Article archive / December 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 4, No. 4. Source pages: 11.
Researchers from the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) launched an effort to better understand the needs of academic psychologists and students of psychology last month in collaboration with members of the Louisiana Psychological Association (LPA).
Sponsor and coauthor, Dr. Karen Kopera-Frye, the Joseph A. Biedenharn Endowed Chair in Gerontology at ULM, and principal author Ms. Janease Traylor, graduate student in psychology from the ULM Department of Behavioral Sciences, conducted the first steps to begin to understand the views of the academic psychology community.
Other coauthors include Ms. Sandra Dillion from ULM, Dr. Bill McCown, Interim Provost at ULM, Dr. Susan Dardard, Membership Chair of LPA, and Dr. Gail Gillespie,LPA member .
The group worked to develop and administer a survey to academic psychologists and psychology students, as well as potential members of LPA.
The survey went out to 274 people in five schools around the state, and asked for opinions about what matters are most important to the respondents. Views about LPA were included. Sixty- one individuals completed the survey so far.
“It was enough for us to get a snap shot,” Dr. Kopera-Frye told the Times. “I consider it a first step,” she said. Authors indicated that the response rate might have been higher at a less busy time in the semester.
Despite the return rate, the authors noted in a proposal to the American Psychological Association, (APA), “ … some noteworthy themes emerged from our survey results.”
Initial findings suggested that Continuing Education and Peer Communications are important organizational activities for respondents.
“Concerns and interests varied greatly between students and professors,” authors noted. “Student major concerns included: Needing more training, limited knowledge of the organization [LPA], and a strong need for mentoring.”
Psychology professors reported a need for more “research forums” and “enhanced public relations.”
In an interview with Ms. Traylor and Dr. Kopera- Frye, the ULM researchers indicated that they will be looking for a greater response rate in the next steps.
“We are going to recruit the 75 percent that didn’t answer the survey,” said Dr. Kopera-Frye. “We need more responses.”
Sandra Dillion will be working to revise the introduction and examine other matters that help to gather the views of the original sample, they explained.
While 75 percent of those responding indicated having a “fair” opinion of LPA, Dr. Kopera-Frye told the Times that there seemed to be many who had no information at all about the organization.
Some of those academic psychologists responding said that LPA isn’t focused on or concerned with academic psychologists.
Dr. Kopera-Frye is Professor and interim head of the ULM Department of Gerontology, Sociology, and Political Science, the Endowed Chair, and a project leader in a coordinated research effort with Pennington Biomedical, among her many responsibilities. She obtained her PhD in developmental psychology from Wayne State University and has worked in health promotion programming including Statewide and Northern Nevada Planning Committees with Washoe County Department of Public Health, and Washoe County Senior Services. She has developed culture preservation initiatives with Native American tribes.
Recently Dr. Kopera-Frye was asked to participate in the APA’s Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology.
Janease Traylor is currently a masters graduate student at ULM pursuing a MS degree in Psychology, emphasis in Psychometrics. She is a teaching assistant in the Psychology Department under the supervision of Dr. Barbara Cottingham and Dr. Veronica Lewis, and a salaried intern for the Pennington Biomedical Research Institute in the “LABrainS” project.
Sandra Dillion is a Graduate Research Assistant working with Dr. Frye, and in her last year of masters study in the Department of Gerontology. She will intern in a long-term care facility next semester. Her professional goal is to become a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. She was a math elementary school teacher prior to being admitted to graduate study in Gerontology.
Dr. Karen Kopera-Frye (Courtesy photos) Janese Traylor
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