The Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (SSCP) is Section 3 of Division 12. SSCP strives to advance scientific inquiry and to foster the systematic application of the principles of behavioral and social processes derived from empirical research in the practice of clinical psychology towards furthering knowledge and human welfare. Below are several updates worth noting.
International Outreach
The SSCP International Outreach Committee has now been formed. Thank you to Jim Maddux (Chair), Stephen Saunders, Stacy Frazier, Michael Southam-Gerow, Rinad Beidas, Mark Atkins, and Bruce Chorpita for agreeing to serve on this committee!
Diversity committee
A Diversity committee has been formed. David Rosmarin is graciously the chair, and we have an excellent set of members who comprise the committee. We have begun monthly phone meetings and are generating specific aims and goals for which the committee will focus. The two main areas right now include: 1) enhancing diversity of SSCP membership, and 2) advancing integration of diversity within clinical-research practice.
PCSAS
Following a request from Tom Oltmanns, President of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science, the SSCP Board voted to endorse the legitimacy of the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) as a viable accreditation system. (This just means we endorse states or provinces granting license-eligibility to graduates of programs that are accredited by PCSAS, regardless of whether the program has also been accredited by another organization.)
Student Awards
SSCP holds a student poster competition at each annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science. This year, SSCP was able to award prizes to 4 winners ($250 prize) and 8 Distinguished Contributions ($100 prize). The winners of the 2014 SSCP Student Poster Competition are:
- “Implicit Theories of Emotion and their Role in Psychopathology and Treatment” – Krista Clews De Castella (Australian National University), Philippe Goldin, Hooria Jazaieri, Michal Ziv, Carol Dweck & James Gross
- “Toddlers’ Sleep, Sustained Attention, and Adjustment” – Maureen E McQuillan (Indiana University), John Bates
- “Randomized Controlled Trial of a Smartphone-based Tool that Reduces Depression Symptoms” – Ann Roepke (University of Pennsylvania), Sara Jaffee, Olivia Riffle, Jane McGonigal, Rose Broome, Bez Maxwell
- “Appraised discrimination predicts inflammation via increased depression and blunted cortisol in Mexican-Americans” – Kristin Wilborn (University of Texas, San Antonio), Deborah Mangold, Maureen Pirog
The Distinguished Contributions are:
- “Violent Crime Exposure Moderates Conduct Problems Among Youth Exposed to the Boston Marathon Attacks” – Kathleen Crum (Florida International University), Danielle Cornacchio, Jonathan S Comer
- “Factors of trait impulsivity exhibit specific associations with subtypes of aggression” – Lisa Hecht (Georgia State University), Robert D Latzman
- “Neuroticism predicts declines in health through ongoing stressful life events” – Juliette Iacovino (Washington University, St. Louis), Ryan Bogdan, Thomas F Oltmanns
- “Time Course of Threat Responding in Panic Disorder” – Huting Liu (university of Illinois, Chicago), Stephanie M Gorka, Casey Sarapas, Stewart A Shankman
- “Amygdala Hyper-activation During Affect-Labeling is Associated with Emotional Reactivity in Anxiety Patients“ – Andrea Niles (University of California, Los Angeles), Jared B Torre, Lisa J. Burklund, Matthew D. Lieberman, Michelle G. Craske
- “Self-Affirmation Effective at Decreasing Defensive Processing: Could Positive Moods Be Enough?” – Mercedes Fernandez Oromendia (University of California, Santa Barbara), Collie Conoley
- “Dominance Mediates the Relation between Testosterone and Depression in Married Couples” – Gabriella Quiñones-Torres (University of Massachusetts-Amherst), Sally I Powers, Paula Pietromonaco, Aline Sayer
- “A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Response Modulation Hypothesis of Psychopathy” – Sarah Smith (Emory University), Scott O. Lilienfeld, Dylan M. Jordan, Wenting Kang
Professional Awards
Susan Nolen-Hoeksema Early Career Research Award
2014 winner: Katie McLaughlin
Lawrence H. Cohen Outstanding Mentor Award
2014 winner: Connie Hammen
Distinguished Scientist Award
2014 winner: Phil Kendall
Varda Shoham Clinical Scientist Training Initiative Grant
Over 30 submissions. 2014 winners are:
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Improving the Dissemination of Evidence Based Assessment Strategies for Common Mental Health Diagnoses
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University: Enhancing the integration of science and practice in a rural community clinic through a routine outcome monitoring (ROM) system
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University: Improving Practice with Clinical Data