Originally published: . Volume 8, No. 7. Source pages: 10.
Philip Richard III, of Louisiana State University, was named the first place winner in the graduate research poster competition at the 2017 Annual Conference of the Louisiana Psychological Association held last month in New Orleans. Richard’s research involved “Video Based Interventions: Teaching Children with Autism,” and was co- authored with George Noell, PhD, LSU.
First place in the undergraduate poster research presentation went to Scout Savoy from Southeastern Louisiana University for “Relationship Between Humor, Adjustment to College and Resilience.” Savoy’s co-authors were Anna Crawford, Olivia Moreno, and Susan Coats, PhD. “This study was done to evaluate the relationship between humor, college adjustment, and resilience. Main findings appear to show that humor does not mitigate negative feelings or worry but may bolster positive feelings. Resilience in general is strongly related to college adjustment.”
Diana A. Hobbs of the University of New Orleans was honored with the second place award in the graduate division for her work, “Reduced parahippocampal morphometry is associated with deficient working memory in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.” Co-authors included David Stephenson, Ashley Sanders, and UNO faculty Dr. Elliott A. Beaton.
Two second place honors for undergraduate research were awarded. David Stephenson Jr., from the University of New Orleans, earned the honor for “A new method for measuring cerebellar volume in children with complex neurodevelop- mental disorders.” Co-authors were Alexis Daigle, Blake Manale, Michael Medina, Diana Hobbs, Ashley Sanders, and faculty Dr. Elliott Beaton. Also at the conference from UNO were Jasmine Mobley, Blake Manale and Diana Hobbs who presented their own research.
Katie Granier, from Nicholls State University, took home a second place for “Story Recall Normative Update,” with co- authors Alyse Blanchard, PhD, and Chris Rachal, PhD, MP, from Nicholls State University.
The Story Recall Test is an established measure of verbal memory utilized in the assessment of neuropsychological patients and in this study, novel data was being collected to update the outdated norms.
Other presenters at the poster conference were Aaron Mauch from Louisiana Tech University, who reported on “Resilience as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Symptomology and Academic Self-Efficacy in College Students.”
Presenting from Louisiana Tech were Michael Garza and Nathalie Campsen.
Kasia Plessy from Louisiana State University presented, “Perceptions of Discipline Among Black and White Families,” with co-authors Ashley Galsky, Anna J. Long, PhD., and Mary Lou Kelley, PhD, all from Louisiana State University.
Sarah Pardue from Southeastern Louisiana University presented, “The Interactive Effects of Sex and Gender-typed Play on Children's Social Skills.”
LaJae Coleman, with co- authors Kortney Wooten and Darlyne Nemeth of the Neuropsychology Center of Louisiana, presented, “Preparing Collegiate Administrators to Better Cope with the Current Academic Climate.” Wooten also presented her research.
Ashley Galsky from Louisiana State University, presented, “Perceived Social Support as a Moderator of Anxiety and Depression in Bullied Adolescents.”
Patricka James from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with co-authors Michael McDermott, PhD and Emily K. Sandoz, PhD, presented, “Examining the Mediating Role of Body Image Avoidance and Psychological Flexibility.”
Also presenting from University of Lafayette were Dylan Harrell, Audra Jensen, Stevie Breaux, and Taylor Hebert.
Megan Jenkins and Sarah Ford, from Southeastern Louisiana University, also presented at the conference.
The 2017 scientific poster session was organized by Ashley Jefferson, PsyD, currently co-chair of the Louisiana Psychological Association Committee for Early Career Psychologists. Dr. Jefferson is employed with the Louisiana Department of Health [LDH] in the Office of Behavioral Health [OBH] agency.
She has worked with several populations including individuals identified as having severe mental illness, exposure to traumatic stressors, and marginalized and disenfranchised histories. Dr. Jefferson resides in the Baton Rouge area.
Scout Savoy, from Southeastern Louisiana University his research poster “Relationship Between Humor, Adjustment to College and Resilience.” Co-authors were Anna Crawford, Olivia Moreno, and Susan Coats, PhD. Savoy won first place at the LPA session in the undergraduate division. (Courtesy photo.)
Dr. Ashley Jefferson (R) congratulates Katie Granier from Nicholls on her second place showing in the scientific poster competition at the recent conference. Jefferson chaired the event which hosted a variety of researchers from around the state.
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