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Department of Psychology > Archives for Published

Sharpless Published in Sleep Medicine and Interviewed by Newsweek

Brian Sharpless
Congratulations to Dr. Brian A. Sharpless, Visiting Associate Professor of Psychology, who recently published an article in the journal Sleep Medicine with several colleagues from the US and the UK. The article, “Exploding Head Syndrome: Clinical Features, Theories about Etiology, and Prevention Strategies in a Large International Sample”, was based on data from over 6,000 participants. It was carried out through the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Science Focus Magazine.

Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder (i.e., parasomnia) characterized by the perception of loud noises or a sense of explosion in the head during sleep transitions. Though first identified in 1876, it has received relatively little scientific attention and no well-established treatment options are yet available for sufferers.

Results of this study indicated that those with EHS had poorer and shorter sleep than those without EHS. Not surprisingly, episodes of EHS were associated with clinically significant levels of fear, but only 25% of experienced significant distress as a result of episodes whereas only 10% reported significant life interference. The majority of sufferers believed EHS to be a natural, brain-based phenomenon, but 2.3% blamed electronic equipment and 2.8% believed that was due to supernatural causes. Finally, five effective prevention strategies were identified from the first-hand reports of sufferers. Several of these were consistent with existing treatment approaches for insomnia and anxiety and may prove useful for developing a novel treatment for chronic EHS.

On July 15, 2020, Sharpless was interviewed by Newsweek in regards to the study.

 

sleep medicine

 

 

Williams Publishes Book Chapter

WilliamsCongratulations to Dr. Libby Williams on her recent publication!
Williams. E. N. (2020). Research with underserved populations: Matching method to need. In J. Zimmerman, J. Barnett, & L. Campbell (Eds.), Bringing psychotherapy to the underserved: Challenges and strategies. New York: Oxford University Press.
Here is the abstract for the book chapter:
“The research findings to date are clear: health disparities exist and are persistent. This chapter explores current research strategies and considers additional, less often employed methodologies in the area of mental health disparities. In particular, previous correlational and survey studies examining barriers to treatment are reviewed. In addition to understanding barriers to treatment, however, we need to focus on what works for underserved populations. Additional experimental studies of treatment modalities (e.g., tele-health), the impact of integrated care and geographic access, and the use of cultural and language-sensitive programs seem timely. Additional qualitative studies of individual experiences within various underserved populations will also help us devise innovative treatment approaches. By matching method to need, we will be able to find new ways to help underserved populations decide to seek help, access the care they need, and receive the best psychotherapeutic treatments available.”

Freedman Published in Comprehensive Results in Social Psychology

 

Congratulations to Dr. Gili Freedman on her recent publication!

Freedman, G., Brandler, S. & Beer, J. S. (2019). Does engaging in social rejection heighten or diminish social processing? Comprehensive Results in Social Psychology, DOI: 10.1080/23743603.2019.1684820

Engaging in social rejection can lead to feeling both increased social power and decreased belongingness. Yet, social power is associated with diminished social sensitivity, whereas threatened belongingness can enhance social sensitivity. In a registered report, Freedman and coauthors tested these competing hypotheses of how engaging in social rejection may affect social sensitivity. Contrary to the competing hypotheses tested, they did not find evidence that social rejection, compared to social acceptance, led to increased or decreased social sensitivity. An exploratory analysis found that men who engaged in rejection showed decreased social sensitivity compared to men who did not engage in rejection.

 

 

Howansky Published in Social Psychological and Personality Science

Kristina HowanskyCongratulations to Dr. Kristina Howansky on her recent publication!

Howansky, K., Albuja, A., & Cole, S. (2019). Seeing Gender: Perceptual Representations of Transgender Individuals. Social Psychological and Personality Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550619875143

Using novel paradigms (i.e., facial morphing, avatar generation), Howansky and co-authors demonstrated that people perceptually represent an individual labeled as transgender as less gender-typical than the same individual without the transgender label. Moreover, they established that representing a transgender woman as less gender-typical was associated with the extent to which people felt comfortable with her using the women’s restroom and representing herself according to her gender identity. Given that many policy issues surrounding transgender individuals are contingent on how transgender people are categorized, this work suggests that being perceived as less gender-typical may be one more hurdle transgender individuals face in their struggle to be recognized in accordance with their gender identities.

Freedman Published in The Journal of Social Psychology

Congratulations to Dr. Gili Freedman on her recent publication, “Engaging in Social Rejection May be Riskier for Women?” in The Journal of Social Psychology.

In the article, Freedman investigates how women are perceived if they socially reject others in comparison to men.

Publisher link abstract: People often worry how others will perceive them if they socially reject others, but do women have more to fear than men? Although previous research has shown that women are perceived negatively for behaving in counter-stereotypical ways, research on backlash has focused on business settings. The present research applies backlash theory to examine how women are perceived for engaging in social rejection. The findings suggest that backlash may operate differently in social rejection because only men punish women for rejecting. Across four studies, the present research found that (1) women felt they were more likely to be penalized for engaging in social rejection than men, (2) women were less willing to endorse social rejection than men, and (3) men, but not women, viewed female rejectors in a more negative manner than male rejectors.

Read the article here!

Williams Publishes in Journal of Counseling Psychology

Dr. Libby Nutt WilliamsCongratulations to Dr. Libby Nutt Williams on her most recent publication, an article in the special 125th anniversary section of JCP (The Future of Counseling Psychology).

Fuertes, J. N., & Williams, E. N. (2017).  Client-focused psychotherapy research.  Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64, 369-375. doi:10.1037/cou0000214

From the abstract: Although the field of professional psychology has definitive evidence that therapy is effective, we do not yet have a good understanding of how therapy works or what makes it so effective. Although hundreds of research studies have been conducted on various aspects of psychotherapy, including client factors and outcome, in the current paper we argue that a key component of the psychotherapy enterprise that warrants additional empirical attention is the client. We readily acknowledge the need for researchers to continue to examine other aspects of psychotherapy, such as therapist factors, the therapy relationship, and the effectiveness of certain therapies or interventions for specific psychological conditions and problems. However, we believe that by pursuing research questions from the perspective of the client that we might be able to better understand clients’ experience in therapy and ways to tailor therapies and interventions to clients, uncover evidence about what actually engages and motivates the client, and gain a broader perspective about the nature of the therapy relationship. In the current paper we highlight fruitful areas for client-focused research, and within each area, we propose research questions that might stimulate further thinking and future empirical inquiries.

Glidden Publishes Book Chapter

Congratulations to Dr. Laraine Glidden on her most recent publication!

Glidden, L. M. (2016). Removing Reproductive, Sexual, and Rearing Rights of Women With Disability. In Lutzker, J.R. & Benka-Coker, M.L. (Eds.), Maltreatment of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Washington, D.C.: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

From www.aaidd.org: “This comprehensive and compelling work [Maltreatment of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities] presents research and evidence-based strategies related to the maltreatment of people with IDD across the lifespan. Using the public health framework that moves from surveillance to screening to intervention to policy implications, this volume presents research in a life-course perspective separated into three sections: IDD in Early Life, Adults With IDD, and Interventions for People With IDD. Together  they emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to better serve and provide for people with IDD.

Eleven chapters present research, strategies, interventions, and approaches in the key areas involved in the understanding, treatment, and prevention of maltreatment of people with IDD throughout their lives:

  • A systematic review of the literature on the association between childhood disability and child maltreatment
  • Sexual trauma in children and adolescents with IDD
  • Effects of the bullying of youth with IDD
  • Heightened social vulnerability among adults with IDD
  • Removing reproductive, sexual, and child-rearing rights of women with IDD
  • Relationships and social networks among a sample of mothers with IDD
  • Victimization risk of older adults with ID manifesting later in life
  • Prevention of maltreatment of adults with IDD
  • Systemic change in services for parents with intellectual and other cognitive disabilities
  • Post-injury monitoring of abusive head trauma
  • Discriminatory killing and execution of people with IDD

Designed for policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and students at the undergraduate and graduate levels, this resource provides an in-depth look at the knowledge base in addressing the maltreatment of these vulnerable populations.”

Dr. Scott Mirabile Publishes Article in Journal of Adolescence

Congratulations to Dr. Scott Mirabile on his most recent publication, a collaboration with colleagues at Johns Hopkins and William and Mary!

Webb, L., Stegall, S., Mirabile, S. P., Zeman, J., Shields, A., & Perry-Parrish, C. (2016). The Management and Expression of Pride: Age and Gender Effects. Journal of Adolescence, 52, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.06.009.

Read the article

Dr. Aileen Bailey and Two Alumni Publish Article in The Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education

Congratulations to Dr. Aileen Bailey on her most recent publication co-authored with past SMP students* and a UMD colleague!

*Roberts, B.M., *Jarrin, S.E., Mathur, B.N. & Bailey, A. M. (2016). Illuminating the Undergraduate Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory: A Guide for the in vivo Application of Optogenetics in Mammalian Model Organisms. The Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 14(2), A111-A116.

Read the article

Dr. Nathan Foster Publishes Book Chapter and Article

Congratulations to Dr. Nathan Foster on his two recent publications!

Sahakyan, L., & Foster, N. L. (2016). The Need for Metaforgetting: Insights from Directed Forgetting. In J. Dunlosky & S. U. K. Tauber (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Metamemory. Oxford Press: London, 341-355.

From Amazon.com:

The Oxford Handbook of Metamemory investigates the human ability to evaluate and control learning and information retrieval processes. Each chapter in this authoritative guide highlights a different facet of metamemory research, including classical metamemory judgments; applications of metamemory research to the classroom and courtroom; and cutting-edge perspectives on continuing debates and theory. Chapters also provide broad historical overviews of each research area and discussions of promising directions for future research. The breadth and depth of coverage on offer in this Handbook make it ideal for seminars on metamemory or metacognition. It would also be a valuable supplement for advanced courses on cognitive psychology, of use especially to graduate students and more seasoned researchers who are interested in exploring metamemory for the first time.

Foster, N. L., Was, C. A, Dunlosky, J., & Isaacson, R. M. (2016). Even after thirteen class exams, students are still overconfident: The role of memory for past exam performance in student predictions. Metacognition and Learning. DOI: 10.1007/s11409-016-9158-6.

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