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September 28, 2022
Title of talk: Sexual minority women’s risk of alcohol use disorder and comorbid mental health issues: Advances in treatment and implementation science.

Abstract: Sexual minority women (SMW; e.g., lesbian, bisexual, queer) report elevated rates of violence, alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related harm, such as mortality, and mental health comorbidities (e.g., PTSD, depression) compared to heterosexual women. This talk positions SMW’s increased risk of violence (e.g., childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence) and related mental and behavioral health outcomes within the context of societal and systemic stigma and ongoing inadequate social safety. The talk will also present a model for understanding SMW’s stress response and discuss how some SMW may be more susceptible to stress sensitization due to having multiple minoritized identities (e.g., SMW of color, SMW living in low-resource settings). The talk will conclude with a discussion on implications for the development and implementation of evidence-based clinical interventions for SMW who experience violence, such as cognitive-behavioral interventions to reduce comorbid PTSD and alcohol use disorder.

Speaker:
Jillian R. Scheer, PhD
Cobb-Jones Professor of Clinical Psychology
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology
Syracuse University

October 26, 2022
Title of Talk: Multilevel Stigma and Its Implications for Applied Psychology

Abstract: Dr. Maggi A. Price is an applied psychology researcher, counseling psychologist, and an Assistant Professor at Boston College. She studies stigma as a critical driver of mental health inequities. Dr. Price’s presentation will introduce and define multi-level stigma (internalized, interpersonal, and structural) and review studies outlining its association with mental health in youth. She will then present findings from her innovative spatial meta-analytic studies examining whether racism and sexism are associated with worse psychotherapy efficacy for girls (Price et al., 2021) and Black youth (Price et al., 2022), respectively. Dr. Price will conclude by discussing implications for future research in youth psychology (Price & Hollinsaid, 2022) with an emphasis on multilevel structural interventions, which she will illustrate using two ongoing studies targeting mental health inequities in transgender youth.

Speaker:
Dr. Maggi A. Price (she/her/hers)
Assistant Professor at Boston College
School of Social Work, Psychology Associate at Harvard University

November 23, 2022
Title of Talk: Executive Functions and Mathematics Learning Difficulties: Testing Competing Theories

Abstract: There is a well-established relationship between executive functions and mathematics skills, though the nature of the relationship between these variables is unclear. The current study explored the relations between executive functions and mathematics skills in elementary school children who have mathematics learning difficulties (MLD) or both an MLD and reading difficulty. To this end, children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K) were assessed on working memory, cognitive flexibility, mathematics skills, and reading skills. We also controlled for whether children had an IEP. Findings contribute to ongoing theoretical debates about the role of executive function in mathematics learning, skill development, and individual differences.

Speaker:
Dr. Dana Miller-Cotto
Assistant Professor of Psych Science at Kent State University.

December 7, 2022
Title of talk: Environmental influences on brain development and plasticity

Abstract: How do children’s experiences influence neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change? During development, maturational processes including myelination and inhibition stabilize synaptic connections, cementing knowledge and skills. Even once brakes on plasticity are in place, brains retain mechanisms to boost plasticity when learning is essential. Modulatory neurotransmitters, including dopamine, can signal that current neural configurations are a poor match for new inputs. My research program examines how early life experiences influence maturation and motivation, and their consequences for learning. I will present our lab’s work on how brain structure and function change through childhood, and how the pace of maturation of the brain and the body vary as a function of early life stress. I will also share work on how early experiences shape motivation systems in the brain, and motivational behaviors. I will close with a discussion on how these lines of work can inform the type and timing of educational interventions.

Speaker:
Allyson Mackey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania

January 25, 2023
Title of talk: Playful STEM Learning in the School Yard and Community Spaces

Abstract:
Children learn best in active, engaged, meaningful, and socially interactive settings, making play an ideal context for learning. This presentation will share findings and future directions from a series of projects that use developmental science to infuse everyday spaces (e.g., bus-stops, grocery stores, school yards) with playful STEM learning opportunities. Findings will focus on caregiver-child conversation, interaction, and STEM learning. The presentation will also emphasize co-design strategies that invite local community members to become design partners, so installations reflect community values, strengths, and learning goals. The objective of these projects is to create scalable informal STEM learning installations in the places and spaces that children and families already spend time.

Speaker:
Dr. Andres Sebastian Bustamante

February 15, 2023
Title of talk: Overcoming the Streetlight Effect: Shining Light on Under-Represented Skills of Human Development in Early Childhood

Abstract:
Developmental psychology has a rich history of studying a wide range of skills that young children need for healthy development across the life course. Nevertheless, evaluations of early childhood programs and policies have focused narrowly on a set of outcome measures that by and large do not reflect these competencies. In this session, we will explore this “streetlight effect” of early childhood research and its implications for the advancement of both science and practice. We will also describe initial findings from a project aimed at identifying an alternative set of fundamental, active, cross-cutting, and developmentally salient skills that we argue should be prioritized as targets of future intervention during the preschool period (i.e., between ages 3-5 years). These so-called "foundational skills" include both well-studied and emerging constructs such as curiosity, creativity, self-regulation and executive function, and internal representations of self. We will review research regarding a preliminary set of foundational skills, highlighting evidence for their malleability, measurability, predictive validity, and universality as a means to better understand their potential as more practical, effective, and inclusive targets of contemporary early childhood programs and policies.

Speaker:
Dr. Dana Charles McCoy

March 22, 2023
Title of talk: Doing Anti-Racism in Psychological Science and Practice: Addressing the Why’s and How’s

Abstract:
Anti-Racism has been described as "identifying, challenging and changing the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate racism”. As such this presentation will discuss elements of anti-racist practice in psychological research and practice. Attention will be drawn to the role of investigator/clinician subjectivity and the decolonization of theoretical frameworks. Additionally, specific approaches and interventions designed to enact anti-racist practice will be presented.

Speaker:
Dr. Alex L. Pieterse

April 19, 2023
Title of talk: It takes more than a whole village: Lessons learned from creating and sustaining university-community partnerships

Abstract:
What are the most important things to consider when you want to start a partnership with in a school or community? What structures are needed? How can you engage effectively in and involve the community? Learn and discuss these and other related topics with Nicole Patton Terry, who has launched two research-practice partnerships in two separate universities. She will discuss these partnerships, lessons learned about creating and sustaining them, and important considerations for faculty in research universities.

Speaker:
Dr. Nicole Patton -Terry