Undergraduate Psychology Course Research Articles

Normalizing Abnormal Psychology: An Anti-Ableist Approach

Introduction A survey course of mental health diagnoses is a commonly taken undergraduate psychology course and presents a critical opportunity for addressing ableism in psychology. Statement of the Problem The presentation of mental health diagnoses is wrought with ableist beliefs, both in the historical and contemporary context. These ableist beliefs are a prime driver of stigma and its associated outcomes including worse mental health and avoidance of treatment professionals. Literature Review The present article presents the ableist context of the course typically titled, “Abnormal Psychology,” and offers an alternative: the building of an anti-ableist curriculum grounded in disability studies. We use the social model of disability and disability identity as guiding principles, while inquiry-based learning is the pedagogical driver. Teaching Implications We review six practical strategies, which include introducing the social model, renaming the class, starting with positive disability identity, complicating the continuum-categorical dichotomy, centering disability representation, and emphasizing consumer rights and direction. Conclusion By leaning on disability studies and Mad Pride, “Abnormal Psychology” can deconstruct its ableist roots and be the foundation for a destigmatized, positive approach towards the study of psychological disorders. We offer future directions, including potential ways to continually assess anti-ableist efforts.

Teaching information literacy in online psychology courses: Effects on student performance and self-reported confidence

Using the Framework for Information Literacy published by the Association of College & Research Libraries, we developed an online intervention to increase information literacy. Specifically, we hypothesized that undergraduate students in an information literacy intervention group would increase in information literacy performance and confidence compared to a control group which did not receive asynchronous online information literacy instruction. We used a non-equivalent groups pretest-posttest design and measured students’ ( N = 101) information literacy performance and self-reported confidence before and after asynchronous information literacy instruction. We compared the intervention with a non-intervention control condition using two existing undergraduate psychology courses offered online across two semesters. Partially confirming our hypotheses, we found that providing asynchronous information literacy instruction not only increased students’ information literacy performance but also helped students to evaluate their own information literacy skills more accurately. In contrast, our intervention did not selectively increase confidence in information literacy as both information literacy intervention and control groups similarly increased in information literacy confidence over time. Nevertheless, these findings show that we managed to develop an online, theory-based intervention to increase information literacy. This intervention has the potential to build the foundations for students to engage in scientific conversations by elevating their understanding of how scientific information is produced and how science affects their daily lives.

CHANGES AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE, AND INTENTION TO WORK WITH OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Curricular intervention studies have examined if instruction in aging and gerontology affects undergraduates’ attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions toward older adults. However, less is known about the curricular impact on undergraduates’ intentions to work with older adults and attitudes and knowledge about sexuality and aging. The current longitudinal study examined the impact of an upper-level adult development psychology course on student attitudes, knowledge, and intentions toward working with older adults. Participants were 8 undergraduate students enrolled in upper-level undergraduate psychology courses. Participants completed validated, self-report questionnaires at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester related to their attitudes towards working with older adults, ageism attitudes, aging sexual knowledge and attitudes, and attitudes and knowledge about aging. Paired samples t-tests were used to examine changes in main outcome variables. Students endorsed significantly greater attitudes toward working with older adults at the end of the semester (t = -2.57, p = .037). Additionally, knowledge about sexual aging significantly increased (t = 2.62, p = 0.34). These findings suggest curricular interventions may positively impact attitudes toward working with older adults and sexual aging knowledge. Future work will evaluate predictors of change in attitudes, knowledge, and intentions. By identifying factors that increase undergraduates’ intentions to work with older adults and improve attitudes and knowledge regarding sexual aging, we may elucidate meaningful points of intervention to enhance the pursuit of careers in the geriatric workforce.

INTEGRATING HEALTH POLICY EDUCATION INTO AN UNDERGRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY COURSE

Abstract Education on health policy processes are lacking in psychology training programs. Psychologists can be helpful to policy making and evaluation processes; however, few have the training, experience, or exposure to health policy necessary to feel comfortable entering into this area. Health policy education was integrated into an existing undergraduate psychology adult development and aging curriculum. Students completed weekly knowledge quizzes, two health policy specific assignments, and a class lecture on the intersection of health policy, aging, and psychology. N = 97 students (Mage = 21.54, SD = 4.94) over six semesters completed pre-post knowledge, skill, and ability assessments. Paired samples t-tests indicated increased knowledge t(96)= -5.89, p < .001, Cohen’s d = .60, and understanding of health policy making t(94)= -5.69, p < .001, Cohen’s d = .58; and ability to critically evaluate health policies t(96)= -3.03, p = .003, Cohen’s d = .31. Students identified psychology t(95)= -5.20, p < .01, Cohen’s d = .53 and psychological research t(95)= -3.71, p < .001, Cohen’s d = .38 as having a greater role in health policy following the course. Students felt they would use the health policy skills and knowledge learned in this course and agreed the policy related topics and assignments were valuable. Integrating health policy education into an undergraduate psychology course was feasible and had a positive impact on student’s knowledge, skills, and abilities in this domain. This format may be appropriate for graduate psychology training and may help build psychologists confidence to participate in health policy activities.

Eliciting student perspectives to inform the design of positive psychology courses: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Undergraduate positive psychology courses are typically semester-long educational courses or units of study dedicated to providing students with an understanding of the science of wellbeing and the factors contributing to optimal human functioning. A number of universities around the world offer positive psychology courses, yet little is known about students’ perspectives of these courses. Evaluating students’ perspectives may enable educators to modify courses to better address students’ needs, which in turn, may increase engagement with, and learning in these courses. This study provides an in-depth account of students’ perspectives on a positive psychology course offered at an Australian university. After completing the course, nine students participated in focus groups to discuss their experiences. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, three superordinate categories (and 14 subcategories) were identified, namely, interest in wellbeing, beneficial to wellbeing, and balancing competing needs. Participants expressed interest in learning about wellbeing, experienced the course as beneficial for wellbeing, and recognised several challenges in delivering course content. The richness of these results supports the utility of assessing and evaluating students’ perspectives using a qualitative approach, and the emerging themes provide insights into the aspects of positive psychology courses more broadly that may enhance students’ learning and wellbeing.

Student Self-Care in the Sciences: A Self-Care Intervention in an Undergraduate Physiological Psychology Course

Student Self-Care in the Sciences: A Self-Care Intervention in an Undergraduate Physiological Psychology Course

Teaching Qualitative Research in Psychology: A Look at the Portuguese Reality

Qualitative research has been increasingly used in the field of psychology. Consequently, concerns about the development of students’ skills in qualitative research have arisen. The main goal of this paper is to characterize the current state of art of the qualitative research teaching in Portuguese bachelor’s degrees in psychology. A documentary analysis was performed, and the data collection was conducted through an online search: first on the website of the General Directorate of Higher Education, and afterwards on the online sites of each of the Portuguese universities where the first cycle of psychology is taught. A content analysis was made by two coders and a discussion about categories was made until a consensus was reached. The data revealed the existence of 31 undergraduate courses in psychology at 31 Portuguese teaching institutions. There were 12 undergraduate courses at 12 public universities, and 19 undergraduate courses at 19 private universities. Despite the diversity in the study plans in the degree of psychology, most of them included qualitative research methodology teaching. However, the data analysis revealed different designations of the curricular units (CUs) related to qualitative research, as well as a different number of credits (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System—ECTS). In addition, there were variations in the academic year in which the qualitative research CUs were taught and registered in their syllabi. This study indicates that undergraduate Portuguese psychology students generally have some training in qualitative research but the way it is carried out and the training contents are not uniform for all the existing degrees. It is important to reflect on the importance of qualitative research in psychology and further studies on qualitative methods teaching practices are still needed.

Community-Engaged Pedagogy in the Psychology Classroom: Shelter Dogs go to College

Background Community-engaged pedagogy has the potential to benefit both students and the community. Objective The purpose of this project was to design a new undergraduate psychology course according to recommended community-engaged practices and to explore learning outcomes associated with it. The Canine Learning and Behavior (CLB) course, taught by faculty and community co-educators, offered undergraduate psychology students the opportunity to train shelter dogs and write shelter-specific grant applications. Method Learning outcomes were assessed via course grades and self-evaluation questions for students enrolled in the CLB ( n = 21) and in a comparably challenging Sensation and Perception (SnP, n = 47) course, taught within the same semesters by the same faculty instructor. Results In comparison to participation in the SnP course, participation in the CLB course was associated with higher content comprehension, confidence in and familiarity with relevant skills (i.e., dog training and grant writing), as well as awareness of and sense of responsibility to the needs of the community. Conclusion The employment of community-engaged pedagogy can benefit various stakeholders, including students, the community, and in this specific case, shelter dogs. Teaching Implications This proof-of-concept study may encourage psychology educators to integrate community-engaged pedagogy into their curriculum.

Mental distress and well-being of university students amid COVID-19 pandemic: findings from an online integrative intervention for psychology trainees.

University students have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as significant changes supervened their academic and social life. To tackle these challenges, several adjustments in the educational methods may be warranted for cultivating a positive environment at higher education institutions. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk and protective factors of students' mental health and well-being as well as their potential for flourishing in an undergraduate clinical psychology course that took place online due to the COVID-19 restrictive measures and incorporated positive psychology exercises as a means to empower young people amid the adverse conditions of the lockdown. In total, 124 students attended the course and completed mental health (i.e., DASS-9, HADS, ERQ) and well-being (i.e., MHC-SF, SWLS, PANAS, GQ-6, BRS) measures at two time points (pre-and-post-test), during the first restrictions in Greece (March-June 2020). According to the results, students aged 18-20 years old reported higher levels of stress [χ2 = 14.72, p = 0.002], while students who felt that the quality of their studies had deteriorated [χ2 = 6.57, p = 0.038] reported increased levels of anxiety. High levels of depression were correlated with worse relationships with significant others (z = 7.02, p = 0.030 and χ2 = 11.39, p = 0.003 for family and friends, respectively), while gratitude and resilience were positively correlated with improved relationships with others, both during and after the lockdown. Factors associated with students' well-being were satisfaction with life and gratitude. These results suggest that well-being enhancement factors may have added value to current educational practices for promoting students' mental health and well-being in times of crisis.

HEALTH EDUCATION AS A PRACTICE IN MATERNAL AND CHILD CARE

This is an experience report with pregnant women, accompanied by the Basic Family Health Unit of Jardim Noroeste – Campo Grande/MS, in partnership with the Education Program for Work for Health. The proposed objective relates the experience of academics from undergraduate courses in Psychology and Nursing at Centro Universitário Unigran Capital in carrying out educational practices with pregnant women. Finally, the intervention fulfilled its objective of interacting with the pregnant women in a playful and relaxed way in order to raise their awareness regarding childhood vaccination.

College students’ emotional responses to social distancing protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative diary study

ABSTRACT This qualitative diary study explored emotional responses of college students to social distancing (SD) protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty college students in an undergraduate senior capstone psychology course at a medium-sized public university in the Eastern USA wrote reflective diaries for several weeks. Their reactions to ongoing SD protocols were analyzed across four cohorts, from the virus onset in spring 2020 through late 2021. Entries related to SD protocols were selected, then coded with etic and emic coding strategies to characterize the aspects of SD and associated emotions. Participants discussed ten aspects of SD in passages that were complex in emotion, most strongly fear, joy, and sadness, and to a lesser extent, anger, disgust, and surprise. Gender differences in emotional reactions were minimal. Results are discussed in relation to student well-being, the socio-emotional toll of SD protocols, and ways to ease negative SD impacts.

Effectiveness of H5P in improving student learning outcomes in an online tertiary education setting

Innovative, pedagogically informed instructional design is instrumental in increasing student engagement and improving learning outcomes in online learning environments. Interactive learning resources provide students with the opportunity to engage with content in a more personalised manner. H5P (HTML 5 Package) is a collaborative platform that allows developers to create interactive content and has been regularly used in education settings. Some evidence suggests using interactive H5P resources in online education courses could lead to greater student engagement. However, to date, there has been little investigation into whether H5P resources can improve student learning outcomes. The current study aimed to assess whether using interactive H5P resources improved assessed learning outcomes in an online undergraduate psychology course. A randomized cross-over design was utilized to test whether students exposed to H5P interactive videos had improved assessment results when compared to a control group. This study found no meaningful differences in assessment scores between students exposed to H5P versus those that were not. There was low overall engagement with the interactive content. However, students who did engage with the resources reported a positive experience and indicated a preference for more interactive elements in future courses. Future research should extend on the instructional design obstacles identified in this study, for example, by examining whether improved accessibility and education on the benefits of interactive resources would increase engagement and grades.

DISCURSOS DE GÊNERO NOS LIVROS INTRODUTÓRIOS À PSICOLOGIA DO DESENVOLVIMENTO

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to identify and analyze the discourses about gender present in introductory books of the Developmental Psychology disciplines of undergraduate courses in Psychology, in Brazilian public universities. We identified, based on a consultation of the teaching plans of these courses, the two most cited books. We organize, examine and present the material, taking into account the procedures of documentary research: the context of production of the works, their authorship and the discourses about gender in the descriptions of age markers (childhood and adolescence). Based on the contributions of feminist and queer studies about gender and on the contributions of Michel Foucault on biopower, we identified possible effects of discourse about the control function and limitation of the ways of managing gender experiences in childhood and adolescence. We formulate considerations about these effects and the circumstance that training in the area approaches criticism of scientific discourse, from feminist and queer studies.

O Potencial da Pesquisa em Psicologia para o Desenvolvimento de Tecnologias

This article systematizes classes taught for a discipline that is part of the curricular emphasis “Psychology, Diversity, Technologies and Society”, of the undergraduate course in Psychology at the University of Brasília. Articles and chapters were searched in SciELO, Portal de Periódicos da CAPES, and Google Scholar from 2017 to February 2023. Other sources, including government and non-governmental organization websites, were searched to fi ll in gaps. The selection of materials considered topicality, diversity, impact and accessibility for teaching context. The article refl ects the initial part of the discipline, which is followed by prospecting by students on possibilities of contribution of scientifi c knowledge in psychology to the production of applications. It explores the relationship between scientifi c production in psychology and the generation of applications inside and outside psychology, with or without its direct participation. It exemplifi es actions within psychology to demonstrate how it can contribute to applications in diff erent contexts. It demonstrates how applications of psychology can result in technologies, with an emphasis on assistive technologies and enabling technologies; how psychology can and should participate in the diff erent stages of technology development, implementation and evaluation. It analyzes the evolution of the concept of translational research, the opportunities and threats that this science development paradigm off ers psychology, and its intertwining with the development of assistive technology. It concludes with refl ections on the university’s role in preparing professionals to work on multidisciplinary projects in search of innovative solutions to complex and challenging problems of social relevance.Keywords: Knowledge construction, applied psychology, transdisciplinarity, assistive technology, translational research

Undergraduate school psychology courses: A potential tool for diversifying the field of school psychology?

AbstractMinoritized populations have historically been underrepresented within school psychology. Furthermore, school psychology is in the midst of what has been termed the shortages crisis. Previous research suggests that undergraduate psychology students have little knowledge or exposure to school psychology as compared with other branches of professional psychology. Research suggests that increased knowledge and exposure to school psychology is related to increased intentions to pursue school psychology. Scholars have advocated for the creation of undergraduate school psychology courses to increase exposure to school psychology. However, to our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the effectiveness of such courses. This study took place at a highly diverse northeastern public university and included 210 undergraduate students who were enrolled in an undergraduate school psychology course. Participants were asked to complete measures examining their knowledge, exposure, self‐efficacy, outcome expectations, and choice intentions for school psychology at the beginning and end of the course. Results indicate that students enrolled in school psychology courses demonstrated significant increases in perceived knowledge, exposure, self‐efficacy, and outcome expectations for school psychology. In addition, minoritized students demonstrated significantly greater increase in their knowledge and self‐efficacy after course completion than nonminoritized students. Implications for minoritized and general recruitment are discussed.

EXAMINING CHANGES IN STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD WORKING WITH OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Curricular intervention studies have examined if instruction in aging and gerontology affects undergraduates’ attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions towards older adults. However, less is known about curricular impact on undergraduates’ intentions to work with older adults. By identifying factors that increase undergraduates’ intentions to work with older adults we may elucidate meaningful points of intervention to enhance pursuit of careers in the geriatric workforce. The current study examined baseline data from a longitudinal study examining the impact of an upper-level adult development psychology course on student attitudes towards working with older adults. It was hypothesized that there would be positive associations between attitudes towards working with older adults, knowledge about aging, and positive attitudes towards older adults. Participants were 19 undergraduate students enrolled in upper-level undergraduate psychology courses. Participants completed validated, self-report questionnaires related to their attitudes towards working with older adults, ageism attitudes, and attitudes and knowledge about aging. Bivariate correlation analyses were used to examine cross-sectional associations among main outcome variables. More positive explicit attitudes towards older adults were significantly associated with more willingness to work with older adults (r= .49 , p=.04). Additionally, knowledge of aging was positively correlated with perceived social norms around working with older adults (r= .49, p=.04). These initial findings suggest that knowledge and positive attitudes about aging may positively impact attitudes towards working with older adults. Future work will assess curricular impact on undergraduates’ intentions to work with older adults, as well as evaluate predictors of change in intentions.

An Examination of Sleep as a Mediator of the Relationship between Childhood Adversity and Depression in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Young Adults

The current study integrates previous research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and long-term health outcomes to examine associations between ACEs, sleep duration, and depression in a diverse, mostly healthy, sample of young adults. We examine whether sleep duration mediates the association between ACEs and depression among young adults, and whether ethnicity may moderate observed relationships between ACEs, sleep duration and depression. Data were collected from 518 young adults (66.8% female, M age=19.79 years, SD age=3.43 years) enrolled in undergraduate Psychology courses at a large Southwestern university. Participants primarily reported their racial/ethnic background as Non-Hispanic White (60.6%) and Hispanic/Latino (25.1%). Participants self-reported their ACEs exposure, sleep characteristics, and depressive symptoms. In addition to calculating overall exposure to ACEs, scores for the specific dimensions of adversity were also calculated (Abuse, Neglect, Exposure to Violence). Results supported a mediation model whereby higher reports of ACEs were associated with depressive symptoms both directly and through sleep duration. Results were not moderated by ethnicity. Findings provide support for sleep duration as one potential pathway through which ACEs may be associated with depressive symptoms in young adulthood, and suggest that this pathway is similar in Hispanic and non-Hispanic young adults.

Exploring Course Components as Predictors of Academic Success in an Online Psychology Course

Online higher education is experiencing growth in enrolment and development which creates a need to continually evaluate the efficacy of online course delivery. Prior research reported that performance in online education is equivalent to traditional face-to-face delivery; however, minimal research exists to identify which elements of course design predict academic success. We aimed to identify which specific course components are predictors of (a) final course grade, (b) continuous assessment grade, and (c) major assessment grade in an online, undergraduate psychology course using data collated by the Learning Management System. We also addressed gaps in existing knowledge by exploring group differences within scores on significant predictors of course outcomes to determine whether these varied according to student characteristics. We found the number of times students visited the course site, viewed activities, and posted in activities significantly predicted students’ final course grade, continuous assessment grades, and major assessment grades. The total variance explained by the regression models, was however, relatively low and therefore there may be additional factors not considered in the present study that may predict grades. We also found non-traditional, female, domestic students, enrolled part-time and in an online degree accessed the course site, viewed activities, and posted in activities significantly more frequently than their counterparts. Universities offering online courses should provide students with regular activities and opportunities to participate in course content to promote online learning and academic success.

Integrating Usability into the Design of Student Ratings of Teachers: The Teaching and Instructional Measure of Effectiveness (TIME)

At most universities, students are required to complete end-of-semester teacher evaluation forms, which may have undesirable effects on teacher ratings to the extent that students feel inconvenienced, annoyed, or disinterested when completing these forms. Addressing these concerns, we designed the Teaching and Instructional Measure of Effectiveness (TIME), a brief 6-item measure that captures relevant aspects of teaching effectiveness while retaining high levels of usability. The TIME was piloted in a small set of undergraduate psychology courses ( k = 22 classrooms, cumulative N = 640 students). Students perceived the usability of the TIME to be good-to-exceptional; and overall, students indicated that the TIME was better than the teaching evaluation system currently employed by the university. Moreover, the TIME correlated very highly with the existing teaching evaluation form, but with fewer items and less time to complete. Together, these results suggest the TIME can reliably yet more conveniently reflect student ratings of teacher performance. Future research on the psychometric properties of the TIME can usefully expand from the current work by involving multiple universities, more disciplines, more diverse classrooms, and a wider range of institutional teaching evaluation forms.

Just as Long as It’s Not an Essay: The Unessay as a Tool for Engagement in a Cognitive Psychology Course

IntroductionCognitive psychology courses are rich in content that can be useful to broad audiences. Much of the foundational research presented in course texts is conducted in highly constrained laboratory settings, making the concepts difficult to apply or use in the real world.Statement of the ProblemStudents in cognitive psychology classes may not readily notice practical applications for the content. Standard assessments (e.g. written research papers) fail to capture the real-world applications of cognitive phenomena.Literature ReviewUsing an applied framework can motivate engagement in cognition. The use of an Unessay project in undergraduate cognitive psychology courses requires students to present a key construct in any format except an essay. Unessay projects originated in the humanities, and are an excellent fit for psychology.Teaching ImplicationsThe Unessay is a useful vehicle for identifying and presenting the application of a cognitive construct in the real world. Students are required to convey that information in a creative, non-essay format. Instructions, a rubric and examples are provided.ConclusionThe Unessay is a novel approach to a course project in cognitive psychology that can motivate student interest while aligning with several APA outcomes for psychology majors.