides a new resource for research and training psychologists in applied ethics. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) Australia has an increasing older adult population. (2) Currently most psychologists have limited experience working with older adults. (3) Client’s age impacts on psychologists’ attitudes and behaviours. What this topic adds: (1) In this study psychologists provided cases from their clinical experience that highlight the complexity of working with older adults. (2) When managing ethical dilemmas psychologists are mindful of the tension that exists between respecting client autonomy and acting in the client’s best interests. (3) Elder abuse is a challenging and prevalent issue for Australian psychologists.

"Who Are at Higher Sexual Risk?" Latent Class Analysis of Behavioral Intentions among Spanish Adolescents.

Consistent condom use tends to be limited in youth, which makes this group especially vulnerable for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies. It is known that sexual risk may vary as a function of behavioral intentions (e.g., condom use intention or having sex under the influence of alcohol), but no studies have yet characterized the sexual risk profiles considering behavioral intentions. This study utilizes latent class analysis (LCA) to explore the subtyping of behavioral intentions related to sexual risk in a community-based sample of adolescents aged 14 to 16 years from Spain. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between class membership and participants’ sociodemographic variables (sex, age, educational level, socioeconomic status, and family situation), and behavioral variables (sexual experience and percentage of condom use). Among the 1557 participants, four latent classes of risk were identified: “Condom + drugs”, “abstinent”, “condom + no drugs”, and “no condom + drugs”. Differences in adolescents’ sex, age, educational level, sexual experience, and condom use across latent classes were found. Findings highlight opportunities for psychologists, educators, and health-care providers to promote condom use in adolescents with differing sexual risk profiles. Increased understanding of behavioral intentions among adolescents may help to reduce sexual risk behaviors in this group.

Adolescent experiences of app-integrated therapy

Smartphone ownership estimates indicate the vast majority of young people are engaging with smartphone devices. The medium offers a promising opportunity for psychologists to connect with young people seeking help to traverse challenges with mental health, behaviour, learning and wellbeing. However, the views of young people using apps alongside face-to-face therapy remain largely unexplored. Given that clients make the single strongest contribution to therapeutic outcomes it is important to consider the perspectives of adolescents in clinical settings. Using semistructured qualitative interviews, the experiences of seven Australian secondary school-aged adolescents (12–18 years) involved in app-integrated therapy were explored. Thematic analysis resulted in the identification of eight key themes: Between-sessions, Introduction, Responsive, Age, Mindfulness-Meditation, Connection, Knowledge, and App features. Recommending apps appears to encourage young people to take ownership of their therapy, affording opportunities for self-reflection and rehearsal of valuable skills. Further research focused on understanding the views of young people utilising apps with therapy is needed to maximise potential therapeutic benefits. Preliminary practice recommendations and future research directions are proposed.

Best Practices in Global Mental Health: An Exploratory Study of Recommendations for Psychologists.

Recommendations for best practice are useful in guiding the ethical and effective practice of psychology. Global mental health (GMH), which works to improve mental health treatment and access on a worldwide scale, is a growing field with many opportunities for psychologists, though such best practice recommendations have not been articulated. Using a grounded theory approach, this qualitative study recruited and interviewed psychologists identified as leaders in the field. Findings included broad categories of recommendations related to overarching variables (consideration of cultural/contextual variables; collaboration), program level characteristics (sustainability; formative and summative evaluation; flexibility; attention to systems; multidisciplinary teams; clinical knowledge and perspective; attention to spectrum of mental health), and individual level characteristics (perseverance; ongoing mentorship/supervision; self-awareness; boundary setting). Future directions include recommendations to recreate this study with a more geographically diverse sample, as well as with community members and service users of global mental heath projects. Increased attention to individual level competencies that impact global mental health projects are warranted. Recommendations for best practice and implications for training are also considered.

Individual psychological characteristics of personality as correlates of executive activity of university students

The theory of the executive activity of a personality and the ability to determine its correlates are analyzed. High efficiency executive activity is considered as a predictor of a high quality of life and professional activity of an individual. The results of the study of the individual psychological properties of the personality associated with the characteristics of performing activities are presented. A combination of properties is highlighted: irritability, sociability, extraversion, which positively affect the type of execution. They form a triad closely associated with all the properties of executive activities. Some personality properties that inhibit the development of characteristics necessary for effectiveness are identified. Aggressiveness and high emotional lability are characteristic of students with low responsibility. According to the research results, mutually exclusive properties are organization and openness. The definition of determinants and correlates of performing activities opens up opportunities for psychologists and educators to create spaces for the development of a highly effective personality. Executive activity is a system construct. Understanding its structure allows us to see its flexibility and form individual trajectories of learning and personality development.

Training for Leadership Roles in Academic Medicine: Opportunities for Psychologists in the AAMC LEAD Program.

Psychologists' roles within academic medicine have expanded well beyond research and scholarship. They are active as providers of patient care, medical education, and clinical supervision. Although the number of psychologists in academic health centers continues to grow, they represent a small portion of total medical school faculties. However, with the movement toward collaborative care models, emphasis on interprofessional teams, and increased emphasis on psychological science topics in medical curricula, psychologists are well-positioned to make further contributions. Another path through which psychologists can further increase their contributions and value within academic health centers is to aspire to leadership roles. This article describes the first author's reflections on her experiences in a two-year, cohort-based, educational leadership development certificate program in academic medicine. The cohort was comprised largely of physicians and basic scientists, and a small number of non-physician participants of which the first author was the only clinical psychologist. The insights gained from this experience provide recommendations for psychologists interested in leadership opportunities in academic medicine.

Psychologists in Academic Administration: A Call to Action and Service.

Academic psychologists' backgrounds may prepare them for many aspects of academic administration such as: understanding and working with people; prioritizing others' needs and institutional needs; and managing projects and budgets, e.g., for research grants or training programs. Contemporary academic health centers also may provide opportunities for psychologists to serve in academic health administration. This article encourages psychologists to consider preparing for and seeking administrative and higher-level leadership roles. Six psychologists serving diverse administrative roles-from vice chairs in medical school departments to presidents of universities with academic health centers-reflected on: their paths to administration; their preparation for administrative roles; and the commonalities and differences between the work and skills sets of psychologist health service providers and the work and skill sets required for higher level administrative and leadership roles.

To Be or Not to Be Board Certified? A Question of Quality and Identification for Psychologists

Achieving board certification in psychology is an important step in a psychologist's professional development. Board certification serves as a quality indicator for consumers, employers, and other stakeholders while providing enhanced opportunities for psychologists who complete the peer-review process that leads to it. This commentary provides an update on trends in board certification in psychology and explores the roles and benefits of board certification as well as barriers to pursuing board certification. Board certification is an important issue to consider because more mental and physical healthcare clinicians and researchers are now embracing the biopsychosocial model. Board certification could well help with maximizing reimbursement or clinical opportunities, as well as produce a greater understanding of the biobehavioral underpinnings of comorbid mental and physical disorders. Specialist data from the American Board of Professional Psychology and membership data from the American Psychological Association were reviewed across specialty areas. The work was archival and involved no human subjects, and therefore, this study was exempt from review by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Minnesota. There are currently 4,198 board certifications across the 15 boards of the American Board of Professional Psychology. These represent a relatively small proportion (less than 4%) of U.S. licensed psychologists. The numbers correlate positively with membership levels in corresponding APA divisions. Between 2011 and 2015, there was a 25.8% increase in the number of board-certified psychologists. Board certification appears to be undergoing a period of rapid growth among psychologists. This trend appears to reflect multiple factors, including an increased number of boards representing expanding areas of specialization in the field, a growing interest in board certification as part of increasing quality emphasis within healthcare, and psychologists' desire to distinguish themselves in a competitive marketplace. Board certification in diverse areas, including clinical health psychology, affords various professionally and personally rewarding linkages and opportunities.

Reflections on an Anti-discriminatory Stance in Psychotherapy

Challenges and opportunities for psychologists and psychotherapists in respect to explicit and implicit discrimination issues in therapy are explored, both from the side of the therapist and the client. Furthermore, personal reflections on such issues are discussed drawing on examples of indirect discrimination on the basis of race and sexual orientation. It is suggested that a combination of professional anti-discriminatory guidelines, a willingness to understand deeply the client’s frame of reference and self-reflection can guard against such phenomena that can harm ethical and constructive psychotherapy.

Towards an Understanding of Interest Development: Challenges and Opportunities for Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools

Many studies have examined the psychology of interest and interest development, with these studies spanning various fields such as educational psychology, personality development, and vocational guidance. However, the pragmatic benefit of being able to accurately measure interests has often overshadowed the broader potential benefits of research into interest development. Drawing from research across different fields, this article summarises the historical evolution of research into interest development, culminating with the four-phase model of interest development as advanced by Hidi and Renninger (2006). It proceeds to examine the impact of this research on the work of psychologists and counsellors in schools. Finally, this article concludes by problematising the current dominance of assessment services and the use of interest inventories, while exploring potential opportunities to better support student engagement through a broader understanding of interest development.

Psychosocial factors in medication adherence and diabetes self-management: Implications for research and practice.

Diabetes is a chronic illness that places a significant self-management burden on affected individuals and families. Given the importance of health behaviors-such as medication adherence, diet, physical activity, blood glucose self-monitoring-in achieving optimal glycemic control in diabetes, interventions designed and delivered by psychologists hold promise in assisting children, adolescents, and adults with diabetes in improving their health status and lowering their risk of serious complications. This article first provides an overview of diabetes self-management and associated challenges and burdens. Socioeconomic status factors that may influence diabetes management and outcomes are briefly highlighted. We then review the evidence base for select psychosocial factors that may be implicated in diabetes self-management. Modifiable targets of psychological intervention are presented across 3 overarching domains: (a) knowledge, beliefs, and related cognitive constructs; (b) emotional distress and well-being; and (c) behavioral skills and coping. Important methodological issues facing future research are discussed, along with opportunities for psychologists in improving the care and treatment outcomes of individuals and families living with diabetes. In conclusion, we advocate for continued research emphasis on improving psychosocial aspects of living with diabetes, with greater attention to the situational context in which the self-regulatory processes underlying self-management occur. Psychologists have important roles to play in reducing emotional distress, improving patient knowledge, and providing training in behavioral skills to promote successful self-management and to support patient-centered diabetes care. (PsycINFO Database Record

Adolescents’ Self-concept Short Scale: A Version of PHCSCS

Problem Statement: The adolescents’ self-concept has remained as a powerful issue in educational context. The lack of assessment instruments, especially in shorted version and with studied psychometric characteristics, has constituted a problem. Purpose of Study: This study presents the construction of “Adolescents’ Self-concept Short Scale” (ASCSS), using the Portuguese adaptation (Veiga & Domingues, 2012) of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (Piers & Hertzberg, 2002). Research Methods: The study involved 440 adolescent students. The dichotomous responses (yes/no) of the original 60 items PHCSCS version has been changed to 1-6 responses (completely disagree - completely agree). The psychometric qualities, internal consistency and the external validity were analyzed. Factorial analyses carried out highlighted six factors — behaviour, anxiety, intellectual status, popularity, physical appearance, and happiness —, each having 5 items. The analysis allowed to find a short scale with 30 items that, exceeding the percentage of variance explained in total versions, has best levels of reliability. In the study of external validity, the results in the “Adolescents’ Self-concept Short Scale” appeared significantly related to the academic achievement. Findings: The results allowed to find that this short scale presents psychometric qualities and can be used in research and psychoeducational practice, to assess the multidimensional adolescents’ self-concept. Conclusions: The future use of the “Adolescents’ Self-concept Short Scale” is considered and proposed. This scale may be a useful opportunity for psychologists, teachers and other education professionals. Recommendations: to deepen the study of multidimensionality of adolescents’ self-concept and extend the external validity can constitute important fields of research.

Assessing Student Engagement in School: Development and Validation of a Four-dimensional Scale

The problem statementStudent engagement in school has been conceptualized through three dimensions: affective, behavioural, and cognitive. Recent evidence suggests that personal agency could be added as a fourth dimension. The dimensionality of engagement has constituted a problem. Purpose of the studyTo measure these dimensions of engagement in Portuguese schools, a new 20-items scale was developed, entitled Studentś Engagement in School Four-dimensional Scale, SES-4DS. Research questionsDoes the dimensionality of the students’ engagement in school contains four dimensions, not just three? Does the supposed four-dimensional scale present good psychometric qualities, such as internal consistency and external validity? Research methodsIts psychometric properties were examined with data from 685 sixth, seventh, ninth, and tenth graders. The analysis allowed to find a scale with 20 items that, with a high percentage of variance explained and good levels of reliability. In the study of external validity, the results in the SES-4DS appeared significantly related to the academic achievement. FindingsThe results permitted to find this scale presents psychometric qualities and can be used in research and psychoeducational practice, to assess the multidimensional students’ engagement in school. The future use of the SES-4DS is considered and proposed. This scale may be a useful opportunity for psychologists and teachers.

Opportunities for psychologists in palliative care: Working with patients and families across the disease continuum.

Interdisciplinary palliative care services have been rapidly expanding in health care settings over the past 10 years, particularly through the establishment of interdisciplinary palliative care teams. Relatively few of these teams formally include psychologists, although their skills of enhancing patients' and families' well-being and lessening suffering make an enormous contribution to the care provided. In this article, we define palliative care in broad terms, distinguishing it from hospice and end-of-life care. Using a case-based approach, we then explore the contribution of psychologists to the patient- and family-centered approach espoused by palliative care, including the knowledge, skills, and self-awareness needed to work effectively with these very ill patients and their families. We close with a call to action to better train and integrate psychologists into the rapidly growing field of palliative care.

Emerging opportunities for psychologists: Joining consumers in the recovery-oriented care movement.

Emerging opportunities for psychologists: Joining consumers in the recovery-oriented care movement.

If we build it, they might come: an empirical investigation of supply and demand in the recruitment of rural psychologists

Past research has established that practicing doctoral level psychologists tend to cluster in metropolitan areas, leaving the rural population gravely underserved. Discussions of this problem have assumed that psychologists hold negative attitudes toward rural work for many reasons, leading to a supply shortage. The present study attempts to examine the accuracy of this hypothesis by examining attitudes of current doctoral students in clinical psychology. Eight hundred eighty-four students responded to an online survey. Results indicate that attitudes toward rural practice were not overwhelmingly negative as predicted. Additionally, a significant number of respondents endorsed positive attitudes toward rural practice. A follow-up study was conducted to determine if the shortage of rural psychologists might be attributed to a lack of demand from rural employers. A search of three popular job resources revealed that few rural jobs were advertised, indicating weak demand for psychologists in rural areas. Results indicate that efforts to recruit psychologists to rural areas should be rethought, and increasing the visibility of available opportunities for psychologists should be made a priority.

Recommendations for Research Success: One Investigator’s Perspective

This article is a personal reflection by an investigator with over 25 years of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The article: (1) highlights research opportunities for psychologists at the NIH outside of the traditional mental health arena; (2) provides specific recommendations to individual investigators to enhance their likelihood of obtaining NIH funding; (3) specifies needed changes in psychology's research education and training programs to prepare the next generation of psychologists for research success; and (4) asks the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers to play a lead role in both research training and advocacy.

Psychologists in Academic Health Centers: Reflections on Traditions and Innovations in Education, Science, and Practice

In 2007, the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers (APAHC), formerly known as Association of Medical School Psychologists (AMSP), held its first national conference since 1997. At the latter conference, the author of this article [Sheridan (1999) Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 6, 211-218] was asked to present some of the issues that would be important to health care psychologists in the next decade. These issues included the role of psychology in academic health centers, interventions psychologists offer, reimbursements for such treatments, education and training models, and research. This article examines those observations, offers new data, and explores the current challenges and opportunities for psychologists in academic health centers. The presentation also addresses aspirations of psychologists as well as resistances within the profession.