Psychological scientists from Louisiana joined the nearly 1500 researchers that came together in Brussels, Belgium for the 2023 International Convention of Psychological Science. Organized as a branch of the Association for Psychological Science, researchers from Louisiana contributed to the 70 countries and six continents that were represented at this year’s event, held March 9 to 11.
Hung-Chu Lin and co-authors Manyu Li, Amy L. Brown, and Paula Zeanah, all from University of Louisiana at Lafayette, presented “Sexual Wellbeing: The Pathway from Childhood Adversity Via Cognitive-Emotional Functioning. According to the abstract: Multidimensional nature of sexual wellbeing (SWB) was examined for its latent indicators including sexual self-esteem, comfort with sexual consent, and sexual self-efficacy. Structural equation modeling revealed an indirect pathway from childhood adversity to SWB via current cognitive-emotional functioning (CEF), suggesting that enhancing current CEF as a means for improving SWB.
Hung-Chu Lin from University of Louisiana Lafayette, presented “Temporal Relations of Perception and Emotions in Response to Infant Crying: Observations Nested within Subjects.”
From the abstract: Using a digitally edited 4-minute-long cry bout of a 4-week-old male infant as the stimulus, this study described within-subject sequential relations of cry perception, empathic concern, and personal distress across time. The findings underscore mutual influences and shed light on the dynamic and complex nature of responding to infant crying.
Julia D. Buckner, Caroline Scherzer and Paige Morris, all from Louisiana State University, along with Andrew H. Rogers and Michael J Zvolensky from University of Houston, presented “Sex Differences in Opioid Misuse Among Adults with Chronic Lower Back Pain: The Impact of Negative Affect and Opioid-Use Motives. The abstract noted: Among 207 adults with chronic lower back pain who use opioids, men endorsed more anxiety, depression, opioid misuse, and enhancement, coping, and social motives than women. Men endorsed more severe opioid misuse via the serial effects of anxiety and these motives and depression and coping (not
enhancement, social) motives.
Faith Stoneking and Julia D. Buckner from Louisiana State University presented, “Social Anxiety and Cannabis Use: The Impact of Body Dissatisfaction.” The abstract noted: Among 252 adults reporting current cannabis use, social anxiety was significantly correlated with more cannabis problems and body dissatisfaction. The relationship between social anxiety and cannabis problems was moderated by body dissatisfaction such that social anxiety was only related to more cannabis problems at higher levels among men and women.
Hillary Colleen Sinclair, Jonathan Yevuyibor, Shriya Thakkar, Kristina Little and Andrew Burns, all from Louisiana State University, presented, “ ‘That’s Just the Way It Is:’ Understanding Obstacles and Facilitators in Interventions to Reduce Underage Drinking in Louisiana.” From the abstract: We conducted 5 focus groups with Louisiana Coalitions overseeing underage drinking interventions. Coalitions identified enduring cultural factors as their primary obstacle to effectively reducing underage drinking. Conversely, intervention team diversity was credited for intervention successes. COVID was a challenge but also an opportunity to enhance group resilience and innovation.
Colleen Sinclair from Louisiana State University and Sydney Wicks from University of Mississippi presented “Refining the Enemy Impact Inventory Scale: Integrating Ostracism Detection Theory to Better Understand the Impact of Enemy Relationships.” Their abstract noted: Research has examined the influence of friendships on well-being. Less is known about the impact of enemyships. The present study focused on integrating Ostracism Detection Theory in the development of the Enemy Impact Inventory- Revised and establishing the reliability and validity of the scale.
The Times talked with Dr. Hung-Chu Lin about attending the event. She is Professor, Department of Psychology and Chair, the Institutional Review Board, SLEMCO/LEQSF Regents Endowed Professor in Liberal Arts, at University of Louisiana Lafayette.
“It was an amazing experience,” Dr. Lin said. “Meeting and interacting with European scholars was incredibly enriching and left me feeling inspired and energized. As always, attending an international conference like this one offers the opportunity to network with international scholars and the chance to learn from different cultural and societal contexts that enrich and broaden my research perspectives.”
Was there anything else she enjoyed about the trip? “I got to visit the museum of one of my favorite artists, the Gelgian painter and sculptor, Rene Magritte,” she said.