Applying Psychological Science, Benefiting Society
By Melba J. T. Vasquez, PhD, ABPP (Past-President, American Psychological Association – 2011) When you think of the psychological harm that incarceration can cause, what is the first picture that comes to mind? Did you think about an 11-year-old boy who began to wet his bed after being held in a detention facility with his […]
This article is cross-posted from the May 2015 issue of the APA newsletter “In the Public Interest”. By Victoria Kontor (Class of 2015, George Washington University) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines the act of sexual assault as encompassing a broad spectrum of behaviors, such as physical force, verbal abuse, drug-facilitated assault, and any […]
Last year, APA celebrated its Congressional Fellowship Program’s 40 years of success on Capitol Hill. The article below by a former APA Congressional Fellow highlights the contribution of psychologists to public policy and of the Fellowship experience to Fellows’ professional development. Heather E. Bullock, PhD (Professor of Psychology, University of California – Santa Cruz) As we approach […]
By Roberta Downing, PhD (Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, APA Public Interest Directorate – Government Relations Office) Have you ever had to work even though you had a cold or the flu because you couldn’t afford to lose a day’s pay? Or have you ever missed work to care for a sick child and then […]
By Sherryl Heller, PhD (Associate Professor, Tulane University School of Medicine) and Allison Boothe, PhD (Assistant Professor, Tulane University School of Medicine) Preschool expulsion is both detrimental and prevalent. The good news is that we can prevent preschool expulsion through a process called early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC). Now the question becomes “How do […]
By Shantel Meek, PhD (Policy Advisor for Early Childhood Development, Administration for Children and Families) Psychologists, neuroscientists and economists alike agree: The beginning years of any child’s life are critical for building the early foundation of health and wellness needed for success in school and later in life. As a community, we hold the responsibility […]
By Roberta Downing, PhD (Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, APA Public Interest Directorate – Government Relations Office) We are at risk of losing crucial data about some of the poorest, most vulnerable families in America. A new interpretation of a budget rule ended research funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and […]
By Melba J. T. Vasquez, PhD, ABPP (2011 Past-President of the American Psychological Association) “You must speak up, you must speak out, you must get in the way.” These were the impassioned words spoken by Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) after receiving a Presidential Citation from APA President Nadine Kaslow, PhD, urging psychologists to become involved in […]
This post continues our new blog series on poverty. As our nation reflects on its progress in fighting poverty over the last 50 years, this blog series will highlight how psychology can contribute further to this discussion. By Lisa A. Gennetian, PhD (Senior Researcher at National Bureau of Economic Research & Associate Research Scientist at NYU’s […]
This post continues our new blog series on poverty. As our nation reflects on its progress in fighting poverty over the last 50 years, this blog series will highlight how psychology can contribute further to this discussion. By Roseanne L. Flores, PhD – (Member, APA Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education) In 2012, over 16 million children – […]
Psychology Benefits Society 