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PSI CHI Board of Directors
SOCIETY PRESIDENT Susan Becker, PhD president@psichi.org
WESTERN REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT Brittany Avila, PhD westernvp@psichi.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marianne Fallon, PhD marianne.fallon@psichi.org
This is the worst outcome! If I didn'tgetin the first time…
24 · GRADUATE SCHOOL
“I’ll
Never Get in!" Cognitive Distortions About the Graduate School Application Process in Clinical and Counseling Psychology Maria A. Turkson, PhD
28 · PROMOTION OF RESEARCH IGNITE Your Passion for Psychological Science Mary Moussa Rogers, PhD
31 · MENTAL HEALTH Closing the Gap: Addressing Older Adults’ Mental Health Needs Through Access, Advocacy, and Adaptive Aging Renee Shand-Lubbers, PhD, and Ashley Maureen Diaz, PhD
44 · DISTINGUISHED LECTURER Public Health Intervention Through a Psychological Lens: An Interview With Sarit Golub, PhD Elisabeth Barrett
PSYCHOLOGY IN THE HEADLINES
New Tools and Guidelines for Teaching Psychology in an Evolving Landscape
Shawn R. Charlton, PhD, and Parker Hamilton
11 · WISDOM FROM THE WORKPLACE
Building Feedback Resilience: A Skill for School, Work, and Life
Gabrielle P. A. Smith, PhD, Vinita Puri, PhD, Brianna Gonzalez, PhD, and Rihana Mason, PhD
WGrow in Your Personal and Professional Resilience
Susan Becker, PhD President
hen I first joined Psi Chi as a new faculty member in my first overwhelming year, I quickly discovered that I had joined a community with connections to fellow faculty and university students at all levels as well as professionals and professional organizations. This discovery led to opportunities for creative collaboration and a new perspective on how the science of psychology evolves and progresses from generation to generation over time. I experienced the connections Psi Chi facilitated at regional, national, and international organizations and soon actively engaged in contributing to that community in a variety of ways that aided my personal and professional growth. Psi Chi has shared its vision of a scholarly community for 95 successful years, and I can’t wait to see how this vision of community expands into the future.
Joining a community of psychological scientists such as Psi Chi provides the benefit of seeing the progression of science firsthand (Kuhn, 1962). Scientific communities provide critical processes for the growth of scientific knowledge including quality control through peer review, identifying biases and errors, and building on existing knowledge. The psychological science community represented by Psi Chi also offers sources of professional resilience through collaboration, knowledge sharing, inspiration, motivation, and recognition. These benefits are gained from Psi Chi’s community through active participation and the building of relationships across the organization. We all depend on each other to be active in our engagement to experience these benefits both concrete and more ephemeral.
As a bit of an introvert, I found the opportunity to build relationships through Psi Chi to be a good fit, allowing me to choose my level of social involvement. As I became more confident and comfortable, my level of engagement was able to grow, and thus my professional and personal resilience also grew as I tried out different leadership and research opportunities. Personal resilience was expanded by having peers with whom I could consult and compare ideas, as well as someone to complain to about grading papers who could relate! My professional resilience expanded through the opportunities Psi Chi provides to support research, teaching, and leadership experiences. When one project just wasn’t working out, I could turn to my fellow Psi Chi members to develop new ideas and projects. This was particularly true when
working with undergraduate honors students on their research ideas and projects that gave us plenty of exciting options to work toward collaborative presentations and publications. When I go to conventions and interact with fellow Psi Chi members, I also get to enjoy their stories of growth, resilience, and leadership as well. I hope that you will engage with our Psi Chi community to help build these benefits for each other. The Psi Chi website (https://www.psichi.org) can connect you with numerous opportunities to engage with our community. Your membership in Psi Chi can reap many individual benefits such as grants and scholarships. It can also connect you to a community through your participation locally in your chapter, regionally through attending conventions, and even globally. When you engage in the Psi Chi community, you will experience growth in your personal and professional resilience, you’ll have peers and colleagues with whom you can share your excitement about psychology, and you’ll be enlarging your professional and personal community where we all mutually benefit. I look forward to hearing your stories!
Kuhn, T. S. (1962). The structure of scientific revolutions. University of Chicago Press.
New Tools and Guidelines for Teaching Psychology in an Evolving Landscape
Shawn R. Charlton, PhD University of Central Arkansas
I’ve a feeling we’re not in 2024 anymore!
As we write this introduction, the theatrical adaptation of Wicked is captivating audiences worldwide, shifting focus from Dorothy and her companions to Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Once a one-dimensional villain in The Wizard of Oz, the Elphaba presented in Wicked is a conflicted, complex, and compelling figure.
Just as Wicked challenges us to reconsider our narrative of the Wicked Witch of the West, shifts in the higher education landscape in the United States necessitate a fresh perspective on training psychological scientists and practitioners. Shifting our perspective on undergraduate psychology education may uncover new ways for
faculty to empower students, prepare them for diverse career paths, and address the field’s and society’s evolving needs.
In this spring 2025 edition, we curated a thematic set of Headlines focused on critical disciplinary trends and guidelines that will help enhance the undergraduate experience. These include
• APA’s increased emphasis on broad perspectives,
• what psychology majors should learn,
• the skills psychology majors should develop,
• the rise of targeted educational experiences like microcredentials and certificates, and
• the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching psychology.
Through these themes, we invite you to explore undergraduate psychology from multiple angles, offering fresh insights into the future of the field.
Parker Hamilton University of Central Arkansas
APA’s Increased Emphasis of Broader Perspectives for Undergraduate Psychology
Shawn R. Charlton, PhD, and Parker Hamilton University of Central Arkansas
In September 2023, the American Psychological Association (APA) hosted a summit to address the need for targeted community interventions, marking a shift from individual treatments to broader societal solutions (Evans, 2024). This expanded view highlights how better integrating the bio-enviro-psycho-socio-cultural perspective (Charlton et. al., 2024) in undergraduate psychology can play a pivotal role in preparing students to contribute to such systems-level interventions. By understanding the interplay of biological, environmental, psychological, social, and cultural factors, students can develop a holistic approach to psychological science, application, and technology (this can be compared to a shift away from main effects to interactions in undergraduate psychology teaching).
Population-Level Interventions: A Shift in Mental Health Strategy
Psychologist Ken Dodge of Duke University highlights the limitations of traditional, individual-focused mental health treatments for youth. Although effective on a case-by-case basis, these approaches fail to address systemic mental health challenges. Dodge advocates for community-level interventions emphasizing prevention and societal change, such as parental support programs, access to green spaces, and destigmatization of help-seeking (Dodge, 2024).
Targeted interventions hold promise for vulnerable populations such as those with low socioeconomic status or from historically marginalized communities. These programs aim to address specific mental health challenges early, laying the groundwork for broader societal change. However, their success depends on integrating these efforts within a larger framework of systemic reform.
A Comprehensive Approach:
Bottom-Up, Top-Down, and Systems Change
The APA proposes a “three-prong plan” encompassing bottom-up, top-down, and systems-level strategies:
• Bottom-Up: Strengthen evidence-based interventions, adapting them to diverse cultural contexts without sacrificing effectiveness (Skinner et al., 2023).
• Top-Down: Create supportive environments for children’s development through community interventions like paid parental leave and accessible mental health education.
• Systems Change: Develop a universal framework for children’s mental health, akin to coordinated systems in healthcare and education. This includes integrated data systems for tracking outcomes and holding communities accountable.
A curriculum emphasizing the bio-enviro-psycho-social-cultural perspective prepares students to engage with this three-level approach. For example, understanding the impact of cultural context on behavior enhances the adaptation of interventions, while an understanding of how biological, environmental, and social factors influence behavior allows for the creation of prevention and treatment approaches.
Moving From Positive Thinking to Positive Action
The shift in mental health discourse requires actionable steps. Advocacy, psychoeducation, and system-level reforms go beyond changing mindsets, aligning with the APA’s goal of population-level improvements. Research consistently shows that community-wide interventions are more effective than individual treatments in reducing the prevalence of mental health disorders (Dodge et al., 2024).
Measuring Success: Accountability and Collaboration
Ken Dodge identifies three priorities for achieving the APA’s goals: measurement, evaluation, and accountability. Annual reports on children’s mental health, similar to unemployment rates, could guide policy and interventions. Long-term tracking rooted in developmental science is critical for evaluating outcomes, while public accountability ensures sustained progress.
Looking Ahead
Integrating insights from the APA’s population-level initiatives into undergraduate psychology education can better prepare students to tackle real-world challenges. A curriculum grounded in the bio-enviro-psycho-social-cultural perspective equips students with the tools to think broadly and embrace systemic solutions. This preparation ensures the next generation of psychological scientists and practitioners is ready to lead transformational change. This thematic exploration of undergraduate psychology invites us to envision a future where psychological science, application, and technology can enhance individual and societal well-being.
References
Charlton, S. R., Sobel, K., & Sobel, S. (2024). Psychology: The science of who we are (4th Ed.). McMillan Learning. Dodge, K. (2024). Improving population mental health and reducing disparities [Transcript]. https://www.apa.org/science/programs/population-health-science-summit/improving-transcript.pdf Dodge, K. A., Prinstein, M. J., Evans, A. C., Ahuvia, I. L., Alvarez, K., Beidas, R. S., Brown, A. J., Cuijpers, P., Denton, E.-g., Hoagwood, K. E., Johnson, C., Kazdin, A. E., McDanal, R., Metzger, I. W., Rowley, S. N., Schleider, J., & Shaw, D. S. (2024). Population mental health science: Guiding principles and initial agenda. American Psychologist, 79 (6), 805–823. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001334
Evans, A. C. Jr. (2024, September 1). Embracing a population health approach to improving youth mental health. Monitor on Psychology, 55 (6). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/09/youth-mental-health Skinner, A., Occhipinti, J., Song, Y. J. C., & Hickie, I. B. (2023). Population-level effectiveness of alternative approaches to preventing mental disorders in adolescents and young adults. Scientific Reports, 13 (1), Article 47322. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47322-2
APA's IPI and AP Psychology Help Instructors Define Foundational Learning Essentials for Undergraduates
Libby Heiskell, Kennedi Carroll, Ashanti Levingston, Shawn R. Charlton, PhD, and Parker Hamilton University of Central Arkansas
Determining essential content for introductory psychology is challenging due to the discipline’s breadth and variability. For instance, a review of five popular introductory psychology textbooks revealed significant discrepancies: While the books ranged from 567 to 896 pages and covered 951 to 1,654 key terms, only 154 terms were shared across all texts (Slade & Gurung, 2022; Slade et al., 2023). This ambiguity allows programs to tailor unique learning experiences but creates challenges for program evaluators, graduate educators, and employers assessing students' foundational knowledge.
The American Psychological Association's (APA) Introductory Psychology Initiative (IPI) provides a framework for creating psychology programs by promoting student-centered learning objectives and evidence-based teaching practices. The IPI emphasizes that introductory psychology should be a transformative course to help students develop academic, career, and personal skills (American Psychological Association, 2018). Thoughtfully designed courses help students with beneficial study skills (retrieval practice, space recognition), leading to a deeper understanding of course content. Introductory psychology experiences also foster essential career skills, such as critical thinking and scientific literacy, as well as beneficial life abilities like self-regulation and ethical decision-making (American Psychological Association, 2018).
As part of the IP course recommendations, the APA IPI incorporates the selection of student learning outcomes (SLOs) that emphasize essential integrative themes in psychological science and
highlight crucial aspects of human behavior (Gurung & Neufeld, 2021). These themes are encompassed within the Pillar Model, which underscores the importance of teaching the foundational principles of scientific inquiry. This integrative model also covers various branches of psychology, including biological, cognitive, developmental, social, personality, and mental and physical health.
Informed by the APA’s IPI, the College Board launched a redesigned Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology course curriculum for the 2024–25 academic year (College Board, n.d.). The AP Psychology course and exam focus on five key themes: biological bases of behavior, cognition, development and learning, social and personality psychology, and mental and physical health. The revised exam format includes fewer multiple-choice questions and updated free-response questions to foster a deeper understanding of psychological principles (American Psychological Association, 2018). An important aspect of the redesigned curriculum is an increased emphasis on teaching scientific literacy and critical thinking about psychology.
These two initiatives help calibrate introductory psychology experiences by improving the consistency and quality of introductory psychology. They also provide frameworks for programs to use in creating undergraduate curriculums customized to the needs of their psychology majors and the strengths of their faculty.
References
American Psychological Association. (2018). The APA introductory psychology initiative. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/undergrad/introductory-psychology-initiative College Board. (n.d.). AP psychology revisions for 2024–25 . AP Central. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-psychology/revisions-2024-25
Gurung, R. A. R., & Neufeld, G. (2021, November 29). Selecting content for introductory psychology: Recommendations from the APA Introductory Psychology Initiative
Slade, J. J., & Gurung, R. A. R. (2022). Not quite on the same page: Comparing key terms in introductory psychology textbooks. Teaching of Psychology, 51 (3), 285–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283221111749
Slade, J. J., Byers, S. M., & Gurung, R. A. R. (2023). Introductory psychology textbooks (still) more different than alike. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000365
Classroom to Workforce: Skills for Psychology Student Success
Sherayle Faucette, Alexandrea O'Neill, and Deja Thomas University of Central Arkansas
Psychology is one of the top three most popular majors for college first-year students, with 140,711 bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2023 (Reynolds, 2023; American Psychological Association, 2024). With a projected rise in demand for psychology-related services, employment for those with undergraduate psychology degrees is expected to grow (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). However, despite how coveted these degrees are becoming, many students feel unprepared for the workforce (Appleby et al., 2019).
Over the past several years, the American Psychological Association (APA) has created several resources to help students and programs identify essential career readiness skills. The “Skillful Psychology Student” (Naufel et al., 2018) identifies 17 critical skills organized into five main themes: Cognitive, Communication, Personal, Social, and Technological (Naufel, 2019). Additionally, the APA Board of Educational Affairs Task Force on Psychology Major Competencies (2023) outlined five core learning outcomes and program expectations: (a) Content Knowledge and Applications, (b) Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking, (c) Values in Psychological Science, (d) Communication, Psychological Literacy and Technology Skills, and (e) Personal and Professional Development.
Although external groups like the APA can develop recommendations, preparing students for future professional impact begins with the program structure. Since the program structure determines the undergraduate experience, program faculty are ultimately responsible for creating opportunities for students to develop core professional skills. For example, programs can focus on a wide range of educational opportunities where students gain skills in child psychology, cognitive functioning, human interactions, reading, writing, communication, and perspective-taking in preparation to have an impact in real estate, human resources, healthcare, law enforcement, and education (Larsen, 2022).
Individual faculty can also enhance skill development by explicitly emphasizing the skills students are developing (Denton,
2024). Given how extensive a psychology degree can be, professors need to highlight the skills that students refine in their courses that will help them in their fields of study and future endeavors. A heavy emphasis and recognition of necessary life and professional skills has been shown to increase student success (Wickline et al., 2024). We can continue to develop more opportunities for psychology students to develop essential personal and professional skills. Many faculty members continue to find it challenging to help their students navigate through professional expectations while also adapting to changes in the field. Some faculty suggest creating a psychology overview and creating courses in career planning (Roscoe & McMahan, 2014). Others propose that education within the psychology field should be consistently personalized to the demands of the professional market, which they argue will steadily improve the overall quality of student experiences (Maragakis et al., 2020).
References
American Psychological Association. (2024). CWS data tool: Degrees in psychology. https://www.apa.org/workforce/data-tools/degrees-psycholog y APA Board of Educational Affairs Task Force on Psychology Major Competencies. (2023). APA guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major. American Psychological Association.
Appleby, D. C., Young, J., Kirk, J. V., Rudmann, J., Naufel, K. Z., Spencer, S. M., Hettich, P., Carducci, B. J., & Richmond, A. S. (2019, February). The skillful psychology student: Skills you will need to succeed in the 21st-Century workplace. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2019/02/skillful-student
Denton, A. W. (2024, February 26). The market-ready psychology major: Skills-focused resources for psychology instructors. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/market-ready Larsen, K. (2022, March 14). 48 jobs you can get with a psychology degree . Mid-Atlantic Christian University. https://www.macuniversity.edu/48-jobs-you-can-get-with-a-psychology-degree/#gref Maragakis, A., LaLonde, L., Vriesman, M., & Orkopoulou, E. (2020). Using a systematic approach to improve undergraduate training in psychology. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 6 (2), 107–117. https://doi.org/10.1037/tps0000227
Naufel, K. Z., Appleby, D. C., Young, J., Van Kirk, J. F., Spencer, S. M., Rudmann, J., Carducci, B. J., Hettich., P., & Richmond, A. S. (2018). The skillful psychology student: Prepared for success in the 21st century workplace. https://www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/transferable-skills.pdf
Naufel, K. Z., Spencer, S. M., Appleby, D. C., Richmond, A. S., Rudmann, J., Kirk, J. V., Young, J., Carducci, B. J., & Hettich, P. (2019, March). The skillful psychology student: How to empower students with workforce-ready skills by teaching psychology. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2019/03/workforce-ready-skills
Reynolds, P. (2023, January 9). Why choose psychology as your college major. Harvard Summer School. https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/why-choose-psychology-as-your-college-major/ Roscoe, L. J., & McMahan, E. A. (2014). Outcomes of introduction to the psychology major. Teaching of Psychology, 41 (2), 110–114. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628314530340
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2018, April 13). Psychologists: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm#tab-6 Wickline, V. B., Capeles, K., Morris, H., Warden, A., Appleby, K., & Appleby, D. C. (2024). Day 1 lesson plan—Discuss skills. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. (or: How a focus on professional skills impacts psychology statistics students’ course, instructor, and self-perceptions). Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 10 (2). https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000279
Enhancing Psychology Careers: The Rise of Certificates and Microcredentials
Kayla Evans, Karma Bowers, and Will Auner University of Central Arkansas
As demand for specialty-skilled workers grows in an evolving workforce, targeted educational programs (i.e., certificates and microcredentials) have emerged as essential tools to meet employers' expectations for job-ready graduates. These programs validate specific career skills, bridging the gap between academic theory and practical application, and creating candidates who can quickly integrate into new roles (Gauthier, 2020). Despite their growing popularity, little work has explored the value of short psychologybased training experiences.
Targeted educational experiences offer flexible learning opportunities tailored to industry needs, making them invaluable for bridging skill gaps (Varadarajan et al., 2023). Skills-based hiring, supported by microcredentials and certificates, aligns job seekers' qualifications with industry demands (Bowles & Raimondi, 2023). These programs also create accessible pathways for marginalized groups, offering increased career opportunities (Burke et al., 2022).
In psychology, targeted educational experiences like certificates and microcredentials equip graduates with job-ready skills that complement theoretical knowledge. Jentzsch (2023) highlights how microcredentials foster inclusive professional communities by validating diverse skills and supporting lifelong learning. For psychology graduates, these programs provide specialized training in client communication, data analysis, and applied interventions for roles in counseling, research, consulting, and community health.
Microcredentials, particularly digital badges, provide an alternative path in higher education through flexible, tech-driven learning models (Ahsan et al., 2023). Coursera (2024) reports that 76% of institutions plan to implement or expand microcredential programs. These models are especially relevant in psychology, allowing students to demonstrate competencies in areas like neuropsychological assessment and behavioral health technologies. In a postpandemic world, microcredentials are critical for reskilling and lifelong learning (Tamoliune et al., 2023). Mearian (2024) adds that combining AI tools with microcredentials can address hiring biases by offering standardized measures of skills.
Despite their benefits, brief, targeted training faces challenges. Thi Ngoc Ha et al. (2022) point out that the long-term viability of these programs is unclear. Viano (2024) notes that access to electronic devices and Wi-Fi can be barriers. Ascione (2024) highlights institutional challenges, such as competition from employer-driven credentials. These issues underline the need for further exploration of targeted training tailored to psychology professionals' demands. Collaboration between academia and industry is essential to ensure these programs are effective and equitable.
Brief, targeted training programs like certificates and microcredentials may offer psychology graduates innovative pathways to showcase workforce readiness and integrate psychological knowledge into broader careers. Additionally, these programs could enhance the value of psychology professionals as more of the workforce is exposed to psychological science, application, and technology.
References
Ahsan, K., Akbar, S., Kam, B., & Abdulrahman, M. D. (2023). Implementation of micro-credentials in higher education: A systematic literature review. Education and Information Technologies, 28 13505–13540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11739-z
Ascione, L. eCampus News. (2024, November 20). Higher-ed leaders see microcredentials as the future. eCampus News. https://www.ecampusnews.com/teaching-learning/2024/11/20 higher-ed-leaders-microcredentials-future/
Bowles, J., & Raimondi, E. (2023). 5 steps for expanding skills-based hiring in New York City (E. Dvorkin & D. Block, Eds.). Center for an Urban Future. https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep52734
Burke, C., Winstanley, S., & MacKinnon, J. (2022). Net-zero education and training. In C. Burke, S. Winstanley, & J. MacKinnon (Eds.), Equitable net-zero: Recommendations for advancing gender equity in Alberta’s energy transition (pp. 13–23). Pembina Institute. https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep43263.6
Coursera. (2024). Micro-credentials impact report 2024: U.S. edition [eBook]. Coursera, Inc. https://www.coursera.org
Gauthier, T. (2020). The value of microcredentials: The employer’s perspective. J ournal of Competency-Based Education, 5 (2), e01209. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbe2.1209
Jentzsch, T. H. (2023). Creating an inclusive community of practice with micro-credentials https://ucark.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/ creating-inclusive-community-practice-with-micro/docview/2791550378/se-2?accountid=10017
Mearian, L. (2024, May 29). Job seekers and hiring managers depend on AI: At what cost to truth and fairness? Computerworld, 1. https://www.computerworld.com/article/2128296/job-seekers-and-hiring-managersdepend-on-ai-but-at-what-cost-to-truth-and-fairness.html
Tamoliune, G., Greenspon, R., Tereseviciene, M., Volungeviciene, A., Trepule, E., & Dauksiene, E. (2023). Exploring the potential of micro-credentials: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Education, 7, 1006811. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.1006811
Thi Ngoc Ha, N., Spittle, M., Watt, A., & Van Dyke, N. (2022): A systematic literature review of micro-credentials in higher education: A non-zero-sum game, Higher Education Research & Development, 42 (6), 1527–1548. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2022.2146061
Varadarajan, S., Koh, J. H. L., & Daniel, B. K. (2023). A systematic review of the opportunities and challenges of micro-credentials for multiple stakeholders: Learners, employers, higher education institutions and government. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20 (13). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00381-x
Viano, A. (2024, September 9). What’s new with microcredentials in higher education? Technology Solutions That Drive Education. https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2023/04/whats-new-microcredentials-higher-education-perfcon
Harnessing AI: Transforming Psychology Education for a New Era
Catherine
McCutcheon and Becky Bandy University of Central Arkansas
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being heralded as a game-changer in various industries, and its potential to revolutionize education is no exception (Holmes & Tuomi, 2022). By leveraging AI tools in the classroom, educators can enhance both teaching methods and student learning outcomes, ushering in a new era of personalized education.
AI can be a direct teaching and learning tool in our psychology classrooms. Imagine introductory psychology classes where students' first experiences with psychology are guided by AI-powered programs that collect and analyze students' performance data from various sources in real time to create individual learning profiles and automatically offer personalized content, feedback, and learning adjustments (Kim et al., 2022). Individualization and dynamic adaptation can reduce student disengagement from learning (Lin & Chen, 2024). The ability for AI to create learning experiences that are highly customized and adaptable is one of the major promises of AI-enhanced education technology (Limna et al., 2022; Luckin & Holmes, 2016).
Paradoxically, even as AI promises more individualized learning, it may threaten the learning community, an essential aspect of the psychology classroom. As education becomes more immersed
in technological pedagogy, it is important for the relationships between the human learners and teachers to remain intact. Jia and Zhang (2021) identify social disconnection (Bender, 2024) as a major potential threat of integrating AI into the classroom.
As psychology teachers and students, we also need to be aware of concerns about AI’s impact on student psychology, including thinking, emotions, and behavior. Because of the youth of these technologies, there has not been sufficient time for comprehensive research on the long-term psychological effects of AI, including risks like technology dependency and weakened social skills (Kundu & Bej, 2024).
As AI in education expands, ethical concerns must be directly addressed (Schiff, 2021). Generative AI raises questions about academic principles, leading some universities to ban its use (Castillo, 2023). Unfortunately, these technologies' ubiquity and ease of access suggest that educational bans are not long-term solutions (Bowen & Watson, 2024). Instead, Chan (2023) recommends AI education policies that help students learn about maintaining academic integrity and intellectual engagement. Such policies prepare students to think critically about the ethical considerations of AI in future courses, their profession, and other aspects of life. Essential to any use of AI is that faculty fully immerse themselves in understanding these technologies as they decide where they fit—or don’t fit—in their courses (Fitria, 2021).
In conclusion, the integration of AI into psychology education holds immense promise. By creating adaptive learning experiences customized to individual learning needs, AI promises to transform how we teach and learn psychology. The degree to which AI enhances, rather than disrupts, learning in our psychology classrooms depends on our willingness to engage this growing technology.
References
Bender, E. M. (2024). Resisting dehumanization in the age of “AI”. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 33 (2), 114–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214231217286
Bowen, J. A., & Watson, C. E. (2024). Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning Johns Hopkins University Press.
Castillo, E. (2023, March 27). Schools and colleges that have banned ChatGPT and similar AI tools BestColleges. https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/schools-colleges-banned-chat-gpt-similar-ai-tools/ Chan, C. K. Y. (2023). A comprehensive AI Policy Education Framework for university teaching and learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20 38. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41239-023-00408-3
Fitria, T. N. (2021). Artificial intelligence (AI) in education: Using AI tools for teaching and learning process. Prosiding Seminar Nasional & Call for Paper STIE AAS, 4 (1), 134–147. https://prosiding.stie-aas.ac.id/index.php/prosenas/article/view/106
Holmes, W., & Tuomi, I. (2022). State of the art and practice in AI in Education. European Journal of Education, 57(4), 542–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12533
Jia, S., & Zhang, X. (2021). Teaching mode of psychology and pedagogy in colleges and universities based on artificial intelligence technology. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1852 (3), 032033. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1852/3/032033
Kim, J., Lee, H., & Cho, Y. H. (2022). Learning design to support student-AI collaboration: Perspectives of leading teachers for AI in Education. Education and Information Technologies, 27 6069–6104. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10639-021-10831-6
Kundu, A., & Bej, T. (2024). Psychological impacts of AI use on school students: A systematic scoping review of the empirical literature. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 20, 030. https://doi.org/10.58459/rptel.2025.20030
Limna, P., Jakwatanatham, S., Siripipattanakul, S., Kaewpuang, P., & Sriboonruang, P. (2022, July 24). A review of artificial intelligence (AI) in education during the digital era. Advance Knowledge for Executives, 1 (1), No. 3, 1–9. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4160798
Lin, H., & Chen, Q. (2024). Artificial intelligence (AI) -integrated educational applications and college students’ creativity and academic emotions: Students and teachers’ perceptions and attitudes. BMC Psychology, 12, 487. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40359-024-01979-0
Luckin, R., & Holmes, W. (2016). Intelligence unleashed: An argument for AI in education. Pearson https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/edu.google.com/en//pdfs/Intelligence-Unleashed-Publication.pdf
Schiff, D. (2021). Education for AI, not AI for education: The role of education and ethics in national AI policy strategies. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40593-021-00270-2
Building Feedback Resilience: A Skill for
School, Work, and
Life
Diane A. Safer, PhD Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Picture this: You turn in a paper you worked tirelessly on, only to get it back covered in red marks. Your stomach sinks as you scan the comments, each one feeling like a jab. Or imagine being called into your boss’s office unexpectedly—your mind immediately races, wondering what you did wrong. Experiences like these remind us that feedback, no matter how constructive, can sometimes feel deeply personal and unsettling.
This article explores how to build feedback resilience—practical strategies to shift your mindset and embrace feedback with confidence. Whether you’re in school, getting started at your first job, or just want to enhance your personal growth, these tools can help you turn feedback into a powerful channel for success.
The Importance of Feedback and Why Receiving Feedback Is So Hard
Feedback is the process of sharing observations, perspectives, or suggestions with others about their behaviors or performance. Feedback can come in the form of appreciation of your efforts to motivate and encourage you, coaching to provide specific guidance to help you grow and improve skills, or evaluation to provide information on your progress (Stone & Heen, 2015). It might come as constructive criticism from a teacher, performance evaluations from a boss, or even well-meaning input from friends and family. So, at its core, feedback is meant to spur you on, improve skills, and guide your development—it provides the information we need to understand what’s working and what isn’t.
But if feedback is so valuable and essential, why does it often feel so uncomfortable? The answer lies in human psychology. Feedback can deeply challenge our sense of self-worth (Crocker & Wolfe, 2001). When we’re critiqued, especially on something we care about, it’s easy to interpret the feedback as a personal judgment rather than a tool for growth. Psychologists Leary and Gabriel (2022) discuss how the need to be accepted and feel like you belong is a basic human instinct underlying human behavior. When feedback touches on something we care about, it can feel even more personal, causing self-doubt and setting off emotional triggers.
Feedback Triggers and How to Deal With Them
Feedback triggers can trip us up, complicating how we process feedback and preventing us from using the information to improve. Stone and Heen (2015) found that these feedback triggers can be categorized into three primary categories:
Identity triggers. These triggers involve feedback that threatens your sense of self. Your automatic reactions may be “You have no idea who I am or what I’m about, so you couldn’t possibly understand.” When you encounter triggers like these, think about what might be causing them. Pay attention to how they impact your mood, behavior, and ability to listen. Take time to reflect, talk to someone for support or to get a different perspective, and consider how you want to respond.
Relationship triggers. These triggers cause you to react because the feedback is coming from a specific individual. Your reaction is triggered by how you feel about this person—you may not like this person or may not trust them. You resist hearing the feedback as you are reacting to them rather than what they are actually saying. Your automatic reaction assigns blame, and you may think “Why should I listen to you when you’re the problem?” When navigating relationship triggers, try to focus on the feedback itself rather than the person. Keep in mind the dynamics between you and the feedback giver. Recognize valid points and try to separate what’s accurate from what may not be. If possible, ask clarifying questions to better understand their perceptions and intentions. Understanding the intent behind feedback can make it easier to respond constructively. This understanding may help you reframe feedback—not as a threat, but as an opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
Truth triggers. These triggers involve feedback that sets off a cognitive and emotional reaction because you feel the feedback is entirely incorrect or even unfair. Your automatic reaction is—”You are wrong and you don’t understand me.” When this happens, think about whether there’s any truth in the feedback, or if you just don’t like hearing it. Consider if your own negative feelings are affecting how you see the situation. It can also help to talk to someone you trust for a different perspective.
Giving Feedback is a Skill
Another reason receiving feedback can be so challenging is that many people delivering the feedback simply don’t deliver it well. Giving effective feedback is a skill, yet most individuals haven’t been taught or trained to do it properly. Poorly delivered feedback might come with an inappropriate tone that feels critical or dismissive, it may contain gross generalizations (“you always” or “you never”), or it might be offered at the wrong time—such as when you are already stressed or overwhelmed. In some cases,
feedback can lack clarity or actionable suggestions, leaving you unsure of how to proceed. Therefore, it is important to ask for the feedback you need.
Asking for Feedback
Getting unnecessary feedback or feedback that is too vague to be useful is a problem. But sometimes you may not get any feedback at all. Some people may not offer feedback because they don’t know what’s helpful for you, they worry it might hurt your feelings, or they just assume you don’t need it. To get the insights you need, it’s important to take the initiative. Let others know that you value their input and are open to constructive criticism. To make the feedback more effective:
• Be specific in your request. Ask targeted questions to make sure you get feedback that addresses your concerns or goals. For example, instead of a general “What do you think?” try asking “How could I improve my presentation skills for next time?” By clarifying what you’re looking for you also make it easier for the other person to provide actionable feedback.
• Ask for examples. If possible, encourage the person to provide specific examples to back up their feedback. General statements like “You could be more organized” are harder to act on than concrete examples such as “I recommend you create an agenda for our upcoming meeting to make sure all topics are covered.”
• Keep the conversation on track. When feedback feels too vague or softened, or if the conversation veers off track, ask for clearer, more direct input, emphasizing that you value honest insights. But if a discussion becomes overwhelming, it’s okay to pause and suggest continuing later.
• Consider timing. Asking for feedback is great but don’t expect it immediately. Give the other person space to reflect and prepare thoughtful feedback rather than putting them on the spot. When appropriate, consider making your specific feedback request in writing—such as via email—so they have time to organize their thoughts.
• Invite follow-up. Let the person know they can continue to share feedback in the future. For example, you might say, “If you notice anything else down the line, I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts.” This establishes an ongoing feedback loop and fosters trust.
Prime and Process to Prepare for Feedback
Receiving feedback, especially when it’s negative, can activate a stress response in your brain, making you feel the urge to protect yourself by avoiding the situation altogether. However, Stewart (2022) offers strategies to “prime” or prepare your brain before hearing feedback. These techniques can reduce the instinct to withdraw and help you approach feedback with a more open and receptive mindset. First, take deep breaths and practice mindfulness. By breathing and grounding yourself you calm the automatic stress response and remind yourself and your brain that you are not being attacked. Then, once you have the feedback, consider it with a growth mindset. Reframe your thoughts to appreciate how this feedback will be useful for your personal and professional growth. Finally, take care of yourself physically to help you mentally. Sleep and good nutrition will give you the energy to
cope and will relax your stress response so you can really hear and focus on the feedback you are receiving.
Once you receive the feedback, take the time needed to really process what you heard. This means not reacting in the moment but rather, taking the time to “metabolize” it (Conaway, 2022). Consider the feedback giver’s motivations and intentions, and then decide to accept or not accept the feedback. If you choose to move forward and use this feedback, proceed slowly and then follow up or seek another’s opinion to make sure you are moving in the right direction.
After a Difficult Feedback Interaction
If you are feeling angry or upset after a difficult feedback conversation, hold off on responding right away. It can be helpful to seek support from someone you trust. Talking through the experience, your feelings, and any next steps can provide clarity. Take some time to reflect on the interaction—what aspects did you handle well, and where might there be opportunities for growth? Try to focus on the intention behind the feedback rather than the immediate impact it had on you. When you’re feeling more at ease, revisit the feedback with a calmer mindset. If you disagree with it, consider the perspective that led to it, and if possible share your own perspective constructively at a different time or even in writing. This process can help you navigate challenging interactions, maintain your composure, and find constructive ways to move forward.
Don’t Forget to Show Appreciation
After receiving feedback, it’s important to show appreciation, even if the message had been difficult to hear. A simple “thank you” acknowledges the effort the other person took to share their perspective and shows that you value their input. While it’s natural to feel defensive
or uncomfortable, expressing gratitude helps keep the conversation constructive and demonstrates your willingness to grow. By building feedback resilience, you can shift from seeing feedback as a threat to embracing it as a tool for growth. While those moments of receiving criticism—whether on a paper or a review of your work performance—can still sting, developing the skills to process and use feedback effectively will help you navigate them with confidence. With the right mindset, feedback becomes not a personal judgment, but an opportunity to learn, improve, and grow, both personally and professionally.
References
Conaway, C. (2022, June 14). The right way to process feedback. Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2022/06/the-right-way-to-process-feedback Crocker, J., & Wolfe, C. T. (2001). Contingencies of self-worth. Psychological Review, 108 (3), 593–623. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.108.3.593
Leary, M. R., & Gabriel, S. (2022). Chapter Five – The relentless pursuit of acceptance and belonging. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.), Advances in Motivation Science (Vol. 9, pp. 135–178). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.adms.2021.12.001 Stewart, P. (2022, November 14). Four ways to prime your brain to receive feedback. Forbes https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2022/11/14/ four-ways-to-prime-your-brain-to-receive-feedback/ Stone, D., & Heen, S. (2015). Thanks for the feedback: The science and art of receiving feedback well. Penguin Publishing Group.
Diane A. Safer, PhD, is the inaugural director of career and professional development for graduate students and postdocs and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Services at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY. A former business professional with more than 20 years of experience in PR firms serving healthcare/biotech companies, Dr. Safer ran her own information consulting company for 10 years before moving to career and professional development. Dr. Safer is actively involved in key professional career organizations, including the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC), where she has cochaired the Mentoring Committee for the past four years, the National Postdoc Association (NPA), and the National Association of College and Employers (NACE). She completed her BA in psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and earned her MA and PhD in social psychology at Columbia University in New York, NY.
College Preparedness for Classroom Success: Underutilized Resources
Ronald Stolberg, PhD Alliant International University
The start of the new year, both on the calendar and academically, is usually preceded by the completion of an academic semester or quarter. As your grades post, you may experience a wide range of emotions and reflections. If you met your goals, there is good reason for celebration and academic planning revolving around future course selection, majors/minors, graduation timelines, etc. If the results are not what you were hoping for, then there is time for a different sort of reflection. Did you take the right courses? Are you in the correct major? Did you make an appropriate effort and spend enough time on school responsibilities? For some students, the self-reflection turns to “am I able to do this?” or “should I even stay in school?”
The answer to these types of questions is usually more about your “academic preparedness” or “college readiness” than it is about your innate ability to be successful at college. Yet, you likely
haven’t heard much about these constructs, what they mean, and the impact they might be having on you and your college success. Academic preparedness and college readiness are fairly interchangeable terms for evaluating how prepared an individual is for academic transitions, in this case from high school to college, or from community college to a traditional four-year program. It is based on a person’s academic knowledge (i.e., those things learned in class), some innate skills (e.g., great memory, math comes easy), your actual study habits (e.g., time, effort, distractibility, organization), and your ability to persevere or be resilient to change and stress.
It is not uncommon for first-year college students to reflect on how well their high school prepared them for the academics and pressure of a college education. Students who are not prepared academically to succeed in college may experience feelings of frustration, which can negatively impact their academic performance and overall well-being. It can lead to a negative cycle that reinforces low academic confidence. Feeling like you are not capable
of doing college level work can be anxiety-provoking and lead to two outcomes: You either buckle down and look for support and resources to succeed, or you begin to avoid class, fail to complete assignments, and perform poorly.
It is not all about the high school you attended though. There are some systemic reasons this occurs too. Almost all community colleges, and a large number of state four-year college systems, have a mandate to admit everyone who applies from the state the college it is located in. Colleges and universities need students to balance their budgets. Their solution to admitting individuals without great academic preparedness is to allow them to take remedial or noncredit courses if you score too low on the placement exams. If you look closely to the outcome data, students who were admitted but required to take remedial courses have lower rates of retention and graduation overall. These students are often left with low academic self-esteem and financial loans that need to be paid off.
Resources Available to You
However, a number of things are in your control that can positively impact your academic journey. All colleges and universities offer a wide array of supports to aid student success, but it is up to you to actually pursue them.
Take advantage of faculty office hours. My university faculty friends tell me that they seldom get visits during their posted office hours. Your professors enjoy meeting with you, are rooting for your success (if you make the effort), and are often willing to provide insights into upcoming assignments, quizzes, and exams. If you make an honest effort to get help or clarification, you are likely to find that your faculty are willing to be supportive and helpful with your struggles.
Seek out teaching assistants. A lot of courses have an advanced student who is hired by the department to support the course and its students. They will offer available hours for support, hold study sessions, and return emails as needed. They will almost always have taken the course themself, know the professor, and have great insights into what is important to study or emphasize in your assignments. I find that teaching assistants love to share their knowledge and mentor your success in the course.
Visit student support centers. Colleges and universities all have a department dedicated to your academic success. They often have great referrals for tutors (free and paid), study skill development programs, and quiet places to study. These departments are also a good resource if you think you have a learning disability or other condition that inhibits your best academic performance. They would be happy to help educate you about steps you can take to access all the academic support that is available to you.
Utilize academic guidance counselors. Academic guidance counselors are another underutilized resource. They can help you understand course and major requirements, what order to take courses, and help you develop a road map to accomplish your goals. Requirements for majors and graduation can be tricky to understand. This is the resource to use to help the whole process become more manageable and understandable.
Make sure to allocate enough time. There is a seldom-considered formula in academics that suggests how much time is required for each course. The formula suggests that, for every unit of class
time, you should expect to spend three hours a week dedicated to that course. So, a 3-unit course indicates that students should be working about 9 hours a week on material for the class. You can see that a 12- or 15-unit course load requires a lot more time than you probably are dedicating or actually spending on your studies. In fact, it becomes the equivalent of a full-time job. I always support the need to be social, exercise, sleep, and generally enjoy the college experience, but a lot of students don’t prioritize the time commitment required to be successful in class.
Review faculty before course registration. One of the easiest ways to control your ability to experience “great” faculty members is to do a little online homework before you register for classes. Multiple websites are dedicated to student-generated reviews about almost all of the faculty at your college. You can get information about the professor’s teaching style, difficulty of the class, types of assignments, and even how friendly they are. These resources may be the difference from a positive experience and a negative one based on the instructor of the exact same course. I would prioritize a passionate teacher; you may prefer a class with group presentations and research papers instead of a lot of exams.
Mental health counseling. Finally, if the pressure of college is having a negative effect on you, please consider utilizing the services of the counseling center. They will have support programs for any anxiety, depression, social isolation, or other response that you may be having because of struggles in the classroom. It’s private and confidential, and you may be surprised by how many students use this resource.
The great thing about the activities listed above is that they are all generally free or included with tuition. A lot of students feel overwhelmed with the demands of college until they figure out the tools required for success. If you are struggling and feel like you were not properly prepared for the rigors of college, you are not alone. I encourage you to examine the list above for the resources that might help your experience become more manageable and positive.
Ronald A. Stolberg, PhD, is a professor and associate program director for the Clinical PsyD doctoral program at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Diego. In addition, he maintains a private practice focusing on family therapy with adolescents and young adults. His favorite work is helping students and their families with the transition from high school to college.
Conceal, Don't Feel: Exploring Emotional Experiences in Disney's Frozen
Aila Kapllanaj and Jill M. Swirsky, PhD Holy Family University
Released in 2013, Disney’s Frozen has become a beloved franchise with a sequel, multiple short film spinoffs, and a Broadway play (Buck & Lee, 2013). The movie is mainly centered around the two princesses of Arendelle: sisters Elsa and Anna. Elsa, the older sister, has magical ice powers, which are tied to her emotions. Throughout the movie, we see a story of sisterly love, friendship, and the powerful depth of human emotions.
The Six Primary Emotions
In the 1970s, Paul Eckman identified six basic and universal human emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise (Cherry, 2024). Although other theories have been put forth (and Eckman has since expanded his idea to include other emotions as well), this six-emotion model is a useful starting point in considering human emotion.
Sadness and Social Withdrawal
The story begins with young Elsa and Anna playing outside one cold snowy morning. During their play session, Elsa accidentally struck Anna with her ice magic leading to a shard of ice being embedded in Anna’s head (Buck & Lee, 2013, 03:07). The ancient magic of the trolls saved Anna’s life, but this incident only exacerbated Elsa’s (and their parents’) fear of her magic. The sisters were separated, and Anna’s memories of Elsa’s powers were removed. This incident led to Elsa feeling extremely guilty for a long time and she kept herself away in her room because of these intense amounts of shame that she was feeling, which never got better for her.
Elsa’s response to hurting Anna is an example of social withdrawal, where a person isolates themselves from others (Dexter, 2024). Elsa’s self-imposed withdrawal continued even after Elsa and Anna’s parents tragically passed away at sea (Buck & Lee, 2013, 30:21). Instead of leaning on her sister for support after losing their parents, Elsa further withdrew. Although sadness often functions as a means for us to withdraw and reset after experiencing something upsetting (Weiten, 2018), Elsa’s level of social withdrawal is extreme. Cases where sadness and withdrawal continue for extended periods of time or at extreme levels should be taken seriously as they are often a warning sign of depression.
Fear and Fight or Flight
Although Elsa attempted to hide her powers from the world, the untimely death of their parents necessitated her to step into the role of Queen of Arendalle at a grand coronation (Buck & Lee, 2013, 48:10). The attention placed on her at the crowded coronation led her to panic, knowing that people could find out about her powers. The final straw occurred when Anna informed her sister about her engagement to the dashing Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. This sisterly chat did not go well, with Elsa stating, “You can’t marry a man you just met!” (Buck & Lee, 2013, 1:10:45). The ensuing quarrel resulted in Elsa losing control of her powers in front of the whole kingdom, and Elsa’s fear was evident.
Fear is defined as a reaction to external stimuli that causes us to be more alert when we sense we could be causing danger, or in the presence of it (Fritscher, 2024). As Elsa becomes aware of just how dangerous her powers are and, by extension, how dangerous she herself could be, she experiences high levels of fear. Fear is highly adaptive, and it can be good for us when we want to protect ourselves or somebody else who could be in danger (Beckers et al., 2023). In this case, Elsa wanted to protect other characters from the things she was capable of doing, from the beginning up to the climax of the movie.
When we are frightened or confronted with a challenging situation, instead of “fighting” fears, Elsa opted to take a “flight.” Elsa’s behavior beautifully illustrates a flight or fight response, which is a person’s reaction to an event that is stressful or frightening for them at the moment (Taylor, 2024). When we are faced with a difficult situation, we can choose to confront the situation head-on (fight) or run away (flight; Taylor, 2024). In this case, Elsa’s fears made her believe she was the danger herself, which led her to running away instead of facing her fears at the coronation. Elsa’s sympathetic nervous system was activated at the coronation because of her fear of people figuring out her powers, and her adrenaline caused her to react in the way she did that day, which was fleeing the kingdom immediately. Elsa’s heightened stress caused her brain to release high amounts of norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter in the sympathetic nervous system produced in response to stress), which triggered her flight-or-fight reaction (Mora, 2012). However, with the help of her parasympathetic nervous system and her brand-new
ice palace, she was eventually able to cool down in a place that felt secure for her and her powers.
After Elsa “Let It Go” and fled to the mountain (Buck & Lee, 2013, 1:10:00), she was finally able to relax and began to contemplate her new life in isolation. What she didn’t yet know was that all of her emotions and powers were having a terrible effect on the people who lived back in the kingdom of Arendelle: Once unleashed, Elsa’s ice powers had spiraled into a bitter and relentless winter. Only Elsa had the power to fix the weather, so Anna teamed forces with an awkwardly handsome mountain man, Kristoff, his dedicated reindeer, Sven, and a magical snowman that Elsa’s powers brought to life named Olaf, to journey to the North Mountain in search of her sister (Buck & Lee, 2013). Upon hearing the news of the “eternal winter” she had created, Elsa expressed shock and dismay. She had convinced herself that leaving the kingdom would protect everyone, only to realize that her leaving might have caused more harm than good. As she once again grappled with her powers, she lost control and struck Anna with ice, only this time it hit her heart rather than her head (Buck & Lee, 2013, 1:15:24). Elsa understood that her powers had unintentionally caused the winter in the kingdom and injured her sister, leading to her feeling more waves of fear, guilt, and responsibility. We can see that all of Elsa’s outbursts were a result of an external stimulus. Her emotions of fear kept her from wanting to return home to attempt to stop the winter.
Anger From Betrayal
The ice in Anna’s heart necessitated the most powerful magic of all (True Love’s Kiss, of course!), so Anna returned to Arendalle where her fiance, Prince Hans, had been left in charge. Unfortunately for the somewhat naive Anna, Hans’ intentions were malicious. Although he feigned loving her, his true goal was to seize the throne of Arendalle. He denied her in the most brutal fashion, saying, “Oh Anna, if only someone loved you” (Buck & Lee, 2013, 1:35:26) and left her alone to freeze. Following the pain of this brutal heartache, Anna used her own immense feelings of heartbreak as a goal to find her sister once again, knowing that she would be her only source of happiness. At this point, Elsa’s feelings of fear and anger led her to lash out and accidentally strike Anna in the heart with ice, leading to Anna turning into a frozen statue. Hans chose this moment to attack Elsa, but Anna jumped in to save her sister just in time, showing Elsa how much she truly loves her. While too much anger can be maladaptive, anger is also a powerful motivator especially when it comes to protecting or avenging someone we love (Weiten, 2018).
Happiness From Self-Acceptance
At this point in the movie, Elsa further had learned how to use cognitive strategies to accept how she is rather than isolate herself. Before her encounter with Anna, Elsa had to work to come to terms with her fears rather than bottle them up. Elsa’s learning to face her fears shows her growing sense of self-acceptance, which is the ability to accept both your strengths and your personal faults without judgment (Gupta, 2022). Self-acceptance is also something that ties into how we value ourselves and how this can positively affect our emotions as well as behaviors later on (Ackerman, 2018). Elsa being able to do this was a huge step forward, and in a way, was able to help her get over some of her fears. Self-acceptance is related to the emotion of happiness, which is defined as positive emotions and self-satisfaction (Cherry, 2024). Ultimately, Elsa’s ability to accept who she is, rather than who she wants to be, allowed her to finally find true happiness.
Conclusion
Disney’s Frozen (Buck & Lee, 2013) is the story of love, self-acceptance, and the bond between sisters. In the end, Anna’s selfless act of love saves Elsa and the kingdom, teaching Elsa that love is the key to controlling her powers. But more than that, Frozen is a valuable way to understand the power of human emotion, making the characters relatable, the story emotionally impactful, and the songs stick in your head forever.
References
Ackerman, C. E. (2018, May 23). What is self-esteem? A psychologist explains. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/self-esteem/ Beckers, T., Hermans, D., Lange, I., Luyten, L., Scheveneels, S., & Vervliet, B. (2023). Understanding clinical fear and anxiety through the lens of human fear conditioning. Nature Reviews Psychology, 2 (4), 233–245.
Buck, C. & Lee, J. (Directors). (2013). Frozen [Film]. Walt Disney Animation Studios Cherry, L. (2024, July 14). The 6 types of basic emotions and their effect on human behavior. Verywell Mind https://www.verywellmind.com/an-overview-of-the-types-of-emotions-4163976
Dexter, G. P. (2024, September 20). What causes social withdrawal? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellhealth.com/social-withdrawal-5220449
Fritscher, L. (2024, April 20). The psychology of fear. VeryWell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-psychology-of-fear-2671696
Gupta, S. (2022, September 13). What is self-acceptance? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/self-acceptance-characteristics-importance-and-tips-for-improvement-6544468 McPhillips, A. ( 2024, July 9). Dopamine: What it is, function, deficiency & how to boost it. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-dopamine Mora, F., Segovia, G., Del Arco, A., de Blas, M., & Garrido, P. (2012). Stress, neurotransmitters, corticosterone and body–brain integration. Brain Research, 1476 , 71–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2011.12.049 Taylor, M. (2024, June 24). Acute stress response: Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-does-fight-flight-freeze-fawn-mean Weiten, W. (2018). Psychology themes and variations Cengage.
For decades, Elsa was living in fear, but her transformative experiences with her sister and her powers let her take a step back and view the situation more clearly. As a result of Elsa finally being able to see her sister again more often and not be away because of her fears, she officially started to feel joy and happiness. This suggests that her brain was producing higher levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for experiencing pleasure (McPhilips, 2024). The increased dopamine levels in Elsa’s brain helped her to see that everything would be okay if she had just learned to properly deal with her emotions for all this time.
Aila Kapllanaj is a first-year college student and a biochemistry major with a neuroscience minor. She plans to become a doctor one day and in her free time, she likes to write.
Jill Swirsky, PhD, is currently an assistant professor of psychology at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA. Her research interests include peer relationships and social dynamics among early adolescents (e.g., aggression, victimization, and popularity) as well as the role of social media behaviors in adolescent development and adjustment. She is also an avid lover of musical theater, fantasy novels, and all things fandom. In her (admittedly extremely limited) free time, Dr. S enjoys binge-watching Netflix with her partner (Mike) and cats (Newt and Copper), crafting, and writing snail-mail letters to her many pen pals. Follow her on LinkedIn or email her at jswirsky@holyfamily.edu
Diversity Under Debate: How DEI Legislation Impacts Psi Chi Chapters
Gabrielle
P. A. Smith, PhD
Texas Woman’s University
Across the United States, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become a central point of political discourse. From state policies limiting discussions about race and identity in educational settings to broader restrictions on funding for DEI programs, legislation presents both challenges and questions for Psi Chi (Chronicle of Higher Education, 2023). Psi Chi is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all members. However, the implications of DEI-based legislation on Psi Chi chapter activity remain unclear. Psi Chi’s Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) is gathering data and insights from our members to better understand how Psi Chi can support chapters whose activity has been or may be impacted by diversity-based legislation.
The Landscape of DEI Legislation
In recent years, legislation targeting DEI initiatives has been on the rise, particularly in educational institutions (Martinez-Alvarado & Perez, n.d.; Przypyszny & Pheasant, 2023). Policies that restrict curriculum content, ban DEI training, or defund DEI offices have created significant challenges for schools, universities, and organizations striving to foster inclusive communities (Richards,
2023). These developments also impact the field of psychology, as professionals and educators navigate a restrictive legislative environment that often hinders efforts to foster equity and inclusivity in their work (APA, 2024). Psi Chi chapters may experience shifts in addressing diversity-related topics, securing funding for certain initiatives, and engaging in community outreach.
What We Want to Learn
The DAC is exploring how DEI-related legislation impact Psi Chi chapters at the local, regional, national, and international levels. We hope to gain insight into several key areas:
• Are chapters facing restrictions on discussing DEI-related topics during meetings or events?
• Have funding opportunities or university support for chapter diversity initiatives been affected?
• If so, how are members responding to these changes? What strategies have chapters developed to navigate these changes?
• How can the DAC advise Psi Chi to support the work of chapters at the local, state, national, and international levels?
Vinita Puri, PhD Clinical Director of Resilience Counseling and Coaching Services
Brianna Gonzalez, PhD Farmingdale State College
Rihana Mason, PhD Georgia State University
Why This Matters
According to Psi Chi’s Diversity and Inclusion statement: “The scope of our organizational relevance is only as broad as the diversity of our membership and their scholarly pursuits.” Thus, it is essential for Psi Chi to understand how DEI-related legislation impacts our chapters.
Learning about our chapters’ experiences and needs informs development of resources, tools, or guidance to help chapters thrive. Consistent with Psi Chi’s key outcome of strengthening chapter experiences, we hope to collect creative strategies and solutions from chapters that may inspire other chapters.
How You Can Help
We want to hear from you! If you are a Psi Chi chapter advisor, officer, or member, we encourage you to share your experiences with the DAC. We are conducting focus groups at the Eastern Psychological Association, Midwestern Psychological Association, Southeastern Psychological Association, Southwestern Psychological Association, and the Western Psychological Association conventions this spring. If you are not planning on attending regional conventions, please still complete the interest form below to sign up to participate in a virtual focus group session.
Psi Chi’s strength lies in its members. Through your engagement, Psi Chi can learn how we can best uphold our Society’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through supporting chapter experiences.
Conclusion
As the conversation around DEI legislation evolves, Psi Chi remains committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for all members. Understanding how such legislation impacts our chapters helps Psi Chi take meaningful steps towards supporting our chapters.
Resources From the DAC
If you are interested in participating in a Focus Group at a regional convention: https://forms.gle/um7tHCgVRSskmMUu7
References
American Psychological Association. (2024, January 1). Psychologists persevere in EDI work despite growing backlash against racial equity efforts. Monitor on Psychology, 55 (1).
Przypyszny, J. R,, & Pheasant, S. L. (2023, June). State legislatures targeting DEI in higher education Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/insights/publications/2023/6/state-legislatures-targeting-dei-in-higher-education Richards, S. (2023, July 17). DEI bans at colleges: What students should know. U.S. News & World Report https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/dei-bans-at-colleges-what-students-should-know The Chronicle of Higher Education. (2023, January 19). Here are the states where lawmakers are seeking to ban colleges’ DEI efforts. https://www.chronicle.com/articlehere-are-the-states-where-lawmakers-are-seeking-to-ban-colleges-dei-efforts?sra=true Martinez-Alvarado, S., & Perez, S. (2023, November). A map of anti-DEI efforts on college campuses across the U.S. EdTrust Retrieved January 22, 2025, from https://edtrust.org/rti/a-map-of-anti-dei-efforts-on-college-campuses-across-the-u-s/
Gabrielle P. A. Smith, PhD, is an experimental social psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Texas Woman’s University (TWU). She holds a PhD in experimental psychology focusing on social psychology, two MA degrees (women’s studies and experimental psychology) from the University of Alabama, and a BA in psychology from Spelman College. Dr. Smith’s research examines the intersection of marginalized social identities, specifically emphasizing race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Dr. Smith’s previous work explores how social identities exacerbate or buffer against social problems for African American women, women in the workplace, and U.S. Black immigrant populations. Dr. Smith is the current Diversity Director for the Psi Chi International Honor Society.
Vinita Puri, PhD, is the Clinical Director of Resilience Counselling and Coaching Services, which provides a range of specialty mental health services and programs that include mindfulness based training and cognitive psychotherapy. Most recently, she has joined Western State University in California as a faculty member for the MS in psychology program at Western State University (USA). Dr. Puri holds a doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology, a doctorate in therapeutic jurisprudence form Walden University, a master’s in criminological research, a master’s in social work, and a specialized honors BA in sociology.
Brianna Gonzalez, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Psychology Department at Farmingdale State College. She completed her BS in psychology at University of Florida, and both her MA in psychology and PhD in integrative neuroscience at Stony Brook University. Dr. Gonzalez's research focuses on the behavioral and cognitive processes involved in learning, memory, and decision making, with a specific emphasis on growth mindset.
Rihana S. Mason, PhD, is a research scientist at the Urban Child Study Center and is the cofounder of the Academic Pipeline Project. Prior to Georgia State, Dr. Mason served as an associate professor in psychology at Emmanuel College. Dr. Mason earned her doctorate in experimental psychology with an emphasis in cognitive psychology from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, in 2004. She presently serves on the Executive Board of the Senior Society for Ford Fellows and as a member of Psi Chi’s Diversity Advisory Committee. She is also a proud alumna of Spelman College where she was inducted into Psi Chi.
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Questions (and Answers)
About Mending (or Possibly Ending) Mentorships Gone Wrong
Mentorships are incredibly rewarding, offering growth and success for both mentees and mentors. That being said, it is also true that some academic relationships may require a bit more effort than others . . .
In this column, our three graduate school experts focus on the more challenging aspects of some mentorships, providing tips for maintaining open communication and adapting to various situations. Given mentors’ unique personalities, cultural backgrounds, language barriers, and specific needs, what works well for one mentorship might not be as effective for another. Discover ideas to strengthen your mentor relationships and, for very rare but extreme cases, learn when it might be time to consider moving on.
Have you ever had a bad experience with a mentor or a mentee? How did you handle this and were you able to salvage the situation?
Radico: Being a mentor is hard. Being a mentee is hard. It’s all very worthwhile though. The experiences that I’ve had in which I left a mentoring meeting puzzled or needing time for more contemplation helped me grow in my ability to conceptualize situations, process relationships, and utilize additional support. And these experiences of which I have needed time to think about the mentoring session were with individuals who were fantastic mentors and with whom I hold very high regard to this day. Take time to reflect on experiences, while seeking out support and wisdom from others.
Mitch Prinstein, PhD, ABPP University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
Jocelyn Turner-Musa, PhD Morgan State University (MD)
Julie Radico, PsyD, ABPP
Radico Psychological and Consultation Services, LLC
Prinstein: Not every relationship is perfect. Mentoring relationships can be especially tricky because they often include dual roles, such as when a mentor is also supervisor for a mentee’s research or teaching assistantship, or an instructor for a mentee’s class. It is useful to be explicit about which “hat” one is wearing when meeting with a mentor or mentee to make it clear that different roles may lead to different, or even conflicting, recommendations and feedback. It is also important to consistently remind mentees that, over years of a working relationship, no single foible is likely to change one’s entire impression, so students should feel free to be themselves and not worry that they must seem perfect all the time.
Turner-Musa: Fortunately, I’ve never really had a bad experience with a mentor or mentee. However, I have had a misunderstanding with a “mentor” that prompted me to seek advice from peers who worked with this individual. Their support enabled me to address the concerns with my mentor, and we were able to resolve the problem.
What are some initial red flags that a mentorship might not work out?
Radico: If your styles are incongruent, this might not be a complete red flag, but it’s something to be aware of. For example, if you have two different expectations on the timeframe with which an email will be responded to. Such expectations about responsiveness and follow-through are important to talk about in your mentorship agreement.
True red flags are when you feel unsafe and disrespected. If ever you’re in a situation where you feel like you are not safe, you need to reach out to others to get support for yourself and to identify next steps related to needing to potentially make a report.
Prinstein: There are several different ways a relationship may sour. First of course would be inappropriate or exploitive behavior between mentors or mentees that of course should never be tolerated, require immediate reporting, and ideally, can be acted upon immediately to ensure mentees are safe. Second may be instances when a student is struggling, and it begins to affect their work or responsibilities. Often, this leads to resentment or frustration among mentors, and a combative style with their mentees that further alienates students or exacerbates their struggle. Alternatively, mentors may have unfair or harsh expectations of their students, leading mentees to feel oppressed, inappropriately criticized, and abused. In these instances, students may need a neutral third party to help them plan how best to express their struggles, or offer feedback to their mentors, in a way that feels safe and leads to a plan that supports the student’s needs. Many (but of course not all) of these issues begin with communication breakdowns between a mentor and a mentee. If either finds themselves talking about their relationship with others, expressing frustrations or concerns that they have not communicated directly to each other, this is an important warning sign that the relationship is headed south.
Turner-Musa: These are among some of the red flags that a mentorship might not work out: Having a mentor who consistently misses or reschedules meetings, who is not fully present in meetings, who does not work with you to get things accomplished in a timely manner, who is demeaning, disrespectful, and does not value your point of view.
How do you help to avoid unproductive or negative relationships with your mentor?
Radico: Request check-in meetings. Like any working relationship, it’s often helpful to spend time periodically checking in on how the relationship is going. Do each of you feel like the mentoring relationship is productive and that you feel able to successfully work together? Clarify preferred communication styles. Check in on goals and the barriers that have arisen.
Prinstein: It’s easy for meetings to jump to the most immediate task, draft, or question that will keep a project moving forward from week to week. It is important to break that cycle by frequently checking in more broadly and assessing how a student is doing more generally, what their goals may be for the academic year at large, or how they feel about the ways their needs are being met (or unmet) within their graduate training.
Turner-Musa: Set expectations at the beginning. Make sure you each understand your role in the relationship. This should not be a unidirectional but bidirectional relationship. Just as you expect certain things from your mentor, mentors expect certain things from mentees. For example, if you delineated specific goals to achieve, it is expected that you work toward and follow through on those goals.
What should you do if your mentor’s expectations conflict with your own goals and priorities?
Radico: This one can be tricky if the mentor is working with you on work that is required by the program curriculum. If there are expectations that have been set up as part of the syllabi or as part of the standard dissertation process, then sometimes that may indicate a larger systems issue that you would need to address. Otherwise, if your goals and the mentor’s goals do not align, this would be an important thing to figure out early on in the discussions about working together. If your goals start to misalign after a while, this might be a time to see if the mentor can connect you with colleagues that might be a better fit in supporting you in the areas in which you were hoping to focus now.
Prinstein: More and more programs are instituting more formal educational plans, giving students opportunities to reflect on their training needs, set concrete goals, and share these plans with their mentors. This is a great approach because it prompts a conversation between mentors and mentees to align needs, plans, and objectives. Too often graduate school is focused on the next hoop or hurdle a graduate student must face, but ideally there is also sufficient time to reflect on recent accomplishments, consider how training has affected students’ feelings about their career goals, and feel free to explore new paths and directions while they are still able to with all of the resources and support that doctoral programs offer.
Turner-Musa: Communicate your concerns and develop a plan to address them. Perhaps you just need to understand your mentor’s point of view. If this is not achievable, then it may be best to identify another mentor whose expectations do not conflict with your own goals and priorities.
Regarding worst case scenarios: In the event that a mentor ever threatens you, touches you inappropriately, or encourages you to commit unethical or illegal behaviors, what steps should you take next?
Radico: Initially you need to do what you need to do to keep yourself safe. Then, seek support from those around you. This may include your cohort and other faculty members, or those who serve in roles similar to your mentor within the system. This can be within your institution or outside of your institution. You decide what feels healthiest for you. Overall, you do not deserve to tolerate such behavior from anyone, especially a mentor.
Prinstein: Say no, extricate yourself from the situation immediately, and contact authorities on campus, which may include human resources, the dean of students, a department chair, or other facilities at the school that are designed to help in exactly this kind of situation. Of course, these steps are not at all easy to take, but they are necessary to ensure safety for all students and ensure that faculty receive the appropriate feedback and/or corrective action. There will be many students and faculty on campus eager to offer support and to help you.
Turner-Musa: Speak with your department chair, dean, a trusted colleague, contact your Office of Student Affairs, the university’s Title IX office, or other appropriate office. This type of behavior is totally unacceptable and should be addressed.
What effects might ending a mentorship have on you, your mentor, and others in your department?
Radico: If it is an informal mentorship pairing, then the effects might not ripple outward too far. If it’s a formalized mentorship relationship that the department is invested in and for which faculty time and departmental funding has been allotted to, this could become a little bit more complicated. No matter what, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t advocate for yourself if a mentoring relationship is becoming ineffective.
Prinstein: Mentors have more power than mentees, and mentees often stay in bad relationships out of fear of reputational damage that they worry will affect their just-beginning careers. Yet, many have changed mentors and most understand that this is not usually a reflection of the student or a permanent stain on their record. It is true that students may be asked about that relationship in the future, but questions and concerns are almost always allayed immediately when a student can professionally and objectively discuss the ways in which the mentorship was no longer a fit as compared to other opportunities that were available, and that the relationship ended with mutual respect. This is a good goal for how a relationship should end. In contrast, a student or mentor who immediately has harsh things to say about a prior partnership usually calls attention to themselves more than to the person they remain upset with.
Turner-Musa: Ending any relationship can be difficult. If ending the relationship is mutual, then it shouldn’t have a negative impact
on you, your mentor, and others in the department. Sometimes things just don’t work out. Learn and grow from this experience.
Do you have any tips to navigate the power dynamics inherent in a mentor–mentee relationship?
Radico: A good mentor and mentee pairing will be one in which each individual is providing some form of mentorship. Though oftentimes the mentor will be coming from a place of a higher power status. It’s important to assess goodness of fit at the beginning of the mentoring conversations, and to openly talk about how it might be navigated if a disagreement were to occur or if there’s a situation in which the mentor is serving in multiple roles for the mentee, as it may make the situation complicated.
Prinstein: It is natural for a mentee to worry about their standing with their mentor. And it is true that there are some mentors who abuse their power. But in the vast majority of cases, mentors see their mentees as exceptionally intelligent and competent adults who have as much to offer the mentor as vice versa. The best mentor–mentee relationships are those in which students feel confident to treat their mentors as colleagues and who understand that the best outcomes will come from a mutual respect and appreciation.
Turner-Musa: Effective communication and setting clear expectations for your role in the relationship should help to navigate the power dynamics in the mentor–mentee relationship.
Julie Radico, PsyD, ABPP, is a Pennsylvania licensed clinical psychologist, board-certified in clinical health psychology. She has extensive experience in multi-disciplinary patient-centered clinical care, education, research, wellness, and leadership. She earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology and master’s degrees (clinical psychology & counseling and clinical health psychology) at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Radico completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the department of Family Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Radico serves in leadership positions for the American Psychological Association, Pennsylvania Psychological Association, American Academy of Clinical Health Psychology, APA Society for Health Psychologists, and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM).
Mitch Prinstein, PhD, ABPP, is the Chief Science Officer of the American Psychological Association and the John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and nine books, including The Portable Mentor: Expert Guide to a Career in Psychology.
Jocelyn Turner-Musa, PhD, is a professor and chairperson of the Department of Psychology at Morgan State University (MSU) in Baltimore, MD. She is the Director of student training in the MSU ASCEND Center for Biomedical Research, funded by the National Institutes of Health. She is also a member of the American Psychological Association and is PastPresident of Division 1, The Society for General Psychology. Her research focuses on understanding the role of psychological and social factors on disease management and health promotion. Dr. Turner-Musa has received numerous awards including an American Fellows Award from the American Association of University Women.
“
I’ll Never Get in!
”
Cognitive Distortions About the Graduate School Application Process in Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Maria A. Turkson, PhD Penn State Harrisburg (PA)
Applying to graduate school in psychology can be intimidating and stressful, particularly when seeking entry into APA-accredited, PhD clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs (Norcross & Sayette, 2024). Applicants may dread, “It’s almost impossible. I heard it’s harder to get into than medical school! ” Although admission to these doctoral programs is highly competitive (about a 10% acceptance rate; Michalski et al., 2021), successful applications hinge on understanding how the process works and excelling at each step, such as how to earn strong letters of recommendation. When thinking negatively about the process, even the best efforts can be derailed.
Wait … Psychology Students Study Cognitive Distortions So They Can’t Make Them. Right?
Wrong. In psychology, you learn how to recognize cognitive distortions. Thoughts like, “I just can’t get anything done today at work. I’m such a failure!,” are often inconsistent with reality (i.e., one is hardly a failure; Alford & Beck, 1997). Plus, they can make you feel distressed and inert. Negative thoughts may also create a self-fulfilling prophecy—inaction might actually lead to failing a task, such as missing application deadlines.
As a psychology student, you also learn how psychotherapists intervene with clients who have dysfunctional thinking. But you might be surprised to learn that even psychotherapists make cognitive errors, because they are human too (Norcross &VandenBos, 2018; Turkson et al., 2007). For instance, a psychotherapist might think, “I should have made a better intervention there. Why can’t I understand what this client is feeling?.” By disputing these negative assumptions, psychotherapists engage in self-care and provide clients with better therapy.
Similarly, students applying to graduate school may also have negative thinking— about themselves, their work (e.g., research experience), and the application process. If unchecked, these thoughts can sabotage your success. Like seasoned psychotherapists, applicants can engage in self-care by monitoring their negative thoughts. Thus, the aim of this article is to identify some distortions applicants make and how
Fortune Telling
Predicting a bad outcome without evidence.
Catastrophizing
Thinking the worst is going to happen.
to dispute them. Self-care enables you to reduce stress and focus on developing your application skills while showcasing your accomplishments.
Triggers for Cognitive Distortions
Distortions can be triggered by many sources, such as obtaining a course grade lower than expected. One common trigger is when listening to professor’s advice on how to get into graduate school. At least once a semester, I run an “Applying to Graduate School in Psychology Workshop.” I cover everything from admission statistics to tips for writing a good personal statement and (appropriately) requesting letters of recommendation. When discussing admission rates for clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs, my initial advice is that the competition is stiff. Then I provide a how-to guide for crafting an excellent application. Students sometimes report feeling “scared” about the admission rates and research requirements. Others worry that they started the process too late. Although some worry may be motivating, too much fear can be paralyzing. As professors, do we wish to scare students? No, but we want to provide accurate information. Furthermore, applications are expensive (Norcross et al., 2024). Students who understand the admission rates might be motivated to work judiciously on their applications.
Here’s some cognitive distortions students may make during the application process, but can actively dispute, using cognitive restructuring, a process of examining one’s distorted thoughts and reframing them to reflect reality. Disputing dysfunctional thoughts is part of self-care that helps you feel less stressed as you traverse the application process.
Selective Abstraction/Mental Filtering. Although it is understandable to feel discouraged by low acceptance rates to doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology, you can get mired in those statistics—“The admission rates are so low. Why even try at all? ” Simultaneously, you may filter out or discount strategies that will increase your chances of getting accepted. For instance, you may ignore professional advice on how to (a) write an excellent personal statement (e.g., Norcross et al., 2024), and (b) secure good letters of recommendation (Gomez, 2016; Norcross, Sayette, & Burke, 2023). Indeed, research suggests that students tend to discount the importance of these letters (Nauta, 2000).
To remedy selective abstraction:
1. Ask yourself, “What am I hearing? Did the professor really say it’s impossible to get in? ” Probably not. It’s more like your professor is saying it is difficult, but not impossible.
2. Expand your thinking. Focus on all of your professors’ advice (not just on admissions statistics). For instance, review the process for requesting, and doing the work necessary to earn strong letters of recommendation (e.g., Novotney, 2017)
3. Learn more about the application process. Read articles in Eye on Psi Chi. These quick-read gems are packed with advice and are free to Psi Chi members!
4. Invest in a graduate school guide (see Norcross & Sayette, 2024). These manuals include sample timelines and provide excellent, step-by-step instructions on how to develop a competitive application.
To reap the rewards, start this process as early as possible, such as your second year or sooner.
Fortune Telling
As in the title of this article, you might think, “I’ll never get in! ” The assumption is that the application will be denied without considering all the evidence.
1. Review the evidence. If your qualifications are very strong, then you have a good chance of getting in somewhere, as there are more graduate programs
How to combat overgeneralization?
1. Stay present focused. Develop a strategy.
2. Find a mentor, for example. Seek one in your department, and/or through Psi Chi’s mentoring program and ask for feedback on your application materials and qualifications. Be willing to accept their input.
3. Continue to do the work to obtain strong letters of recommendation (Norcross, Sayette, & Burke, 2023).
4. Recognize mistakes. If your personal statement (a) reads more like a diary than a professional statement of your interest in psychology, or (b) is too general, such as omitting specific faculty with whom you’d like to conduct research or work clinically, and why (i.e., the program “fit”), this is a chance to rectify those mistakes (see Turner-Musa et al., 2024).
5. Make use of graduate school guides for samples (e.g., CVs), and program criteria (e.g., minimum GPA).
6. Decide if you really want to re-apply, then implement your plan. Be sure to follow all the professional advice. Doctoral programs rank letters of recommendation, personal statements, and GPA as the three most important criteria for applicants (Michalski et al, 2021), and in that descending order (Norcross et al., 2005), so carefully focus on those.
and higher admission rates than ever (Norcross & Kuhle, 2011).
2. Apply wisely. To maximize your odds, apply to at least 10 doctoral programs, and consider some safe choices (i.e., programs for which you easily meet the criteria).
All-or-Nothing Thinking
“Getting into a doctoral program is a MUST—anything else is worthless.” To combat this either-or thinking:
1. Evaluate events on a continuum.
2. Take a gap year, for example. You could study for the GREs, or continue working with faculty on their research. Although not the initial goal, a gap year can be a step in the right direction toward grad school (Norcross, Sayette, & Charneski, 2023).
3. Consider programs that fit your experience. Most students want to be a psychologist, a doctoral-level occupation, but are less aware of master’s programs for which their present qualifications might be better suited. Acceptance rates are much higher for master’s programs in clinical and counseling psychology than doctoral programs (Michalski et al., 2021).
Plus, a master’s degree may keep your options open—there’s the preparation for the more competitive doctoral degree, and the capability to enter the workplace sooner (i.e., becoming license eligible for a profession in counseling—not counseling psychology, however). One drawback is little scholarship funding, so student debt is a consideration. Although not the original goal, a master’s program can be a good compromise.
4. Find meaningful work with your bachelor’s degree. Work experience can also build valuable skills for future applications to graduate school. These three examples are anything but worthless!
Catastrophizing.
Sometimes students might think that not getting into graduate school in psychology is the end of the world. “Not getting in is THE worst thing that could happen to me! ”
To self-monitor:
1. Reframe to “This is not ideal but I could stand this!” and ask yourself, “Is this really the worst that could happen?” Probably not. A denial is upsetting but not the end of the world.
2. Allow yourself to experience negative feelings. It’s normal to feel upset.
3. Re-group and work towards your next step.
Overgeneralization
One unsuccessful round of applications might result in thinking that any future applications will result in the same disappointment. “Why should I apply again? I just won’t get in. It’s useless.” The second attempt can be fruitful. I’ve mentored students who applied to doctoral programs unsuccessfully, but then strengthened their applications and gained entrance (e.g., by coauthoring a publication while in a master’s program).
Labeling
A pesky negative thought students may have is “If I don’t (didn’t) get in, I’m a failure. I’m not smart enough.” With this error, you attribute the cause of the application result to yourself, as opposed to your effort: “I am a failure.” Such a mindset implies that abilities are “fixed,” whereas success may depend on a “growth mindset” in which skills develop (Dweck, 2016). Instead of assuming that you “lack what it takes” (e.g., intelligence) to attend graduate school (fixed mindset), you can work harder to obtain the necessary skills with input from professional mentors (growth mindset). Those with a growth mindset view an application denial as a disappointment, but also an opportunity for improvement. Accordingly, they tend to have less distress (Burnette et al., 2020). Although not just anyone can become a clinical or counseling psychologist, GPA can be improved through study and hard work. How to write a personal statement, and earn detailed letters of recommendation, can be taught and shaped. Success often requires successive approximations to the end goal. Seasoned researchers have experience with a growth mindset, given that most peer-reviewed journal articles would never be published if the researcher gave up after the first try! To correct labeling:
Fixed Mindset
• Setback = quit
• I either have what it takes or I don't
• Intelligence is unchangeable
• Low motivation to try again
1. Describe the outcome without derogating your character.
2. Try a growth mindset: “My application wasn’t successful, but I am a bright person. I can work harder, take advice from professors and mentors, and make my application more competitive next time.”
The Tyranny of the Should: Applying to graduate school is a timeconsuming process. It’s like a part time job. Often, students are late in starting the process for various reasons—change of major, working a job outside of the classroom. But even those who prepare in advance might lament, “I should have known that I needed authorship on a peer-reviewed journal article!”, “I could’ve started this application process earlier!”, and “ I ought to have known that I needed to present at a regional conference! ” Although these experiences are often necessary to gain entry into PhD doctoral programs, berating yourself makes you feel dejected. Instead:
1. Deal with the reality at hand. Understand that top PhD programs may only accept those with advanced research skills.
2. Consider other doctoral programs. If you lack research experience, you may still get accepted, provided the remaining parts of your application are top-notch (e.g., GPA over 3.5). Specifically, acceptance rates vary for doctoral programs in clinical psychology with PsyD (practice-oriented) programs having the highest rates—as much as 50% for freestanding schools (Norcross & Kuhle, 2011). The drawback is that students are much less likely to receive
Growth Mindset
• Setback = opportunity to work harder
• If I don't have the skills, I can learn them
• Intelligence is malleable
• High motivation to succeed
funding, however, this is not true for counseling psychology PsyD programs (Norcross et al., 2021).
3. Consider a master’s program. They tend to be more forgiving of limited research experience.
4. Recall that letters of recommendation are critical. They are rated as more important than research experience, even for doctoral programs (Norcross et al., 2005).
In conclusion, graduate school applicants may practice self-care by closely monitoring their negative thoughts throughout the application process. These thoughts can get in the way of creating a good application, cause stress, and even prevent you from reaching your full potential. By using the practical strategies outlined in the article, you can beat negative thinking. Although the process is very competitive, remember that the central components of the application (i.e., letters of recommendation, personal statement, and GPA) require skills that can be learned through hard work. So, adopt a growth mindset and go get ‘em!
References
Alford, B. A., & Beck, A. T. (1997). The integrative power of cognitive therapy. Guilford Press.
Burnette, J. L., Knouse, L. E., Vavra, D. T., O’Boyle, E., & Brooks, M. A. (2020). Growth mindsets and psychological distress: A metaanalysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 77 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101816
Dweck, C. (2016). Mindset: The new psychology of success (updated ed.). Random House.
Gomez, J. (2016, Spring). How to properly request letters of recommendation from your professors: Ask, don’t tell. Eye on Psi Chi, 28 (4), 12–15. https://doi.org/10.24839/1092-0803.eye20.3.12
Michalski, D. S., Cope, C., & Fowler, G. A. (2021, September 3). Graduate study in psychology summary report: Admissions, applications, and acceptances . American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/education-career/grad/ survey-data/2018-admissions-applications
Nauta, M. M. (2000). Assessing the accuracy of psychology
undergraduates’ perceptions of graduate admission criteria. Teaching of Psychology, 27 (4), 277–280.
Norcross, J. C., Dang, M. K., Jamieson, G. J., & Charneski, A. S. (2024, Summer). Personal statement requirements and application fees for graduate school in clinical and counseling psychology: What’s it gonna take? Eye on Psi Chi, 28 (4), 30–32. https://doi.org/10.24839/2164-9812.Eye28.4.30
Norcross, J. C., Kohout, J. L., & Wicherski, M. (2005). Graduate study in psychology, 1971–2004. American Psychologist, 60 (9), 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.9.959
Norcross, J.C., & Kuhle, B. X. (2011, Summer). What are your chances? New probabilities of admission into graduate psychology programs. Eye on Psi Chi, 15 (4), 20–22. https://doi.org/10.24839/1092-0803.eye15.4.20
Norcross, J. C., & Sayette, M. A. (2024). Insider’s guide to graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology (2024/25 ed.). Guilford Press.
Norcross, J. C., Sayette, M. A., & Burke, J. D. (2023, Fall). Obtaining letters of recommendation for graduate school. Eye on Psi Chi, 28 (1), 24–29. https://doi.org/10.24839/2164-9812.Eye28.1.24
Norcross, J. C., Sayette, M. A., & Charneski, A. S. (2023, Winter). Gap year(s) before graduate school: Pros, cons, and unknowns. Eye on Psi Chi, 28 (3), 24–27. https://doi.org/10.24839/2164-9812.Eye28.2.24
Norcross, J. C., Sayette, M. A., & Martin-Wagar, C. A. (2021). Doctoral training in counseling psychology: Analyses of 20-year trends, differences across the practice-research continuum, and comparisons with clinical psychology. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 15 (3), 167–175. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000306
Norcross, J. C., & VandenBos, G. R. (2018). Leaving it at the office: A guide to psychotherapist self-care. (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
Novotney, A. (2017, January 1). The art of the letter. Monitor on Psychology, 48(1). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/01/letter-recommendation
Turkson, M. A., & Norcross, J. C., & Guy, J. D. (2007). Restructuring cognitions. In J. C. Norcross & J. D. Guy (Eds.), Leaving it at the office: A guide to psychotherapist self-care. (pp. 114–130). Guilford Press. Turner-Musa, J., Radico, J., & Prinstein, M. (2024, Fall). Questions and answers about graduate school statements of purpose! Eye on Psi Chi, 29 (1), 17–19. https://doi.org/10.24839/2164-9812.Eye29.1.17
Maria A. Turkson, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and associate teaching professor at Penn State Harrisburg where she teaches undergraduate and graduate students. She is a member of Psi Chi and a longstanding primary advisor to Psi Chi on campus. Dr. Turkson is a member of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. She is the winner of the 2024 International Purple Ribbon Award for Best Youth Initiative for her work educating college students about domestic violence. Her research and clinical interests involve the graduate school application process, the therapy process, colon cancer prevention, career development, and intimate partner violence.
IGNITE Your Passion for Psychological Science
Mary Moussa Rogers, PhD University of South Carolina Aiken
Istill remember my first conference as an undergraduate psychology major. I felt so elated at the opportunity to travel, meet new people, learn from them, and talk about my research and future interests. On the eve of Psi Chi’s first research conference on Innovating Global Networks to Inspire Tomorrow’s Experts (IGNITE), I found myself feeling a similar way. I am honored to have been a part of ushering in a new generation of psychological scholars—and especially for this group starting so much farther along than I was at the same point.
IGNITE took two years to come to fruition, with a significant proportion of time devoted first to the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant proposal by Psi Chi Headquarters Staff and the Research Advisory Committee, then nearly a year for implementation. Our overarching goals were to provide an opportunity for undergraduate students to learn about the
ongoing problems in psychological science and the innovative methods they can participate in to address them. As we all converged on New York City, I was ready to see the tremendous efforts by my cochair and me, our committee, and Psi Chi Headquarters realized.
The Replication Crisis and Scientific Transparency
Science requires us to build on the work of others to advance our knowledge. Over the past 15 years, scientists have broadly discussed the replication crisis (Maxwell et al., 2015; Shrout & Rodgers, 2018), which is described as the major problem of science being unable to replicate the findings of previous studies on which we have based numerous theories to explain our world. In psychology, some reports indicated that significant results had dropped from 97% of original studies, to 36% in replications (Open Science Collaboration, 2015).
Much of the methodology psychological science has undertaken has had a common theme of transparency (Freese et al., 2022). At the IGNITE conference, presenters discussed a multitude of resources regarding open science practices, collaborative research, and cross-cultural considerations. Each of these aspects is woven into Psi Chi’s Network for International Collaborative Exchange (NICE), the backdrop throughout the day. I have had the pleasure of participating in NICE since its onset in 2019, and it was exciting to see its culmination as a proverbial example of transparency in science.
The Next Generation of Researchers
A part of better transparency in science is not just about science practice, but also science education (Chopik et al., 2018). It is difficult for students to grow into researchers addressing a scientific crisis when so
few of them know about it. One study by Beaudry and colleagues (2024) indicated that 18% of their undergraduate participants had heard of the replication crisis. Further, studies such as one conducted by Chopik and colleagues (2018) suggested that, even if students knew something about the replication crisis (i.e., 31% of their sample reported some knowledge), they did not have strong prior knowledge about the methods of addressing it.
IGNITE’s two main goals were to bring these topics to undergraduate students and mentors who might have not had the opportunities or resources to learn more about open science, and to start a chain reaction when they returned. You could almost feel the electricity in the room when students asked questions about how to deal with transparency of failure in science, advice for how to bring procedures back to professors and institutions, how to participate in NICE on their campuses, and how to improve methods and measurement for cross-cultural assessment. These were exactly the questions we hoped to receive and they set the tone for the second half of the day when we invited folks to do some networking (also critical to a collaborative scientific process).
Collaboration Means Access
Although no safeguard is perfect, collaborative research is an important component to improving the rigor, methodology, and transparency of the work we do. Many undergraduate students lack the time and resources to engage in research (e.g., Edlund et al., 2022) including a significant dearth in mentorship. Collaborative research allows for less time and resources required to conduct research (Cuccolo et al., 2021). More importantly, relationships with a multitude of researchers can increase interdisciplinary knowledge, an increasingly important facet of science in the modern age (Waldman, 2013). Between the minor bumps with technology in the morning coupled with the rainy cold weather in New York City, I worried people might not have the energy for networking by the afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised to find our participants were very excited by the time we got to the networking; the room became livelier than at any other point that day. Every person in the room was talking to someone, and I was excited to see several pairs of people take photos together and make plans to attend other events together over the weekend or at the Psychonomics Society’s annual convention (IGNITE was an affiliate meeting of Psychonomics).
Well-Rounded Experiences
Nearly 800 people registered for IGNITE, but our NSF grant and space allowed only 150 to attend our in-person day. We set up a Zoom Event for those who could not attend in person and recorded elements of the program to post on Psi Chi’s YouTube channel.
As a second-generation immigrant and first-generation college student who received a Pell grant, I am most proud of our work to recruit and support underrepresented students to attend IGNITE. My personal involvement with Psi Chi and NICE has been so meaningful for its international and diverse reach. I’ve had contact with students and professionals across the globe, attended conferences in other countries, and listened to speakers in other languages. Welcoming students into this global community and experience brought me much joy.
On the day of the conference, many students informed us of firsts for them—that this was their first conference, their first time
traveling out of their home state, and/or their first time learning about any of these topics in psychology. Students described growing up in deeply rural areas of the United States and feeling excited and overwhelmed by New York City. Seeing my own experiences reflected in the students’ stories at IGNITE reminded me why we so thoughtfully designed this conference to support a variety of people to travel, especially those who might have never had this opportunity otherwise.
As I observed students lingering in the room, taking pictures in front of Times Square through the glass window of the sky lobby, I felt that IGNITE exceeded my expectations. Psi Chi’s research culture is one that has always been centered on lifting up junior researchers and highlighting what they have to contribute to the field, present and future. IGNITE truly put on display what is best about Psi Chi, and I am excited to see how IGNITE’s attendees use what they learned to spark scientific trajectories.
IGNITE Committee
Martha S. Zlokovich, PhD, Co-Chair
Mary Moussa Rogers, PhD, Co-Chair
John E. Edlund, PhD, Committee Member
Zane Zheng, PhD, Committee Member
Kelly Cuccolo, PhD, Committee Member
Antonios Kagialis, MSc, Committee Member
Brianna Fitapelli, MS, Committee Member
Gabriela Heermans, MSc, Committee Member
Caitlin Brez, PhD, IGNITE Evaluator
Riddhi Mandavia, Undergraduate Ambassador
Quindon Robinson, Ambassador Committee
Nicholas Daynes, Ambassador Committee
Connor Monke, Ambassador Committee
References
Beaudry, J. L., Williams, M. N., Philipp, M. C., & Kothe, E. J. (2024). What do incoming university students believe about open science practices in psychology?. Teaching of Psychology, 51 (3), 269-276. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283221100276
Chopik, W. J., Bremner, R. H., Defever, A. M., & Keller, V. N. (2018). How (and whether) to teach undergraduates about the replication crisis in psychological science. Teaching of Psychology, 45 (2), 158–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/009862831876290
Cuccolo, K., Irgens, M. S., Zlokovich, M. S., Grahe, J., & Edlund, J. E. (2021). What crowdsourcing can offer to cross-cultural psychological science. Cross-Cultural Research, 55 (1), 3–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069397120950628
Edlund, J. E., Cuccolo, K., Irgens, M. S., Wagge, J. R., & Zlokovich, M. S. (2022). Saving science through replication studies. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17 (1), 216–225. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620984385
Freese, J., Rauf, T., & Voelkel, J. G. (2022). Advances in transparency and reproducibility in the social sciences. Social Science Research, 107, 102770 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2022.102770
Gigerenzer, G. (2018). Statistical rituals: The replication delusion and how we got there. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 1 (2), 198–218. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515245918771329
Maxwell, S. E., Lau, M. Y., & Howard, G. S. (2015). Is psychology suffering from a replication crisis? What does “failure to replicate” really mean? American Psychologist, 70 (6), 487–498. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039400
Open Science Collaboration. (2015). Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science. Science, 349 (6251). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aac4716
Shrout, P. E., & Rodgers, J. L. (2018). Psychology, science, and knowledge construction: Broadening perspectives from the replication crisis. Annual Review of Psychology, 69 (1), 487–510. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011845
Waldman, D. A. (2013). Interdisciplinary research is the key. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 562. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00562
Mary Moussa Rogers, PhD, received their doctorate in clinical psychology from Mississippi State University in 2021. They completed their dissertation through Psi Chi’s Network for International Collaborative Exchange. Dr. Moussa Rogers investigates contextual and individual correlates relevant to the development of health risk behavior and community-based prevention science.
A special thanks to Psi Chi Headquarters staff who put a tremendous effort toward IGNITE’s development and implementation.
Closing the Gap: Addressing Older Adults’ Mental Health Needs Through Access, Advocacy, and Adaptive Aging
Renee Shand-Lubbers, PhD, and Ashley Maureen Diaz, PhD
Alliant International University
Older adults are both a growing and marginalized population whose varying mental health needs warrant and deserve more attention from the mental health field. Data from the United States Census Bureau (USCB, 2023) show that the American population is aging; the proportion of adults aged 65 or older will continue to grow through 2050 at which time there will be a projected 82 million older adults, a 41% increase since 2022. Additionally, almost one fifth of older adults in the United States have some type of mental health or substance abuse
problem (Koma et al., 2020), and available counseling services do not meet this increased demand. Recent reports suggest that only 46% of older adults with mental health issues have received treatment (SAMHSA, 2024). Given these population figures, there is a twofold need for specialized training for mental health counselors who can work with older adults and for more preventative and effective mental health services for older adults (Bartels & Naslund, 2013).
Older adults face unique developmental challenges. These challenges include retirement, financial stressors, loss of partner/friends, medical conditions, and a decreasing social network which can result in feelings of loneliness, fear, and hopelessness and an increased risk for depression and anxiety (Bryant et al., 2008; National Institute on Aging, 2021). Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated social isolation and disrupted services for many older adults in the United States (Morrow-Howell et al., 2020). As a result, older adults coping with loss, medical illness, and psychological issues who need supportive counseling
services may continue to lack access to quality and affordable care. Addressing the mental health needs of older adults requires sophisticated knowledge about the population, clinical skills competency, and cultural competency. Mental health counselors can close the gap in older adult mental health care through access, advocacy, and the adaptive aging strategies outlined below.
Access Issues
In addition to the developmental challenges that older adults experience, a review of the literature shows that considerable accessibility issues impact older adults. Researchers have emphasized the need for accessible transportation systems and environmental infrastructure that support the mobility needs of older adults (Billot et al., 2020). Older adults may face unique physical and mobility challenges, and Maresova et al. (2023) suggest the implementation of residential living spaces and essential service buildings that have accessible features and accommodate a wide range of physical needs.
Furthermore, advanced transportation technologies and assistive technology services/products that are made accessible to older populations have the potential to address mobility problems (Maresova et al., 2023). These recommendations are particularly significant as mobility loss is associated with a wide array of negative health outcomes and an overall lower quality of life for older adults (Billot et al., 2020).
Additional access issues include socioeconomic inequalities that affect health-care service utilization among older adults because of increased health-care costs (Almeida et al., 2017; Yamada et al., 2015). Although multimorbidity is common among the aging population, and this calls for expanded access to health-care services, there is still considerable access disparity; ultimately, these disparities result in unmet health-care needs among older adults (Yamada et al., 2015). Individual factors consist of sociodemographic factors, negative attitudes or beliefs about the health-care system, which may result in distrust within the physician–patient relationship, and lifestyle or health risks (Yamada et al., 2015). Systemic factors include access disparities associated with mixed private insurance and public U.S. health-care programs, poor cultural and linguistic competency among healthcare professionals, health-care expenses that are not covered by Medicare benefits, and low health literacy among older adults (Yamada et al., 2015).
The health-care disparities, accessibility issues, and developmental challenges that older adults experience highlight the serious mental health issues that may arise as a result of these daily life stressors. As discussed previously, older adults are at a higher prevalence of developing mental health disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, and substance use disorders (Bryant et al., 2008). However, researchers have found multiple barriers that lower mental health care utilization among the aging population (Lavingia et al., 2020). These barriers are like those discussed in relation to primary health care including comorbid medical and mental health conditions, systemic barriers such as financial burdens, lack of transportation, and reliance on caregivers, and low mental health literacy among older adults (Almeida et al., 2017; Lavingia et al., 2020;). Older adults who hold
marginalized identities may also experience cultural barriers and increased levels of stigma associated with seeking mental health counseling services (Lavingia et al., 2020). Furthermore, despite the essential role that mental health counselors have in enhancing older adults’ use of mental health services (Mackenzie et al., 2008), mental health professionals may lack the knowledge or training necessary to address the unique needs of this population, which may contribute to greater mistrust of mental health counselors among older adults (Lavingia et al., 2020).
Advocacy Considerations
Culturally responsive mental health counselors are called to utilize both clinical and advocacy interventions to address systemic issues and remove barriers to wellness for marginalized clients as mandated in the Multicultural and Social Justice Competencies (MSJCC; Ratts et al., 2015) and recently updated ACA Advocacy Competencies (Toporek & Daniels, 2018). We propose several advocacy interventions for mental health counselors working with older adults below:
1. Affordable Care: Increase accessibility to affordable mental health care through grant-funded mental health programs aimed at increasing social connection and improving mental health outcomes. Programs could include supportive phone counseling sessions, in-person group counseling, in-home counseling services, and ongoing case management services to address social determinants of health and help meet older adults’ housing, transportation, food assistance, employment, and long-term care planning needs.
2. Medicare Reimbursement: Supporting ongoing Medicare reimbursement for licensed professional counselors (LPCs) to ensure that they continue to meet the rising demand for gerontological counseling services. In addition, counselors can support federal and state policies that support supplemental insurance coverage that may help clients cover health-care costs not covered by Medicare benefits.
3. Training and Education: Seeking additional continuing education and training workshops that focus on the unique mental health care needs of the
older adult population. Counselors can practice cultural humility and learn about culturally responsive counseling theories and strategies that account for identity-related factors that impact older adults’ well-being. Counselors must acknowledge systemic oppression and sociocultural barriers that exacerbate existing mental health care disparities among older adult clients. Furthermore, mental health counselors should recognize and challenge biases associated with aging (Mackenzie et al., 2008).
4. Resource Sharing: Mental health counselors have a responsibility to learn about various resources and emerging technologies (e.g., assistive devices) that may be beneficial to older adult clients. They must be knowledgeable and prepared to make appropriate referrals to resources and professionals who can help clients address multiple dimensions of their well-being.
Adaptive Aging Counseling Strategies
Many older adults are thriving, finding meaning and purpose in this later life stage. Hence, depression and anxiety are not a “normal” part of aging, and institutionalized ageist notions that older adulthood is a period of inevitable decline should be challenged. However, given the types of adjustments and changes that do occur in older adulthood, it is understandable that some older adults may feel isolated, depressed, or anxious about the future. These experiences should not be dismissed or ignored simply because a person is growing older. Mental health counselors have an ethical and professional responsibility to help older adults adapt to these changes and optimize their health as they grow older.
Promoting Resilience
Resilience, the ability to adapt or “bounce back,” can be both developed and nurtured and serves as a “buffer” or protective mechanism in the face of adversity (Fullen, 2019, p. 68). Mental health professionals can promote resilience in older adulthood by incorporating older adults’ strengths and facilitating holistic wellness. Wellness can be conceptualized holistically, and Myers et al. (2000) propose that wellness models account for individuals’ human growth and development across the lifespan.
In other words, rather than focusing on solely treating disease and illness, people can move toward preventative wellness plans that address multiple characteristics of healthy functioning. Myers et al. (2000) define wellness as “a way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live more fully within the human and natural community” (p. 252). One wellness model that has utility across the lifespan is the Wheel of Wellness (Myers et al., 2000), which has recently been adapted to better meet the wellness needs in older adulthood (Fullen, 2019). Mental health counselors can use Fullen’s 2019 synergistic wellness framework to assess older adults’ overall wellness across several dimensions: developmental, cognitive, physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, vocational, and contextual and create holistic wellness plans that leverage strengths and resources and address any unmet needs. Comprehensive wellness plans should also address social determinants of health that are barriers to optimal wellness. These wellness plans can then be used to inform a strength-based holistic counseling approach and promote exploration of past challenges, celebrate past triumphs, and apply wisdom and coping strengths, skills, and resources to current challenges.
Instilling Hope and Finding Meaning Through RT and ACT
A universal goal of professional counseling is to instill hope and facilitate growth and change. By utilizing wellness-based prevention models and empowering counseling interventions, counselors can help older adults re-author their stories through active meaning-making of experiences. Reminiscence Therapy (RT) is another efficacious strength-based approach for working with older adults (Liu et al., 2021). RT is a life review approach that prompts older adults to recall previous and pleasurable experiences and events. Research has shown that reconnecting with these types of memories can promote a sense of well-being by reducing symptoms of depression (Liu et al., 2021). Reminiscence can include sharing of salient memories: holidays and cultural events, school days, toys, family pets, marriage/partnership/ dates, children, friends, work/home life, first job, volunteer work, and favorite foods.
Counselors may incorporate music or art therapy to process memories, such as the use of photographs, collages, songs, or poetry in both individual and group settings.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), another strength-based approach, can be utilized to foster adaptive aging by helping older adult clients challenge ageist and medicalized assumptions of healthy normality (Harris, 2006), examine their values and priorities, and take actions towards greater alignment with what is most important now (Fullen, 2024; Petkus & Wetherell, 2013). ACT’s focus on the present can aid older adults’ adaptive coping to age-related changes, like losses or functional limitations. Instead of avoiding or denying distressing thoughts and feelings about these aging-related changes, clients are encouraged to observe them without judgment, recognizing that thoughts and feelings are transient and are not wholly representative of their identity and sense of self. During ACT sessions, older adult clients: (a) identify values, (b) explore how current behaviors may be incongruent with values, (c) develop awareness of inner experience including their thoughts and feelings about growing older and accepting their passing presence, (d) look for opportunities to increase time spent on activities and in reciprocal relationships that align with their values, and (e) set goals and take committed action (Fullen, 2024; Harris, 2006; Petkus & Wetherell, 2013). Living in greater alignment with core values can foster a sense of meaning, purpose, and direction and help older adults maintain hopefulness about the future.
Some questions that counselors can ask older adult clients to facilitate self-examination are:
1. What do you represent/value/stand for?
2. What do you want more of in your life?
3. What are the things you used to/currently like, take pleasure in, enjoy doing?
4. How can you continue to engage in these activities, relationships, experiences?
These ACT-oriented questions make space for older adults to grieve real losses and health changes while also creating opportunities for clients to shift how they view these changes and live accordingly with their values.
Mental health counselors serve a critical role in addressing older adults’ mental health needs. Older adults have unique challenges, risks, experiences, and strengths that should be considered within the context of mental health counseling. The clinical and advocacy strategies outlined in this article can serve as a starting point for mental health counselors who work with this population.
References
Almeida, A. P. S. C., Nunes, B. P., Duro, S. M. S., & Facchini, L. A. (2017). Socioeconomic determinants of access to health services among older adults: A systematic review. Revista de Saude Publica, 51 , 50. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1518-8787.2017051006661
Bartels, S. J., & Naslund, J. A. (2013). The underside of the silver tsunami: Older adults and mental health care. The New England Journal of Medicine, 368 (6), 493–496. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1211456
Billot, M., Calvani, R., Urtamo, A., Sánchez-Sánchez, J. L., Ciccolari-Micaldi, C., Chang, M., Roller-Wirnsberger, R., Wirnsberger, G., Sinclair, A., Vaquero-Pinto, N., Jyväkorpi, S., Öhman, H., Strandberg, T., Schols, JMGA., Schols, AMWJ., Smeets, N., Topinkova, E., Michalkova, H., Bonfigli, A. R., Lattanzio, F., Rodríguez-Mañas, L., ... Freiberger, E. (2020). Preserving mobility in older adults with physical frailty and sarcopenia: Opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for physical activity interventions. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 15 1675–1690. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S253535
Bryant, C., Jackson, H., & Ames, D. (2008). The prevalence of anxiety in older adults: Methodological issues and a review of the literature. Journal of Affective Disorders, 109 (3), 233–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2007.11.008
Fullen, M. C. (2019), Defining wellness in older adulthood: Toward a comprehensive framework. Journal of Counseling & Development, 97 (1), 62–74. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12236
Fullen, M. (2024). Counseling older adults: Utilizing acceptance and commitment therapy to promote well-being . [Webinar]. National Board of Certified Counselors.
Harris, R. (2006). Embracing your demons: An overview of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Psychotherapy in Australia, 12 (4), 2–8.
Koma, W., True, S., Fuglesten Biniek, J., Cubanski, J., Orgera, K., & Garfield, R. (2020, October 9). One in four older adults report anxiety or depression amid the COVID-19 pandemic . Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/one-in-four-older-adultsreport-anxiety-or-depression-amid-the-covid-19-pandemic/ Lavingia, R., Jones, K., & Asghar-Ali, A. A. (2020). A systematic review of barriers faced by older adults in seeking and accessing mental health care. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 26 (5), 367–382. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRA.0000000000000491
Liu, Z., Yang, F., Lou, Y., Zhou, W., & Tong, F. (2021). The effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy on alleviating depressive symptoms in older adults: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 709853. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709853
Mackenzie, C. S., Scott, T., Mather, A., & Sareen, J. (2008). Older adults’ help-seeking attitudes and treatment beliefs concerning mental health problems. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16 (12), 1010–1019. https://doi.org/10.1097/JGP.0b013e31818cd3be
Maresova, P., Krejcar, O., Maskuriy, R., Bakar, N. A. A., Selamat, A., Truhlarova, Z., Horak., J., Joukl, m., & Vítkova, L. (2023). Challenges and opportunity in mobility among older adults—key determinant identification. BMC Geriatrics, 23 (1), 447. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04106-7
Morrow-Howell, N., Galucia, N., & Swinford, E. (2020). Recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic: A focus on older adults. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 32 (4–5), 526–535. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2020.1759758
Myers, J. E., Sweeney, T. J., & Witmer, J. M. (2000). The wheel of wellness counseling for wellness: A holistic model for treatment planning. Journal of Counseling & Development, 78 (3), 251–266.
National Institute on Aging. (2021, July 7). Depression and older adults https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/mental-and-emotional-health/ depression-and-older-adults
Petkus, A. J., & Wetherell, J. L. (2013). Acceptance and commitment
therapy with older adults: Rationale and considerations. Cognitive Behavioral Practice, 20 (1), 47–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.07.004
Ratts, M. J., Singh, A. A., Nassar-McMillan, S., Butler, S. K., & McCullough, J. F. (2016). Multicultural and social justice counseling competencies: Guidelines for the counseling profession. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 44 (1), 28–48. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmcd.12035
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2024). Behavioral health among older adults: Results from the 2021 and 2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/ rpt45341/2022-nsduh-older-adult-info.pdf
Toporek, R. L., & Daniels J. (2018). American Counseling Association Advocacy Competencies. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/competencies/acaadvocacy-competencies-updated-may-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=f410212c_4 United States Census Bureau. (2023). 2023 national population projections tables: Main series. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2023/demo/popproj/2023summary-tables.html
Yamada, T., Chen, C. C., Murata, C., Hirai, H., Ojima, T., Kondo, K., & Harris III, J. R. (2015). Access disparity and health inequality of the elderly: Unmet needs and delayed healthcare. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12 (2), 1745–1772. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120201745
Renee Shand-Lubbers, PhD, is an assistant professor in the online MA in clinical counseling program at Alliant International University. She received her BA in psychology from the University at Albany and her PhD in counseling from Montclair State University. Dr. Shand-Lubbers focuses her teaching, research, and scholarship on antiracism, multicultural counseling and advocacy training, cultural responsiveness, and holistic wellness. She is a regular presenter at institutional, state, and national conferences on racial and cultural identity issues in counseling, creative and experiential techniques to facilitate cultural responsiveness, advocacy competency, and White antiracism development. Dr. Shand-Lubbers has published in the areas of professional counseling identity development and multicultural counseling. With graduate degrees in education and counseling, she has worked as both a K-12 educator and mental health counselor in a variety of settings. Dr. Shand-Lubbers is currently a practicing licensed professional counselor serving older adult clients at a community-based agency.
Ashley Maureen Diaz, PhD, is an assistant professor in the online MA in clinical counseling program at Alliant International University. She graduated with a PhD in counselor education from The Pennsylvania State University, with a specialty in counseling children, adolescents, and families. She is dedicated to social justice advocacy through teaching, clinical work, and service. In addition, Dr. Diaz enjoys regularly presenting her research at regional, state, and national conferences. She has a BS in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and an MS in mental health counseling from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her clinical experience includes bilingual mental health counseling services in multiple settings: outpatient, inpatient, partial hospitalization, and college counseling centers. Dr. Diaz has also worked as an Equity Liaison and clinical counselor in a K-12 school district and facilitated efforts and initiatives to create a more equitable learning environment. Her research interests include culturally and linguistically responsive counselor training and supervision, counseling Latinx adolescents and families, and social justice/ equity concerns in K-12 and post-secondary education settings.
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With James K. McNulty, PhD
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If you like chocolate and see a Hershey’s candy bar, it likely elicits warm feelings and a desire to take a bite. Likewise, if you dislike spinach, then whenever someone serves you a spinach salad, you’ll probably feel like sending it back. These spontaneous feelings are simple to understand and easy to accept when they occur—most of the time, at least. And yet, when you experience these same kinds of automatic positive or negative feelings toward a romantic partner, you might be less likely to admit it—even to yourself.
This vivid example was given by Dr. James K. McNulty, an expert in spontaneous feelings, otherwise known as “automaticity” (pronounced “auto-ma-ti-city”). As he explains, people aren’t always willing to admit if they experience a negative automatic feeling when seeing or thinking
about their partner. Doing so might make them feel bad for several reasons. Therefore, researchers like Dr. McNulty believe that there can be a disconnect between the feelings that a stimulus (e.g., a partner) activates based on past experiences with that stimulus versus the conscious conclusions someone draws about how they feel.
Cultural norms are one factor that can make automaticity difficult to accept. Here’s another example from Dr. McNulty: People are perfectly willing to admit their dislike of spiders, because there is no cultural norm to feel positively toward grotesque, six-eyed arachnids with long hairy legs. But compare that to the cultural norms that could be broken if you admitted negative feelings toward a spouse. In the end, you may want to feel more positively than you really do in order to avoid a possible future of loneliness or to please your partner and any kids, parents, or others who may have high expectations for your relationship with your partner.
Similarly, Dr. McNulty points out that admitting feelings of negativity toward outgroups (i.e., acknowledging prejudice) can be difficult. Because prejudice is not a very compassionate way to feel, you might instead try to draw a different conclusion.
Dr. McNulty is a professor of psychology at Florida State University. A fellow of APA, APS, and the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, he has published more than 150 articles often related to areas of close relationships, such as automaticity, satisfaction, and conflict resolution. In this interview, he invites you to focus inward on your automatic feelings toward your romantic partner—feelings that are beyond your control, at least at their onset, and that are sometimes also beyond your awareness altogether. In case you haven’t guessed, you might want to read this article when your partner isn’t around…
Thank you for speaking with us, Dr. McNulty. First question: How does automaticity work and influence relationship satisfaction? We believe automatic feelings are built through experiences. People who have a lot of positive experiences with their partners will develop very positive feelings. People who have more negative experiences will develop more negative feelings. These gut-level implicit feelings accumulate, and when people encounter or interact with their partners, their feelings and
attitudes toward those partners are highly accessible.
Once activated, these feelings can affect how people process new information and how they behave toward their partners. Then, anytime people think about or interact with their partner, these feelings get activated again. The feelings can even develop their own momentum in terms of how they affect processing and behavior once activated.
Other aspects of automaticity might or might not apply. There’s a big debate about whether people can be aware of these attitudes, because they are essentially the same attitudes that people talk about regarding implicit feelings of prejudice. We think people can access them, but they might not always do so or even realize the source of a feeling. So, if you think about this in an everyday context, many stimuli in our environment might make us feel a certain way, one of which might be a partner. You would think that we probably get pretty good at knowing how our partners make us feel. But on the other hand, we desire for our partners to make us feel positive, which means that we are highly motivated to think that our partners do make us feel good. That can lead people to disregard or try to explain away any negative feelings that they might have.
The fact of the matter is that people have both positive and negative feelings toward their partners. So ultimately, the question that we study becomes, “Does the positivity outweigh negativity?”
How do automatic feelings compare to more deliberate evaluations, like conscious processing, in their impact on relationship satisfaction?
I think the key difference is that we can’t always control how our automatic feelings affect us. Imagine that somebody gets home from work and has more negative feelings toward their partner. They see their partner and those negative feelings get activated, but they don’t want to feel that way, and they know they can’t act on these feelings. They think, “I have to be nice to my partner. I have to treat them well so that they treat me well.” And so, they override the negative feelings. They give their partner a hug, they smile, and they act as if they feel positively. Doing that requires a lot of effort and cognitive capacity. And so, this process is only
possible when people have those cognitive resources available. If somebody has a stressful day of work, is extremely tired, or is—I’m sure you’ve heard the term— “hangry,” then they don’t necessarily have the ability to override their automatic feelings.
Sometimes people might not be able to bite their tongue when their cognitive resources aren’t all available, and so the automatic feelings come out instead. When this happens, it is critically important that they are positive feelings, because if not, that negativity is eventually going to come out. It is inevitable that people will be tired and stressed. And when they are, their automatic feelings guide things. Deliberative thoughts and conscious, effortful thoughts are just that—they are effortful and intentional. They require cognitive resources. Automatic feelings don’t require any resources. They get activated regardless of what cognitive capacity you have. You could be completely exhausted, stressed, tired, and under the influence of alcohol with less ability to engage in deliberate processing, but your automatic processes will keep flowing and start predicting your behavior.
What changes in automaticity should newlywed couples expect in their relationship moving forward?
I think that a big thing for people to expect is that there will inevitably be some negative feelings. Everybody has some negative feelings toward their partner, because relationships aren’t perfect. We recognize imperfections, pay attention to them, log them, and remember them. Oftentimes, they are outweighed by a lot of positivity, and so we are perfectly fine. But sometimes people might feel uncomfortable with negativity, because they think it is a sign that a relationship is doomed. It doesn’t necessarily mean that, though, because no relationship is perfect. Nobody gets along perfectly, and so people can log those experiences in their minds in this automatic form, and they might get activated, but it is natural.
The real question is how much positivity exists relative to negativity? When you take a step back and recognize that a relationship comes with many rewards, then of course there will also be a few costs. I think living with or being married to someone is challenging. Life is challenging, and when you encounter life with a
partner who may not always see life in the same way, it is inevitable to have experiences that might make you feel a little bit less than positive. That’s perfectly natural. Do partners get better at detecting each other’s automatic feelings as time goes by?
I can pretty confidently say that this has not been looked at, but it is a great question. I think your intuition is that they would. That’s my intuition too. A little evidence does suggest that people are better able to recognize their own feelings toward their partner as their relationship gets longer. We typically find that, when you ask people how they feel about their partner, and then you measure these automatic feelings, the correlations are close to zero. But when people are in a longer relationship, it becomes a more positive correlation. People do recognize. So the longer people spend with their partners, the more they recognize their own feelings. I would imagine that partners probably get better at it too.
How could counselors use information about automaticity to help couples? One thing that counselors would want to be able to do is identify how positive or negative the automatic feelings are. Another thing would be to determine their source. Sometimes that is easy to find. For example, maybe a couple argues all the time over a particular problem, or maybe they have a lot of stress in their lives and they take it out on one another. In recognizing those sources, counselors can ultimately try to minimize the amount of negativity in the relationship, because the negativity leads to more negative feelings.
A third thing that I think counselors should be aware of is knowing how to counteract automatic feelings. Building positivity and staying away from some of the negativity will improve automatic feelings. The other key piece in this is motivation. The more motivated couples are to make a good relationship, the more likely they are to override negative feelings. Simply wanting to feel otherwise and
wanting a relationship to work can help, and motivation can have downstream effects. If a couple avoids having one fight, their automatic feelings become more positive. And so, there is crosstalk between their automatic feelings and their deliberative ones. Both systems are somewhat independent, but they affect one another.
We have conducted some research looking at ways to get people to rehearse positive thoughts with their partners. Couples can help build more positive automatic feelings, and there are many ways to do this, like going on a date with a partner and having a good time. When you feel a little happier toward your partner after a fun time, that is because you remember the fun time, you associate it with your partner, and it becomes a part of your attitude toward your partner.
The final thing I’ll say is that stress sort of unleashes automatic feelings. So minimize stress and the extent to which people interact with their partners while they are under stress if their attitudes are more negative at that time. If their attitudes while stressed are positive, then there is some evidence that stress doesn’t really have very negative implications for the relationship. In that case, all stress does is allow someone to go on automatic pilot. So if their automatic pilot is to hug a partner and be close and warm, then stress will allow that kind of thing to happen. Stress is more problematic for people who have more negative automatic attitudes.
Is there any relationship between automaticity and spontaneity or even staleness in a relationship?
Yeah, I think there is a difference. Being in “a rut” and habitually doing the same things would be an “automatic behavior” as opposed to an “automatic feeling.” But if a relationship is kind of boring with more automatic habitual behaviors that aren’t exciting, then that won’t build a very positive attitude. Art Aron has published on self-expansion and doing novel, exciting things with our partners. If we do a fun activity that involves a lot of positive feelings, and our partner is there too, we tend to pair those things together and associate the feelings with the person we experienced them with. And so, I think that being in sort of a behavioral rut could minimize the extent to which people are able to have really positive attitudes toward a partner.
Are there any techniques for increasing a partner’s understanding of the other partner’s automaticity in a close relationship so that they can become more in sync with each other? And honestly, should we even want this ability to see into each others’ spontaneous feelings?
I think whether we want to do this probably depends on what those feelings are, though you could argue that knowing how things are would be helpful regardless. If I know that you feel negatively, then that might help me be able to address the concerns. But I have to know.
We’ve been toying with mindfulness, and we’ve got a study going on right now. We believe that mindfulness can probably give people insight into their own feelings. Motivation can cut both ways. Sometimes it is very good to be motivated and see the bright side of everything, but if there is a critical problem that needs to be addressed, maybe we need to recognize it so we can address the problem.
We think that mindfulness, being present in the moment and accepting of our feelings, can probably give people a little more insight into their own feelings. I’m not sure whether that would help a partner quite as much as it helps a person recognize their own attitudes. Open dialogue and communication is probably one of the best ways for a partner to recognize one’s own feelings, and I would imagine that people who have a tendency to prevent their partners from expressing negativity will be unlikely to know their partners’ negative feelings. I think encouraging our partners to be open and honest, and not jumping down their throat if they say something that maybe hurts our feelings, can give us some insights into how they feel. If I completely shut my partner down, I am unlikely to know how my partner feels. The more open and accepting I am to whatever feelings they have, the more insight I’ll probably develop.
Given that many in Psi Chi’s audience are faculty and students, do you have any thoughts about automaticity with regard to mentor–mentee relationships? Do these relationships follow the same kind of principles?
I think so. I myself have been interested in studying romantic relationships, but I don’t think these processes are unique to romantic relationships. They are probably
the same in all relationships. Maybe the attitudes are stronger in romantic relationships. Maybe the links are stronger. But certainly we have automatic feelings toward everybody we encounter. The mentor and the mentee will both have their own feelings. One difference is that there is a power difference. Although there are power differences in some romantic relationships, two romantic partners might be more likely to feel free to talk to one another than two partners in a mentor–mentee relationship. Mentees probably feel pretty uncomfortable voicing their negative feelings.
Having studied the issue of who is aware of whose automatic feelings, I would think that mentors are likely less aware of the mentee’s attitudes. Mentees are probably a little more aware of the mentor’s attitudes, whatever those are. For example, if the mentor doesn’t like the mentee, the mentee is going to know it. But if the mentee doesn’t like the mentor, the mentor might not know it because—going back to that idea of open communication—mentees probably don’t feel so comfortable communicating their feelings. It is an interesting research question to look at power as a
moderator of whether people have insights into one another’s attitudes.
Do you have any tips for students who might want to become involved in research on topics like automaticity?
Most of the research on automaticity is going on in prejudice research, and I have a few collaborators who are trying to get more of this research going on in relationships. Probably the best way to get involved is to seek out people like myself and a few others who are doing work in relationships and automatic partner attitudes. The easiest access is probably just studying implicit processes generally.
James K. McNulty, PhD, is a professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. He received his PhD in social psychology from the University of Florida in 2001. Dr. McNulty’s research employs a combination of experimental, longitudinal, and observational methods to investigate the cognitive and behavioral predictors of relationship development, with an emphasis on intimate relationships. To date, he has published over 130 articles and received more than 2 million dollars in grant funding. Dr. McNulty is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.
Building Blocks in Well-Being:
Positive Emotion
Engagement & Flow
Relationships
Meaning & Purpose
Accomplishments
A PERMA+4 Interview With Stewart Donaldson, PhD
Physical Health
Growth Mindset
Environment
Economic Security
Elisabeth Barrett Psi Chi Headquarters
What if the secret to living a happier, more fulfilled life lies in a simple yet powerful framework that you can actively cultivate every day?
Dr. Stewart Donaldson, a leading expert in positive psychology, has spent decades researching and applying strategies to help people thrive—whether in the workplace, at home, or within themselves. Trained in organizational psychology and inspired by the groundbreaking work of Dr. Peter Drucker, Dr. Donaldson has not only shaped his own career but also played a pivotal role in developing the globally influential PERMA+4 model of well-being. This customizable roadmap to happiness includes eight core building blocks, from emotional health to economic security, offering individuals and organizations a way to nurture their potential and flourish in meaningful ways. Ready to dive in and discover how Dr. Donaldson’s work can help you live your best life? Let’s explore!
Meet Stewart Donaldson, PhD
Dr. Donaldson was trained in organizational psychology and evaluation science, and as a graduate student, studied with Peter Drucker, one of the founders of the field of management. Dr. Donaldson recalled Peter really emphasizing effective management and for leaders to learn to measure and evaluate their actions or effects. He took that to heart and developed his career measuring and evaluating efforts to improve people’s lives in order to help them be as successful as possible.
In the mid 2000s Dr. Donaldson began collaborating with Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi at Claremont Graduate University. “He had this vision,” Dr. Donaldson said, recalling their time together, “to create an environment where interested graduate students could study what he was calling at the time ‘positive psychology.’ He and I developed the first PhD program in positive psychology, as well as research masters.” Together, they began working with what they thought was going to be a fairly modest program, but it ultimately became one of the most popular programs at Claremont. For almost twenty years, they went around the world building research in positive psychology. Unfortunately, his friend and research partner, Csikszentmihalyi, passed
away during the pandemic. Reflecting on their partnership, Dr. Donaldson said, “The one thing that he really inspired me to do is not let our work drop, but to continue to help others flourish through positive psychology and train the next generation of positive psychologists.” Dr. Donaldson recently completed a new book called Flow 2.0 honoring Csikszentmihalyi’s legacy of both creating positive psychology and a concept of “engagement and flow” in the PERMA+4 building blocks for well-being.
A Customizable Roadmap for Happiness and Well-being?
Yes Please.
For decades, Dr. Donaldson has been studying well-being and positive optimal functioning. Around 1990, the original PERMA model was theorized by Martin Seligman, and Dr. Donaldson adopted its use in a variety of settings. PERMA stands for positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement; and as a model, it focuses on the application and success of each concept in one’s life. Dr. Donaldson says that PERMA is essentially a summary of the theory and empirical findings that have been developed in positive psychology. Below, he walks us through the PERMA building blocks.
Let’s Dive in!
Positive emotion: The use of positive emotions in PERMA is derived from psychologist, Barbara Fredrickson, who developed a theory called Broaden and Build. Broaden and Build highlights emotions like joy, gratitude, and love, emphasizing that the more of these emotions you have, the easier it is to offset a negative emotion. The original theory identified a ratio of three positive emotions to one negative emotion, though it is not precise. Dr. Donaldson has developed tools and techniques to help people reframe life events and circumstances, spending time working on their emotional health.
the ability to fully focus and engage. Dr. Donaldson highlights that being engaged in a task at hand gives you less time to be in other states he has identified as boredom and anxiety/ discomfort.
Relationships:
Relationships significantly affect our well-being and how well we function in life. Positive psychology has done a lot to figure out how to help people enhance their relationships at work, in friendships, and family by really stressing to nourish those relationships. Dr. Donaldson says this building block often tends to be strained.
Meaning and purpose:
Dr. Donaldson finds that everybody feels, or searches for, a meaning or purpose in their life. He identifies that individuals who struggle to feel and acknowledge theirs may not feel settled about why they are living where they are, doing what they are doing, etc. and are likely to struggle more with this building block than others.
Accomplishments:
People feel better when they have and achieve their goals. One of Dr. Donaldson’s favorite findings from a Gallup study is that people all around the world, including globally remote places, have shown a high positive correlation between your well-being (displaying positive emotion) and accomplishing something each day. If people aren’t learning or accomplishing, it is reflective in the well-being of their lives.
Engagement and flow:
Engagement and flow emphasizes how the importance of spending as much time as you can in a state of “flow,” or being fully present, and harnessing
But Wait, There’s More! +4
While applying PERMA in his research, Dr. Donaldson received feedback that the original five building blocks weren’t enough and participants felt that some critical building blocks were left out. So, his team began conducting research to attempt to understand which new building blocks were needed to help complete the model. They found four more to add, and this became PERMA+4:
Physical Health:
Dr. Donaldson highlights that everybody
has a personal range of physical health and what it means to them. He says that, to the extent you man age your life, they typically try to be at the upper end of their range, whether through proper diet, exercise, or sleep. Lifestyle, all around, is really important to your well-being and positive functioning. How you choose to stay on top of their range changes when they get older, or if they have a disability, etc. However, Dr. Donaldson notes that, although the way that you choose to stay on top of your health may look different, it is really important that you live the best life for your physical health as possible.
Mindset: Dr. Donaldson acknowledges that, from research, people with a “fixed mindset” don’t do or feel as well as people with what is considered a “growth mindset.” He has also found that people who are hopeful, resilient, optimistic, and have efficacy—known as psychological capital—tend to do and feel much better on a daily basis.
I don’t have time or energy to focus just on my engagement and emotions.’” This response calling for inclusivity inspired the adaption of economic security into PERMA+4.
But How Is This Measured?
The PERMA+4 model is meant to help people manage and develop their building blocks on a daily basis. However, Dr. Donaldson warns that this is not typically a linear process where the more of one thing you do, the better it gets, but rather that you have to continue to work at each of these components in your daily life over time to have a fully balanced life.
Environment: If one of your environments is strained, the tension overflows into all other areas; this can be your online environment, work environment, academic environment, home environment, physical neighborhood and surrounding, etc. If your environment is not conducive to the flourishing of your life, Dr. Donaldson recommends to try changing that environment and create one that supports you to help reach your potential.
Economic Security: Through communication with research participants in the search to open PERMA up for broader application of the general population, Dr. Donaldson shares a moment that really moved his team, saying, “One of the things that struck us with the original PERMA is that a lot of people would say, ‘Wow, this is great if you’re doing financially well in life and can think about your engagement and your emotions. But my life is about trying to put food on the table or finding a job.
PERMA+4, being culturally and ethnically translational, is also in different languages and countries across the world. However, to actually measure it, Dr. Donaldson stresses that you need to make sure that the instruments fit the present context and are culturally competent and sensitive. For example, he says certain items the instrument may ask in the United States can mean something completely different or irrelevant in Spain or Germany. But, overall, the concept of the nine building blocks translates in other cultures.
Dr. Donaldson and his research team developed and psychometrically tested a range of tools to measure different building blocks in PERMA+4. They have developed a large scale with 29 items, which focuses on the workplace (their most studied scale), and have also developed shorter scales, currently being in the process of developing a general PERMA+4 scale that you can use outside of your environment building block and work settings.
He shares an example of measuring the model with students, recalling the time he spent part of his sabbatical at Charles University in the Czech Republic in Prague. “My college,” he says, “wanted to change their whole approach to health and use PERMA+4 for their public health system. We decided to develop the project because they had a lot of interested university students in the Czech Republic. We built tools for each building block specialized for university students. The model we built and use measures different subcomponents of the building blocks, and people rate them in terms of how they’re doing, and then do activities to further build that rating. With relationships, for example, we would
ask someone to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how their relationship with their family is now that they’re away at college. A student might say, ‘Well, it’s kind of tense, a 3.’ Then we would ask something like how is it with the classmates in their program, or in their work environment if they’re working part-time. And for this testing model, we use a flower tool. By the time you go around all these different petals of a flower, you can see which ones are small and which ones are big. And then, you can start with identifying the small petals. In this example, we can see the student is having a rough time with their relationship with their parents, so we invite them to talk about it and provide activities to help them stay in touch.”
Further Research
Dr. Donaldson identifies Artificial Intelligence Coaching as one of the most powerful tools to help further the PERMA+4 model right now. His lab, which consists of numerous graduate students, built and are currently in the testing period with an AI model, which will allow people to interact with AI for help in figuring out how to enhance their building blocks with the goal of improving their lifestyle and maintain their PERMA+4 going forward. Although they are not to the stage where we the people can use this on a regular basis, they hope to see major improvements and application in the workplace, coaching space, and more with this model soon.
Applying PERMA+4 to Leadership Styles
There are many different theories and perspectives on leadership. Dr. Donaldson focuses specifically on the connection between a shared leadership style—where, as a leader, you create an environment where you give your followers voice and empowerment—and another form of leadership that comes out of positive psychology and PERMA+4, called positively energizing leadership.
Dr. Donaldson works with a company that does C-suite coaching across corporate America and firmly believes in using PERMA+4 in the leadership space, and that the leader is the person with the biggest opportunity to influence people’s PERMA+4. His scales look across companies to measure
their performance levels, and he has a model to help companies and leadership flourish in the PERMA+4 building blocks. He highlights that when you see your leader as somebody who has your best interests in mind, who sees their job as helping other people flourish and reach their potential, you have way more energy, excitement, and passion about your work and that you respect that person much more. Adopting and inspiring flourishing building blocks to PERMA+4 is critical for leaders reinforce a healthy, positive work environment. Otherwise, as Dr. Donaldson’s scales have found, there is an effect on people to the extent that they express they are only there for a paycheck, or until they can find another job.
He says that mapping out a whole organization, finding out where the positive relational energy is, and spreading that energy through the organization is a very effective technique for enhancing the performance and well-being of an organization’s culture. However, before sharing PERMA+4 in their organizational culture, the leader first has to understand what PERMA+4 is and work on their own PERMA+4 so they are in a good place with virtuous actions in mind. Simply put, they need to do the work first.
Dr. Donaldson’s model also offers an assessment where they take the pulse of
whichever department work group (whoever they are leading) is looking to improve to see how they are currently performing on PERMA+4, normally identifying a couple areas that can be improved fairly easily through either coaching or programming. In doing this, they make sure the leader or department’s followers have the support they need to develop whichever building blocks need work to perform and live at their potential. Dr. Donaldson’s coaches work on themselves first; and in his coaching company, they work with all these leaders and go through the process of developing their own well-being, and then move that out into their organizations.
In terms of responsibility, Dr. Donaldson says, “If we just want to take a straight line, everybody should strive to be their best self, and PERMA+4 is a great way to do it!”
Applying PERMA+4 to Dr. Donaldson Life as a Professor
Over his years of conducting studies and research, Dr. Donaldson has tried to apply and influence PERMA+4 into his own life, identifying that you don’t have to be a leader to help others flourish. With this philosophy, he has changed his role as a professor. Instead of structuring his class with the attitude of having knowledge that his students need to learn and be tested
on, and for them to be “smart enough” to receive a good and passing grade, he has shifted into focusing on simply helping his students succeed. Now, he wonders and reflects on what he can do in the 10 weeks he has with his students to help them flourish during his class and after. He says if somebody is much less well-prepared than somebody else, he doesn’t like hitting them with bad grades, but instead, he focuses on how he can help them feel and reach their potential. He sees the mission of positive psychology being to help people as much as possible, especially those suffering and struggling, and to use this knowledge to help them thrive.
Stewart I. Donaldson, PhD, is distinguished university professor and executive director of the Claremont Evaluation Center (CEC) and the Evaluators’ Institute (TEI) at Claremont Graduate University (CGU). He is the co-founder of the first PhD and research-focused master’s degree programs in positive psychology at CGU. Professor Donaldson serves on the Council of Advisors for the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and is president of the Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA). He has published hundreds of peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and evaluation reports, and more than 20 books on positive psychology and evaluation science topics. His latest books are FLOW 2.0: Optimal Experience in a Complex World. Honoring Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s Legacy (Wiley, 2025) and Well-Being and Success for University Students: Applying PERMA+4 (Routledge, 2024).
Public Health Intervention Through a Psychological Lens:
An Interview With Sarit Golub, PhD
Elisabeth Barrett Psi Chi Headquarters
What if the key to better healthcare isn’t just in medical treatments, but in understanding the psychology behind patient behavior? This interview with Dr. Sarit Golub explores the powerful role that psychology can play in public health, from improving patient engagement to overcoming barriers in HIV care and sexual health interventions. By focusing on the patients’ psychological experience, rather than just logistical solutions, providers can create more effective, compassionate healthcare strategies that truly make a difference. Dr. Golub provides a compelling case for why integrating psychology into healthcare isn’t just useful—it’s essential.
From Political Science to Social Psychology
Dr. Golub never thought or planned on getting a PhD, laughing about how, as a younger person in college, she thought PhDs were for “wonky people who just liked to read journal articles in bed and didn’t do real work in the world.” She has since come to terms with the fact that she, too, is now a person who likes to read journal articles in bed. And at the upcoming EPA Convention during her Psi Chi Distinguished Lecture, she is going to discuss the ways in which psychology research can make a real impact on the world. In her early studies, Dr. Golub wasn’t even a psychology major, but rather got her bachelor’s degree in political science from Yale.
Dr. Golub is a born and bred New Yorker and has had the distinction of working in all five boroughs of the city; her first job was working on Staten Island as a health educator in an adolescent sexual health clinic. Once she started doing that work, she felt like she wanted to do more program development and administration type work, which brought her back to school to get her master’s in public health at Columbia University in the department of Sociomedical Sciences, which is an integration of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. While getting her master’s, she also started working at the Mount Sinai AIDS Center. This was in 1997, and Dr. Golub discusses how there had been a tremendous change in AIDS care during this time because highly
active antiretroviral therapy (ART) first became available, being a complete game changer within HIV. Dr. Golub reflects on how they used to have staff meetings every week during which they would read the names of all of their patients who had died since the last staff meeting. She began to notice that those lists got shorter and shorter, and patients who had been in wheelchairs started walking again.
“It was tremendous,” Dr. Golub said, “but one of the real challenges was that we had these this amazing new biomedical intervention and a lot of our patients weren’t taking the pills in the way that they were prescribed. And the providers and doctors were like, ‘Why aren’t our patients doing this?’” So, for her master’s thesis, Dr. Golub did a series of focus groups with their patients and had one patient who
said something that changed her life. He told her that when it’s a beautiful day, the pills reminded him that he was sick and he didn’t take them because he didn’t want to think that way. And Dr. Golub realized that the issue at hand wasn’t a treatment problem or illness problem, but rather an identity problem; medication adherence was being treated within the healthcare system as a logistical issue when it was actually about the psychological experience. This epiphany helped inspire Dr. Golub to go back to school again for a PhD in social psychology from Harvard.
Dr. Golub really wanted to teach within the City University of New York (CUNY) system. She now works at Hunter College and feels lucky to have created a connection between public health, social psychology, and health psychology and
to be moving into the implementation science field. She would describe her work now to be all about trying to convince healthcare systems and healthcare providers that treatment, prevention, and implementation of public health interventions (e.g., vaccinations, roll outs of new treatments) needs to be treated as a psychological issue and not a logistical one and on how to bring methods, findings, concepts, and theories from psychology to bear on this process.
Bringing Methods and Theories From Psychology to Treat Issues
Through a lot of tenacity, Dr. Golub has established many collaborations with community-based organizations like the New York City and New York State Health Department and different hospitals across the city. She’s forged them primarily by going to people and implementers and asking what she can do to help and inquiring about different identifiable barriers they have in working with their patients or that exist in their
systems. Dr. Golub highlights that, rather than imposing her own theory through a “top-down” approach, her work involves talking to frontline implementers and learning what their challenges are so that she can use what she knows from her research to help.
Psychosocial Barriers
One of the most persistent pieces of misinformation within the public health field is that fear-based messaging is an effective motivator for individuals. While a lot of psychology research demonstrates that fear-based messaging can be effective, its impact lasts only for very short time periods and in very specific circumstances. For example, risk-based messaging engenders reactance because people want to get away from the fear. A lot of messaging is very risk-focused and fear-focused and, especially within the field of sexual health, this becomes incredibly stigmatizing. One of the other big components of Dr. Golub’s work applying a lot of these theories to the development of public health programs is having developed “the GOALS approach” to sexual history.
A sexual history is essentially a conversation between a patient and a doctor (or other type of provider) about the patient’s sexual health. American Medical Association guidelines recommend a sexual history at every visit, annual physical, or any visit a patient comes in with some type of sexual health concern. However, according to Dr. Golub, a lot of data demonstrates that healthcare providers rarely do sexual histories, or talk about sexuality with their patients at all. Even more data demonstrates that patients really want to talk to their providers, and yet many don’t speak up. Dr. Golub shares that one study found that 68% of patients said that they didn’t talk about their sexual history or sexuality due to fear of embarrassing their provider, not fear of their own embarrassment.
Dr. Golub shares her insight in why she believes a lot of the resistance to sexual health prevention interventions. She says, “It’s because we talk about them with patients as this scary, taboo thing. A lot of my work is on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, which is a medication that prevents HIV. When PrEP was first being rolled out, we told patients it’s for people who are at very high risk of
HIV; individuals who engage in a lot of high-risk behavior. As you can imagine, whether they do or not, people will react defensively, not seeing that ‘type of person’ as who they are.”
Dr. Golub believes there’s a tremendous amount of self-efficacy messaging that providers and systems can set up, though she emphasizes the importance of the two pieces of self-efficacy.
1. The first piece of self-efficacy is this idea that I’m confident that I can do this thing. I can engage in this behavior.
2. But the second part of self-advocacy is I also believe that if I do this thing, it’s going to have a positive impact on my life.
It’s critical to keep these two pieces in mind with messaging and framing. As opposed to the framing of “you better do this thing or else something terrible is going to happen to you,” which is in almost all of our messaging about any type of health intervention, the message should be “if you do this, you will be improving your health. If you do this, you will be taking control of your health. If you do this, you can do other things that you want to do because you won’t have to worry about your health.” Dr. Golub provides an example of this with sunscreen messaging, saying, “Nobody says to use sunscreen because it will enable you to be out on the beach for as long as you want. They say you better use sunscreen because if you don’t use sunscreen, you might get melanoma. But if you focus on the first statement, that simple change is so incredibly powerful.”
Dr. Golub dives further into deemphasizing fear-based messaging by focusing on self-efficacy and positive affect. Focusing on strategies for reducing reactance, framing what people understand in messaging, the way in which they are told about different interventions within a clinical setting are incredibly important. It’s even more critical to be aware of patients’ psychological experience as they move through a given environment. For example, Dr. Golub talks about the experience a woman who has had an abnormal mammogram and needs to follow up to get a biopsy may face. What would already be an incredibly stressful experience, it might be topped off with her having to call seven times before she gets through to a person, or maybe she needs to take time off work to attend their only
available appointment, or they schedule her appointment four weeks away and she’s spending all of that time terrified that she has breast cancer. It’s important to think about the ways in which the psychological and emotional impact of navigating our healthcare system exacerbates the health impacts. Dr. Golub emphasizes these impacts, saying “We know that stress impacts health and so how is our healthcare system in and of itself exacerbating stress that might be related to dealing with chronic illness or acute illness.”
As a Professor…
One of the real challenges that practitioners continue to face in HIV and sexual health, and in the United States’ healthcare system, in general, has to do with the incentive structure that focuses almost exclusively on medical and pharmaceutical intervention and not enough on behavioral social support and social determinants of health factors. It is Dr. Golub’s hope that psychologists and other behavioral scientists will advocate for a more holistic approach to healthcare that recognizes the logistical and financial issues faced by the healthcare system, which are actually public health issues in and of themselves; that quality of life and physical health of people in one’s country, in one’s city, in one’s state is experienced.
Dr. Golub highlights that, as a psychology professor, her biggest responsibility is to help her students in finding psychology to be an amazing discipline that can help students bridge theoretical theories, largescale concepts, and rigorous methods for real-world impact. She finds that psychology has a tremendous opportunity to make these links between these three things for her students. This is what she tries to do most within her psychology classes: to teach students about how some of the most important theories or constructs from psychology can be operationalized and rigorously studied in order to make a real-world impact, and prepare for their future.
One of the most important things you can do is work in the field. Dr. Golub says this to all of her undergraduates, feeling very strongly that you should not go to graduate school unless your employer or dream job will not let you do the job you want to do without that degree. And if you do choose to go to graduate school, you
should first have some type of experience or exposure to the type of work that you would do day-to-day within your career. Her most useful advice for individuals interested in a research- or practice-based career within public health is that they should take time to actually work in those settings. Working within public health settings and institutions where you might need to interact with patients would give folks incredible insight. There are logistical and psychological layers in navigating components of the healthcare system, which include the mental health care system, that place a psychological burden. Dr. Golub feels that streamlining logistical experiences for patients through psychological intervention, and keeping that front of mind, is incredibly important.
Sarit A. Golub, PhD, MPH (she/ her), is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Dr. Golub directs the Hunter Alliance for Research & Translation (HART), whose mission is to translate research findings into practical implications for service and advocacy organizations, accelerating the pace of equitable, just, empirically-based practice. She conducts NIH- and CDC-funded community-based implementation research and training in collaboration with health departments, training institutes, and capacity building programs across the United States
Chapter Activities Submission Guidelines
With more than 1,180 chapters, Psi Chi members can make a significant impact in their communities. Reviewing Chapter Activities in Eye on Psi Chi is a great way to find inspirational ideas for your chapter and keep in touch with your chapter after you graduate.
Activities are listed in the following categories:
• COMMUNITY SERVICE
• CONVENTION/CONFERENCE
• FUND-RAISING
• INDUCTION CEREMONY
• MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT
• RECRUITMENT
• SOCIAL EVENT
Share your chapter’s accomplishments with others in the next issue of Eye on Psi Chi! Chapter officers and advisors are encouraged to visit https://www.psichi.org/page/eye_activity
Submission deadlines*
Fall: June 30
Winter: September 30
Spring: December 15
Summer: February 28
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Fordham University-Lincoln Center (NY)
MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT: In summer 2024, outgoing President Maria Elisa Vannoni updated the chapter webpage In fall 2024, the chapter planned 12 activities for the Fordham community with new chapter president Jamilla Perez-Hosein. On October 8, the chapter hosted a forum on “International Social Psychology,” with Drs. Jason R. Young (Hunter), John T. Jost (NYU), Nélida Quintero (APA), and Harold Takooshian (Fordham).
MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT: On October 18, the chapter hosted the 41st annual Fordham Forum on Graduate
Admissions in Psychology, featuring seven experts: Dinesh Sharma, Dean James McCartin, Jamila Perez-Hosein, Harold Takooshian, Karen J. Sidelecki, Emily L. Merrinan, and Delasia Rice. On December 6, the chapter hosted a Law-Psychology forum on “The Challenge of Exoneree Reintegration,” with eight experts: Robert L. Emmons (Fordham), Deborah W. Denno (Fordham Law), Jeffrey Deskovic (President, Deskovic Foundation), Marina Sorochinski (St. John's University), Rafael Art Javier (St. John's University), Robert Majors (exoneree), Victoria Awadallah (intern), and Jorge Linares (paralegal). A video appears online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAV_uoL_XsI
INDUCTION CEREMONY: The chapter
held two inductions. On October 8, Psi Chi International President-Elect Dr. Jason R. Young delivered his message to incoming members of the Society, encouraging them to “get involved” in Psi Chi. On December 6, nine new members at the induction ceremony heard a message from Dr. Robert L. Emmons, who received the chapter’s Outstanding Contribution medal, after coteaching the Fordham Law-Psychology seminar since 1982 (42 years).
Union College (NY)
FUNDRAISER: On October 24, the chapter hosted a fundraiser by selling “Union Psychology” hats and stickers. The chapter eBoard conducted this event in the student center and received
(Right) On October 8, three international social psychologists at Fordham University-Lincoln Center (NY) (left to right): Drs. Jason R. Young, Nelida Quintero, and John T. Jost.
(Middle) On December 6, the Fordham UniversityLincoln Center (NY) Chapter hosted a forum on law and psychology.
(Bottom) On December 6, nine new members heard attorney Dr. Robert Emmons, who received the Fordham University-Lincoln Center (NY) Chapter’s Outstanding Contribution medal for 42 years of teaching Law-Psychology at Fordham.
ABBREVIATIONS
*Reports received (postmarked) after the deadline will appear in the next issue of Eye on Psi Chi
ACHS Association of College Honor Societies
APA American Psychological Association
APS Association for Psychological Science
EPA Eastern Psychological Association
MPA Midwestern Psychological Association
NEPA New England Psychological Association
RMPA Rocky Mountain Psychological Association
SEPA Southeastern Psychological Association
SWPA Southwestern Psychological Association
WPA Western Psychological Association
support from students both within and outside of the honor society.
University at Buffalo, SUNY (NY)
COMMUNITY SERVICE: To kick off the fall semester, the chapter held a school supply drive. The officers made announcements on social media, via campus flyers, and through requests to the undergraduate listserv. Several binders, notebooks, pens, pencils, markers, rulers, and more were collected and donated to a local elementary school in need.
MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT: The chapter held a “Not on the Syllabus” event where they invited a well-known professor in the department to share their story of how they decided to
pursue psychology as a career field. Dr. Wendy Quinton briefly shared her career journey to a room full of undergraduate students before opening it up to questions from the audience. Everyone found the talk to be very engaging and many lingered after to ask more questions!
SOCIAL EVENT: The chapter held a tote bag painting night at the end of the semester as a way to destress and relax before finals. Students were provided with free tote bags and painting materials to decorate the bags as they wish.
University of Pittsburgh (PA)
SOCIAL EVENT: The chapter sponsored a Halloween pumpkin painting event! Members were provided with a mini
pumpkin, paint supplies, pizza, and candy. Chapter members embraced their creativity and made incredible pumpkin creations!
MIDWEST
DePaul University (IL)
RECRUITMENT: To promote Psi Chi among DePaul University’s undergraduate psychology students, the chapter officers visited each introductory psychology course. Visits included a short speech about Psi Chi’s mission and upcoming events, and time for answering questions from interested students. These efforts paid off, evidenced by a large turnout at the chapter’s first events of the academic year and an increase in Psi Chi memberships.
MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT: The chapter hosted a graduate student panel, where six guest speakers answered questions from members. Topics such as the application and interview process, program fit and funding, challenges of beginning graduate school, and current experiences of being a graduate student were discussed. All speakers were current DePaul graduate psychology students, but they varied in program, specialization, and year in graduate school, giving members a wide range of perspectives.
Drury University (MO) COMMUNITY SERVICE: The chapter invited Pet Therapy of the Ozarks to campus to provide some much-needed stress relief for students before finals
event.
(Above left) One member’s fantastic creation at the University of Pittsburgh (PA) Chapter Halloween event!
(Above right) University of Pittsburgh (PA) Psi Chi members engaging with each other while painting and listening to Halloween tunes!
(Far left) University at Buffalo, SUNY (NY) Psi Chi vice-president Lowell Santoro flashing a “Go bulls!” sign to the camera at the chapter’s tote bag painting night.
(Left) Dr. Wendy Quinton, a clinical professor of psychology, presenting the story of her career journey to a full room at the University at Buffalo, SUNY (NY) Chapter’s "Not on the Syllabus” Psi Chi
week. Dozens of students enjoyed spending time with the dogs as the students arrived for evening dinner at the campus student center.
Lakehead University (Canada) INDUCTION CEREMONY: The chapter held its induction ceremony on April 5, 2024. This year they invited a guest speaker from the Northern Michigan University Psi Chi Chapter, Jon Barch, PhD. The title of his fascinating talk was, “Ego Involvement and Intrinsic Motivation: Threats to Perceived Competence Enhance Neural Reward Processing During Interpersonal Competition, But Thwart It When Competition Has Ended.” Several of his chapter’s members accompanied him. They were given a tour around a few of the psychology laboratories where they
got to see some of the research that goes on at Lakehead.
SOCIAL EVENT: On September 14, the chapter hosted its annual Psych Hike at the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Students who signed up got to tag along with Psi Chi and a psychology faculty guide to hike the park’s beautiful Lehtinen’s Bay trail. The hike was about 4 hours long, and there was a break for lunch at Tee Harbour. Those who attended had a wonderful time spending the afternoon in nature and connecting with others from their program.
Northwest Missouri State University
COMMUNITY SERVICE: On November 2, the chapter sponsored a community service event at the New Nodaway Humane Society. The chapter was able to
donate leftover dog treats from a previous event held by the chapter and were able to play with the dogs and cats there.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Adams State University (CO)
SOCIAL EVENT: The chapter and Psychology Club went to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Students experienced immersive art installations at Meow Wolf that illustrate principles of sensation and perception. Students were encouraged to reflect on how humans interpret the world. The trip also allowed students to reflect on art therapy and experience how interacting with art can help relieve stress and increase creativity.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityPrescott (AR)
FUNDRAISER: The chapter hosted a fundraiser for National Suicide Prevention Month. This event occurred in September, and the students and faculty raised $320 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in just 4 hours. Additionally, this event was a collaboration with the Counseling Center on campus. A counselor stationed the table every hour to provide mental health resources to students. The chapter is excited to make this an annual event that lasts multiple days.
COMMUNITY SERVICE: The chapter volunteered at a local mental event called "Art with Lived Experience for Polara Health." The mental health service showcased clients’ art as their
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Missouri State University Chapter feeding cats some treats.
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member of the Northwest Missouri State University Chapter walking Jane.
member of the Northwest
Far right) Adri Weber and Hemi at Drury University (MO) Chapter’s Pet Therapy event.
(Bottom left) A member of the Northwest Missouri State University Chapter walking Emma.
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personal narratives came to life. The chapter members were responsible for setting up 60+ pieces of art with Polara Health staff, ran the silent auction, and greeted people at the doors of the event.
MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT: The chapter hosted a beneficial speaking event with Jennifer Ingraham, the Career Services Counselor for the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Global Security and Intelligence at ERAU-Prescott. This event was in collaboration with Delta Delta Epsilon-Beta Eta Chapter, which is the Forensic Honors Society on campus. Members from both societies engaged in conversations about internships, career options, and interview techniques and skills that they will use in their future endeavors.
SOUTHEAST
Asbury University (KY)
CONVENTION/CONFERENCE: Students on the Psi Chi leadership board hosted a mental health conference titled “Wholeness in Christ: Mental Health Integration in the Church.” Several speakers presented on different topics of psychology and how the church can help those struggling with mental health. Pastors, students, and people within the community came to the event, making it the first successful psychology conference at Asbury University that will hopefully lead to others in the future. Mental health discussions are important, and the students worked hard to provide a
platform for the local community to be involved in these discussions.
Georgia Gwinnett College
SOCIAL EVENT: "Let’s 'Chalk' About It" is the first in a series of artistic events focused on giving students a creative outlet and safe environment to discuss mental health. Specifically as September is Suicide Awareness Month, the chapter focused on suicide warning signs and ways to offer support. Students and faculty came out to show support, engage in discussions about mental health, share positivity, and leave their beautiful mark on GGC’s campus.
Lynn University (FL)
SOCIAL EVENT: On November 2, the
chapter participated in the National Alliance on Mental Illness Walk in Palm Beach at John Prince Park. During this, Psi Chi members helped to promote awareness of mental health and to reduce the stigma that goes along with it. This was a great opportunity to get some bonding time, and come together as a team to help advocate for mental health.
MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT: On November 20, the chapter hosted a Psychology Panel. During this, students majoring or minoring in psychology were able to gather knowledge and different experiences from five different psychologists in different fields. Their five panelists were Drs. Rebecca Elman (child/school psychology), Brandon
(Top lower) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University- Prescott (AR) Chapter’s donation for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
(Far left) Adams State University (CO) students at Meow Wolf.
(Top center) Asbury University (KY) Chapter’s Wholeness in Christ Conference Poster.
(Top right) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University- Prescott (AR) Resource/Donation Table for the National Suicide Prevention Month Event.
(Left) Pastor Jason Duncan presenting at Asbury University (KY) Chapter’s conference.
McCray (industrial and organizational psychology), Laurence Miller (forensic psychology), Antonio Rotondo (clinical neuropsychology), and Richard Trammel (sports psychology).
SOCIAL EVENT: On December 8, the chapter hosted its first Holiday Dinner Party. Members and officers came together and ate delicious food while sitting together and laughing about memories with each other. After, they played a game that allowed them to grow a stronger bond and become more comfortable with each other.
Southern Adventist University (TN)
COMMUNITY SERVICE: This December, the chapter partnered with the Adventist Peace Fellowship to host a holiday letter drive in support of the
(Below
(Below
Last Prisoner Project. Members and students were invited to write holiday letters to incarcerated individuals who are serving sentences for nonviolent marijuana crimes. The chapter provided snacks, drinks, and all the letter-making supplies you could think of! A total of 90 letters were written and sent out to individuals through the Last Prisoner Project.
West Virginia University
COMMUNITY SERVICE: Psi Chi and Psychology Club participated in a breast cancer awareness walk in October.
FUNDRAISER: The chapter held numerous pizza sales in the psychology building. All sales were successful and helped raise money.
MEETING/SPEAKER EVENT: At the last meeting, the chapter hosted a panel with professors and graduate students to talk about their research lab and how to get involved. Everyone had lots of questions, and it went very well!
SOUTHWEST
Baylor University (TX)
SOCIAL EVENT: The chapter collaborated with Active Minds (a national organization focused on spreading education and awareness of mental health issues that affect college students) and Psychology Club (non-honors psychology majors chapter) to host a “Stress-Less” movie and yard games night. The purpose of the Stress-Less night was to encourage members to take time off from studying
and enjoy a movie night in community during midterm season. At the event, members were offered free pizza, popcorn, and sodas and watched Inside Out 2. Members were also registered for a raffle for free skin care products from Murad skincare.
Houston Christian University (TX)
INDUCTION CEREMONY: The chapter celebrated an induction ceremony. Many new members received membership certificates from the chapter president and vice-president for their hard work as psychology students in undergraduate and graduate programs. The chapter president successfully coordinated the event to run smoothly. In particular, she ensured there were enough tables and chairs, functioning technology, and
(Right) Students and faculty engaging with Georgia Gwinnett College Psi Chi by drawing together and conversing with one another regarding mental health and support.
left) Georgia Gwinnett College Psi Chi logo done in chalk.
right) Chalk artwork by Georgia Gwinnett College student promoting suicide awareness and peer support.
formal speeches provided by the chapter officers. Current members volunteered to set up the event. The social media chair also created a formal invitation flyer sent via mass email before the event.
RECRUITMENT: The chapter attended a Student Organization Fair to recruit undergraduate students on campus by discussing how to apply for membership, eligibility criteria, and potential benefits. Members also met incoming students majoring in psychology who recently received an orientation. It was an effective way to introduce Psi Chi to prospective members.
COMMUNITY SERVICE: The chapter had the opportunity to bring holiday cheer to children receiving treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Members volunteered at KPRC Houston Studios
to decorate festive Christmas trees with ornaments and toys to support Harrison’s Heroes nonprofit organization.
Texas A&M University-Central Texas COMMUNITY SERVICE: The chapter played an important role in helping graduate student Ashley Haisler organize a donation drive for hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina. Recognizing the urgent need for support, Psi Chi collaborated with the campus community to collect essential items such as food, clothing, and hygiene supplies. Chapter members, like Grace Smith and Jenna Solio, helped by spreading awareness, coordinating logistics, and encouraging student, faculty, and staff participation. Through their collective efforts,
Psi Chi contributed to a vital cause and demonstrated the power of community engagement, compassion, and the importance of helping those in need.
SOCIAL EVENT: The chapter made significant impacts by organizing booths for events like Warrior Preview Day (which allowed prospective students to explore campus, interact with faculty, and engage with academic programs) and Warrior Wonderland (which fostered a sense of community and promoted student recruitment). The chapter partnered with Raising Cane for a fundraising event, where some sales supported the chapter’s initiatives. The chapter also cohosted a student research symposium where students could present research they had been working
on. These collaborations strengthened connections between the chapter, students, and the broader community, enriching the campus experience.
RECRUITMENT: The chapter collaborated with the Psychology Club to strengthen the impact on campus. By joining forces, the two organizations combined resources and expertise to host educational events, workshops, and social activities that enriched the student experience. This partnership creates a supportive community for psychology majors and provides professional development, networking, and academic growth opportunities. Psi Chi and the Psychology Club enhance the campus environment by encouraging student involvement and building lasting connections among students and faculty.
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(Below left) Lynn University (FL) Chapter’s Psychology Panel (from left to right): Brandy Whitford (chapter president and event moderator), Dr. Rebecca Elman, Dr. Brandon McCray, Dr. Laurence Miller, Dr. Antonio Rotondo, and Dr. Richard Trammel
(Below right) Lynn University (FL) Chapter’s holiday party (from left to right): Tali Ghelier, Katha Ambegaonkar, Alex Hay, Ezinia Leveroni-Johnston, Cecelia Hadges, Bailey Andrew, Jordan Furstenberg, Brandy Whitford, Sawyer Henrich, Jenna Rotelli, and Sarah Smith.
(Left) Lynn University (FL) Psi Chi members
top to bottom, left to right): Garrett Burdette, Robert Riedel, Jenna Rotelli, Sarah Smith, Vishwa Shukla, Cristianna Marinakys, Alex Hay, Sofia Curiel, Claire Livaditis, Sawyer Henrich, Pelo Zinyana, Cecelia Hadges, and Brandy Whitford.
(Far right) Chapter members at Southern Adventist University (TN) writing and decorating letters to individuals through the Last Prisoner Project.
(Center left) Baylor University (TX) Psi Chi “Stress-Less” Movie Night.
(Center right) Southern Adventist University (TN) Chapter members and students at the holiday letter drive.
(Below left) KPRC Houston Studios Christmas Volunteering Event with Houston Christian University (TX)
(Right) Jacob Simmons, a Southern Adventist University (TN) student, and his completed letter to his new pen pal.
(Below right) Houston Christian University (TX) Chapter Recruitment at Student Organization Fair.
(Top left) Texas A&M University-Central Texas members (from left to right): Psi Chi Public relations officer Grace Smith, Psi Chi undergraduate Jenna Solio, and Psi Chi graduate Ashley Haisler working to put together boxes to collect donations for hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina.
(Top right) Psi Chi chapter president Amanda Sawyer recruiting new members and offering insight for perspective to Texas A&M University-Central Texas psychology students.
(Left) Houston Christian University (TX) Chapter Induction Ceremony.
(Below) Texas A&M University-Central Texas (from left to right): Psi Chi treasurer Marshall Trubee, Psi Chi undergraduate member Jazzmine Salazar, Psi Chi social media officer Ariana Guadalupe Espinosa Grimaldo, and Psychology Club president Tyler Stafford holding signs for their Raising Cane’s fundraiser.
SENIORS!
Did you know Psi Chi offers graduation regalia like our new Single Honor Cords, which feature a special charm on one tassel? Honor Stoles, Medallions, Lapel Pins, and Certificate Holders are also available. Order today!
