San Francisco  September 28, 2007

California School of Professional Psychology Students and Faculty Leave A Deep Footprint at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention 

The California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant International University made a strong showing at the American Psychological Association’s Annual Convention in San Francisco with 1 Presidential Address, 5 Invited Addresses, 3 Roundtable Discussions, 8 Discussion Sessions, 12 Symposia, 2 Workshops, 3 Paper Presentations and 47 Posters.

Alliant's on-campus activities kicked off Tuesday, August 14, with the State Psychological Association Leadership Meeting, co-led by CSPP Professor and alumnus Ed Bourg. On Wednesday August 15, Newly-appointed CSPP Dean Morgan Sammons Led the Navy Psychologist Meeting, followed by a Japan Program Meeting, and CSPP Excellence Meeting, led by outgoing CSPP Dean Dr. Steve Bucky.

This year, Alliant also hosted the Asian American Psychological Association Convention, coordinated by CSPP Professor Dr. Tai Chang, with activities taking place on the San Francisco campus and at local venues in the area.

On Thursday, August 16, Drs. Tai Chang, Reiko Homma True, Alex Leung, Eddie Yu-Wai Chiu, Debra M Kawahara, and Davis Y. Ja took part in the Asian American Mental Health Panel, convened especially for reporters, resulting in local and national media coverage, including a story by San Francisco Bay Area’s CBS-5 television.

The campus was also host to several other events that day, including the APA Division 45 (Society for the Psychology Study of Ethnic Minority Issues) meeting and National Latino Psychological Association meeting, both led by CSPP Professor Dr. Eduardo Morales. Dr. Morales was later recognized at the APA convention for his appointment as fellow to APA Divisions 12 (The Society for Clinical Psychology), Division 38 (Health Psychology), and Division 50 (Addictions).

Later that day, the Rockway Institute, Alliant’s national think tank for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) research, in cooperation with GLAAD, held a media training in the Alliant library, while Patrick Petti, PhD, Director of Professional Training, led the California Psychological Internship Council (CAPIC) Board Meeting.

On Friday, August 17, while the AAPA continued its activities on campus, the APA convention began over at Moscone Center.

Psychopharmacology faculty member Alice Van Alstine gave her invited address “Signs and Symptoms of Medical Problems,” while CSPP Dean Dr. Morgan Sammons led the discussion “Ethics and Interrogations – Confronting the Challenge: What are Psychologists Doing in U.S. Military Detention Centers?” as well as the symposium “International Perspectives in Prescriptive Authority.”

CSPP student poster presentations made a great showing that day. Among them was Janice D. Lehman’s “Body Image in Filipina American Women: Culture and Family Influences,” which was also published in the recent issues of “Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention.”

With one day until the end of the event, Alliant showed no signs of waning. Professor David J. Cain did double duty, chairing “What is Psychotherapy For? An Evidence-Based Alternative” followed by the Invited Presidential Address to Division 32 (Humanistic Psychology).

Executive Director of the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma Dr. Robert Geffner and CSPP Dr. Dean Morgan Sammons led “Ethics and Interrogations – Confronting the Challenge: What Are the Effects of Psychological Torture and Abuse?”

Executive Director of the Institute on Disability and Health Psychology and newly elected fellow of Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) Dr. Rhoda Olkin chaired the symposium “Psychological and Health Impacts of Social Injustice – Mental Health Effects of Racial Profiling and Stereotyping.”

CSPP Professors Melanie A. Greenberg and Richard Gevirtz co-chaired the symposium “New Applications of Yoga In Health and Clinical Psychology.”

On Saturday, August 18, Rockway Institute Executive Director Robert-Jay Green gave the invited address to Division 44 (Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues) “Antigay Groups: Using Our Professional Expertise To Counter Their Propaganda.” The Division bestowed the 2007 Bisexual Foundation Award on CSPP student Tera Beaber, and that afternoon, doctoral student Thordis Runarsdottir, who was awarded the APA Science Directorate student research award, took part in “Psychological Science Graduate Superstars – Datablitz.” She presented her dissertation "Disordered Eating in Iceland: Prevalence, Correlates and Cultural Insights

Assistant Professor Dr. Anabel Bejarano co-chaired the workshop “Challenging Cases – Ethical Dilemmas” and Professor Samuel Gerson presented his paper “Unconscious Fantasy and Relational Reality.”

On the final day of the APA’s Annual Meeting, Newly-appointed I-MERIT Director Dr. Kumea Shorter-Gooden chaired “Challenges in the Development of Multicultural Clinical Psychologists – Tales from the Front.”

At the Division 44 Awards Ceremony at the Marriott Hotel, Dr. Robert-Jay Green received the distinguished professional contribution award and student Tera Beaber received the Bisexual Foundation Award for her research proposal entitled "Well-Being among Bisexual Females."

The 2008 APA Convention will take place in Boston, MA, August 14-17.

2007 APA Convention officail attendance figures

• Members & Affiliates 8,958
• Full-time students (Non Affiliates) 802
• Non-members 1,217
• Spouses/Dependents 2,779
• Exhibitor Representatives 985
• Other (Media, APA staff, Volunteers) 469
• Total 15,210
   

Attendance by primary division affiliation

 1. Society for General Psychology 145
 
2. Society for the Teaching of Psychology 239
 
3. Experimental Psychology 62
 
5. Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics 114
 
6. Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology 55
 
7. Developmental Psychology 93
 
8. Society for Personality and Social Psychology 162
 
9. Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) 65
 
10. Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts 58  
  
12. Society of Clinical Psychology 732
 
13. Society of Consulting Psychology 101
 
14. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 142
 
15. Educational Psychology 115
 
16. School Psychology 255
 
17. Society of Counseling Psychology 772
 
18. Psychologists in Public Service 127
 
19. Society for Military Psychology 87
 
20. Adult Development and Aging 135
 
21. Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology 36
 
22. Rehabilitation Psychology 94
 
23. Society for Consumer Psychology 11
 
24. Society for Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology 54
 
25. Behavior Analysis 42
 
26. Society for the History of Psychology 48
 
27. Society for Community Research and Action: Division of Community Psychology 63
 
28. Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse 58
 
29. Psychotherapy 133
 
30. Society of Psychological Hypnosis 45
 
31. State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Association Affairs 63
 
32. Humanistic Psychology 72
 
33. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 41
 
34. Population and Environmental Psychology 18
 
35. Society for the Psychology of Women 214
 
36. Psychology of Religion 97
 
37. Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice 79
 
38. Health Psychology 227
 
39. Psychoanalysis 157
 
40. Clinical Neuropsychology 234
 
41. American Psychology-Law Society 170
 
42. Psychologists in Independent Practice 220
 
43. Family Psychology 120
 
44. Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues167
 
45. Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues 283
 
46. Media Psychology 37
 
47. Exercise and Sport Psychology 65
 
48. Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division 59
 
49. Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy 36
 
50. Addictions 132
 
51. Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity 65
 
52. International Psychology 122
 
53. Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology 167
 
54. Society of Pediatric Psychology 114
 
55. American Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy 61
 
56. Trauma Psychology 97
 
Unspecified 5,271
 
Sub-total 12,431