FEEDBACK
South Carolina Psychological Association
SCPA MEMBERS VISIT THE HILL
Spring 2011
Cultural Neuroscience: Understanding How Biology & Culture Shape the Mind & Behavior Keynote Speakers
April 8, 2011 Dr. Lasana Harris Assistant Professor Duke University
28h Multicultural Symposium Friday, April 8, 2011 Inn at USC 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Dr. Joan Chiao Assistant Professor Northwestern University
Dr. Susan Fiske Professor of Psychology, Princeton University
Dr. Vivian Ota Wang Program Director at the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health
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Admission is FREE and Continuing Education Units are available Hosted by The Black Psychology Graduate Student Association (BPGSA) at the University of South Carolina 803-777-4137
The President’s Column
Your Leadership
Dear Colleagues,
Feedback is published by the
South Carolina Psychological Association and distributed quarterly.
It is with sadness that I write my last Feedback column as SCPA president. In April the leadership of SCPA will be turned over to the very capable and accomplished Michele Burnett. Michele has given freely of her time and talent as a SCPA volunteer for many years. I know that she will continue to nurture SCPA’s growth and development as an organization.
Maxine Barker, Ph.D. Editor mabark@scdjj.net Phone: 803-896-9316 Robert Heckel, Ph.D. Associate Editior heckel@mailbox.sc.edu
During the last year SCPA has had many successful programs and initiatives. Spring conference offered undergraduate psychology students a wonderful opportunity to prepare and present their individual research interests. Our commitment to undergraduate education continued with a very successful Academic Day hosted by Lander University under the direction of Jonathan Bassett.
Christiana DeGregorie, PsyD President Martha Durham, Ph.D. Immediate Past President Michele Burnette, Ph.D. President-Elect
SPCA unveiled its legislative program during this last year. Grants received from APA allowed SCPA to hire a lobbyist to work collaboratively with our legislative committee on increasing the visibility of psychology with our state legislators. Members of SCPA also attended this year’s State Leadership Conference with the APA Practice Directorate where they had a unique opportunity to have face-to-face meetings with our state leaders. The next year will bring exciting legislative opportunities to SCPA and its members.
Stephanie Boyd, Ph.D. Treasurer Jonathan Bassett, Ph.D. Secretary Member-at-Large Maggie Gainey, Ph.D. Member-at-Large Brian Sullivan, PsyD
One of SCPA’s most successful educational programs this year was the ADHD workshop featuring the knowledgeable Russell Barkley. This program brought together teachers and mental health professionals to learn from a team of ADHD experts about how to assess and treat this population.
SCPA Staff Leigh Faircloth, CAE Katie Koon, CAE Debra Williams
In the next year SCPA members can look forward to a variety of social and educational opportunities including our new mentoring program, regional socials, and continuing education opportunities. It has been a pleasure working with SCPA this past year. I look forward to SCPA’s continued growth.
Leigh-Ann McCune Executive Director SCPA PO Box 11035 Columbia, SC 29211 Phone: 803-252-7128 Fax: 803-252-7799 E-mail: leigh@scpa.org www.scpyschology.com
Christiana DeGregorie, PsyD SCPA President
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Graduate Students Column: Autism: A Prison of Social Isolation Written by: Melita Stancil, B.S. & Kip Thompson, M.A. Autism is the most commonly diagnosed condition in a group of pervasive developmental disorders (Constantino et al., 2006). It has been 66 years since Johns Hopkins University psychiatrist Leo Kanner wrote the first paper applying the term “autism” to a group of children who were self-absorbed and who had severe social, communication, and behavioral problems (Kanner, 1943). The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; APA, 1994) defines autism as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), characterized by severe and pervasive impairments in several areas of development. As described by the DSM-IV, the core features of autism are as follows: (1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, which can manifest as impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors (e.g., eye contact, facial expression, body postures and gestures) to regulate social interaction and communication; (2) qualitative impairments in communication, which can manifest as a total lack or delay in the development of spoken language. Individuals with autism that can speak may have marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others. The third and final DSM-IV core feature for autism includes restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, which can manifest as a persistent preoccupation with parts of objects, or ‘systemization’. It has been argued that Kanner’s three core criteria for autism are just as relevant today as they were when he established them in 1943. The age of onset for autistic behavior may be distinguished in early infancy through 2 ½ years of normal development (Gillberg & Wing, 1999). Autism typically occurs more often in males (Wenar & Kerig, 2000). Research exploring gender variation in symptom severity suggests that females with autism tend to display more pronounced autism symptoms than autistic males and that females with autism tend to receive lower scores on both verbal and nonverbal measures (Klinger, Dawson, & Renner, 2003). It was initially believed that autism only occurred in middle-class and wealthy socioeconomic family units. Since these families were more able to
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afford treatment services for their children, some researchers believed that earlier reports of increased rates of autism in families with upper socioeconomic status were a result of oversampling within this population. Klinger and associates (2003) disputed these theories by revealing that the socioeconomic distribution of families with autistic children is similar to the distribution within the general population. Epidemiological research on autism has been conducted around the world and the results consistently reveal that autism occurs within families of all racial, ethnic, and social backgrounds. It has also been noted in the literature that cross-culturally, there appears to be a remarkable consistency in reports of autistic symptoms, intellectual abilities, gender differences, and socioeconomic factors associated with autism (Klinger et al., 2003). Important strides have been made in the understanding of autism in areas of pre and perinatal environmental stressors and neurological vulnerabilities. With these scientific breakthroughs come a greater understanding of the biological underpinnings of autism. Continued research is necessary for identifying the links underlying neurological abnormalities, information-processing impairments, and the behavioral symptoms of autism. Such research could produce an enhanced classification system, which would further facilitate the development of improved treatment strategies, and maybe even prevention methods. Although there is no known cure at this time, autism research has made significant progress in a relatively short period. Consequently, there has been an increase in the overall understanding of the disorder, and individuals diagnosed with this pervasive developmental disorder have been experiencing a measure of success when intervention is started at an early age. References American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Constantino, J.N., Lajonchere, C., Lutz, M., Gray, T., Abbacchi, A., McKenna, K., Singh, D., & Todd, R.D. (2006). Autistic social impairment in the siblings of children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(2), 294-296. Gillberg, C., & Wing, L. (1999). Autism: Not an extremely rare disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 99, 399-406. Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact. Nervous Child. 2, 217-250. Klinger, L.G., Dawson, G., & Renner, P. (2003). Autistic Disorder. In E. Mash & R. Barkley (Eds.), Child psychopathology (2nd edition). New York: Guilford Press.
2011SPRINGCONFERENCE M. Michele Burnette, Ph. D. and Jonathan F. Bassett, Ph. D., Co-Chairs
Dr. Lee Van Horn of the University of South Carolina will speak on methodology for Our annual conference is just around the corner, assessing differential effects so if you have not already registered, please make in applied research. More your plans to attend now! This year we chose to specifically, he will describe focus on diversity as our primary applied topic. We research designs best employed also developed a track for our academic members when certain interventions may focusing on the scholarship of teaching and learning affect particular subgroups of with specific emphasis on ethical and technology issues. We believe that this conference has offerings a population (e.g., male versus female) differently. In addition, Dr. Van Horn will describe the most to benefit our entire membership. We have three invited speakers at our conference this appropriate statistical methods for evaluating differential effects in a diverse population. For more year. information on Dr. Van Horn, go to http://people.cas. sc.edu/vanhornl/lee.htm. Dr. Thomas P. Pusateri from Kennesaw State University will present on the ethics of effective The conference will also feature several presentations by SCPA members on topics teaching. In his presentation, related to pedagogy and Dr. Pusateri will describe how diversity issues. In addition, ethical teachers should seek undergraduate and graduate professional development students from around the state opportunities to increase their will showcase their original use of evidence-based teaching techniques and engage in best practices that facilitate research in the annual student poster competition. students’ acquisition of the knowledge and skills set We will conclude our regular forth in their program of study. Learn more about conference on Saturday with this teaching expert at http://www.kennesaw.edu/ a dinner and very special psychology/faculty.shtml#pusateri guest. We are thrilled to welcome Tony Clyburn, professional speaker and radio personality on B106.7. Dr. Lara M. Stepleman will He will give his definitive statement in “At My Job and join us from Georgia Health Sciences University to present Loving It” in which he challenges us to be positively selfish! This delightful presenter promises to be on mental health issues in entertaining, funny, and informative. low-income minorities. This We hope to see all of us at the Sheraton in Myrtle subgroup of the population is Beach on April 1-3. We need each and every one of at higher risk for psychiatric us there to make this the best conference ever! disorders and has particular disadvantages that contribute to mental health disparities, such as discrimination, marginalization, and racism, and homophobia. Dr. Stepleman will talk about multiple factors associated with mental health risk as well as pathways to reducing risks and fostering resiliency in these individuals. More information on this very gifted psychologist can be found at https://webapp.mcg. edu/PROD/ifl.viewfac?CGIemplid=004572.
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April 1-3 Psychology in a world of Diversity 2011 SCPA Spring Conference Sheraton Convention Center Hotel Myrtle Beach, SC Registration Name _________________________________________Credential ___________ Company ______________________________________ Address ________________________________________ City/St/Zip ______________________________________ Email __________________________________________ Phone _______________________________ Registration Options: Choose ONe Member Full Registration $275 ______ Friday Only $100 ______ Saturday Day Only $100 ______ (includes, breakfast, lunch and educational sessions) Saturday Night Only $75 ______ Student $35 ______ (Saturday Only: includes competition, lunch and sessions) Non Member Full Registration $350 ______ Friday Only $125 ______ Saturday Day Only $125 ______ (includes, breakfast, lunch and educational sessions) Saturday Nighy Only $100 ______
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Payment & Room Reservations Payment Check _____
Credit Card _______
Name on Card ___________________________________________ Card # __________________________________________________ Exp Date ___________
Sec. Code ___________
Billing Address ___________________________________________ City/St/Zip _______________________________________________ Hotel Reservations: Room Rate per night: $89.00 To make your hotel reservations, please call the Sheraton Convention Center Hotel in Myrtle Beach, SC at (888) 757-2670. Let them know that you are with the SC Psychological Association to receive the room rate. The Sheraton Convention Center Hotel is located at 2101North Oak Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Return your registration to SCPA by email to lah@associationsplus.com or fax to 803.252.7799 or mail to PO Box 11035, Columbia, SC 29211. Questions? Call SCPA at 803.252.7128. You can also register online at www.scpsychology.com.
SCPA Spring Conference Agenda Friday, April 1
Noon - 5 pm Registration 1 - 2 pm Paper Session - Dr. Roitzsch, Dr. Smith, Dr. Magid, Dr. Bacon, and Dr. Martinez, MUSC Topic: Evidence Based Treatment for Substance Abuse 2 - 2:30 pm Paper Session - Dr. Bassett, Lander University Topic: The Effects of Mortality Salience and Religiosity on Paranormal Beliefs 2:30 - 3 pm Break 3 - 4 pm Paper Session - Paper Session - Dr. James, Life Consultants, Inc. Topic: Perspectives of Executive Women; Life Choices and Balancing Career with Marriage and Children 4 - 5 pm Legislative Update - Coretta Bedsole, SCPA Lobbyist, Palmetto Public Affairs Topic: Advocacy in the 21st Century - How to Message to Diverse Groups 5 - 8:30 pm Dinner on your Own 8:30 - 11 pm Social Hours - Hospitality Suite (McNair Suite)
Saturday, April 1 Other: Schedule 8 am 9 - 10 am 10 - 11 am 10 - 11 am 11 - 12:30 pm 12:30 - 1:30 pm 3 - 4 pm 5:15 pm 6:30 pm 8:30 - 11 pm
Registration Student Poster Competition Set Up Student Workshop - Speaker TBD Judges visit posters Student Poster Competition Lunch & Awards Break Licensing Board Update Dinner & Invited Speaker: Tony Clyburn, B106.7 Topic: At My Job & Loving It Social Hours - Hospitality Suite
TrACK 1: Clinical/Diversity 9 - 10 am 1:30 - 3 pm 3:15 - 4:15 pm 4 - 5 pm
Paper Session - Dr. Nix, Dr. Combs, Lander University Topic: Deconstructing the Black Woman: Misperceptions about Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Affecting Black Women’s Experience of Self Panel Discussion - Ms. Allison, Dr. DeGregorie, Dr. Gainey, Dr. Gravely and Dr. Memon - S partanburg Regional Healthcare System Topic: Psychological Aspects of Working with Older Adults: The Benefit of a Multidisciplinary Team Dr. Coe - USC Lancaster Topic: How SCPA Can Support Psychologists in Managing the Growing Diversity in SC: Findings from the SCPA Diversity Survey Invited Speaker Session - Dr. Stepleman, Medical College of Georgia Topic: Mental Health in Low Income Minorities: Reducing Risks and Fostering Resiliency
TRACK 2: Academic/Teaching 9 - 10 am 10 - 11 am 1:30 - 2:30 pm 2:30 - 3:30 pm 4 - 5 pm
Panel Discussion - Dr. Acorn, Dr. Bassett, Dr. Snyder, Lander University Topic: Teaching Research Methods, Statistics, and Writing in the Psychology: Undergraduate Program Paper Session - Dr. Castleberry, Dr. Macias and Dr. MacDonald - USC Sumter Topic: Diverse Teaching Strategies in the Classroom: The Cool One, The Scientist, and the Geek. Invited Speaker Session - Dr. Pusateri, Kennesaw State University Topic: The Ethics of Effective Teaching Invited Speaker Session - Dr. Van Horn, USC Columbia Topic: Methodology for Assessing Differential Effects in Applied Research Paper Session - Dr.Wickes, Lander University Topic: Learning from 1 Million Users Online: What Do We know?
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BOOK REVIEW GOLF: The Mental Game by: Tom Dorsel Ph.D. Nashville, TN. Cumberland House 2008 It is a rare and delightful opportunity when a colleague and SCPA member shares his experience and knowledge by writing an informative, readable work on applying psychological principles to one of our world’s most vexing problems in sport: the game of golf. It is also refreshing to be treated to an in-depth work that is not a motivational speaker preaching at you with platitudes and generalizations that can “fix anything” but do not address you as a unique individual. Tom’s book does not present easy solutions. Instead, he offers procedures to help you examine all aspects of your game, but first requires your commitment to serious self-examination and a willingness to practice at levels you may have never experienced. With that in mind, he provides a series of steps explaining basics of the mental part of golf- thinking, emotion, and action and how they affect all aspects of your game. He provides extensive detail on identifying all aspects of these behaviors, how to recognize them and what you can do to eliminate or improve them. To do justice to this review would entail many pages, first, because it is marvelously detailed, rich in the applications of psychology, and helpful not only in golf but for other sports and one’s life as well. For me, I was most impressed with the demystification of the skills of even the best professionals. They all have bad days. Were we able to see all of their plays they would be seen as human, like the rest of us. I encourage everyone to read this book. It is a treasure. Even if one is only a spectator, he will find it helpful for watching the game. As a player with practice, focus, and emotional control, one’s game will flower.
HISTORICAL BIT Robert V. Heckel Ph.D. ABPP
Psychology’s Greatest Contributions to Sport: The Yerkes-Dodson Law ? From the very start of psychology as a research science, a hardy group of psychologists have conducted research that had direct application to sport. These were studies involving competition, delay of gratification, effects of anxiety and stress, imagery, perception, learning, indeed, virtually every area of psychology. The effects have been profound and of tremendous impact. It seems only reasonable that Historical Bit attempt to identify some of the most significant of these. Our selection for this issue: Yerkes-Dodson Law. Robert M. Yerkes, a young Harvard professor, and his graduate student, John D. Dodson, published in 1908 “ THE RELATION OF STRENGTH OF STIMULUS TO RAPIDITY OF HABIT FORMATION” in Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18, 459-482. Simply stated, Yerkes-Dodson Law states that performance varies with levels of arousal in a predictable ( U shaped ) parabolic curve. As arousal (stress) increases, performance increases, but only to a point. Then, increased levels of arousal result in a decrement in performance. Task difficulty plays a significant role also. Complex tasks achieve maximum success with lower levels of arousal. Tasks requiring strength and stamina may be facilitated by higher levels of arousal. Most of us have experienced situations where we did very well in practice, but when confronted by facing a live audience or a game situation, we experience arousal overload. Yerkes-Dodson’s Law has contributed immensely to our understanding of arousal and performance. It may seem hard to believe that their original population of study were lab mice!
The book is available through Amazon at a reasonable price (book 12.68, Kindle 6.36 ). Additional reviews are provided.
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The SCPA Diversity Strategic Planning Initiative Mark Coe, Ph.D.
The South Carolina Psychological Association (SCPA) has a number of exciting activities underway designed to focus attention on the importance and relevance of issues of human diversity in the functioning of SCPA and the professional activities of psychologists in South Carolina. To demonstrate its dedication to these issues, this year SCPA has given its most important event, the SCPA Spring Conference, a diversity theme: Psychology in a World of Diversity. This year’s conference, held in Myrtle Beach, SC, highlights the centrality of issues of human diversity in psychology and showcases the diversity related work of clinicians and academics in the state. Additionally, the SCPA Diversity Committee is working on a number of diversity related activities. The committee is continuing to design a diversity webpage for the SCPA website. The content for the webpage will initially include an extensive diversity resource guide with information on state, national, and international resources. The webpage will also provide opportunities for web-based, diversity related CEU’s offered through a collaborative relationship with the New Mexico Psychological Association. Further, the SCPA Diversity Committee recently conducted a diversity needs assessment of doctoral level psychologists licensed and/or working in South Carolina. Preliminary results from the assessment will be presented at the 2011 Spring Conference and in various media outlets sponsored by SCPA. The process of conducting the diversity needs assessment highlighted the need to clearly define the diversity related values of SCPA, specify the function and types of diversity related activities of the organization, and develop a framework to guide the development and implementation of SCPA’s diversity related activities in the future. Strategic planning is a process that can be used to guide the purpose, function, information gathering, and decision making processes of an organization and can be beneficial to SCPA as the organization works to define and guide its present and future diversity agenda (Lane, Bishop, and Wilson-Jones, 2005). The SCPA Diversity Committee is currently in the beginning stages of developing a diversity strategic planning initiative. The Diversity Committee has decided to adopt the VMOSA (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, & Action Plans) approach to strategic planning as a
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framework to guide the diversity strategic planning initiative (Nagy & Fawcett, 2003). Perspectives from a variety of stakeholders are needed to ensure that SCPA members will embrace, support, and actively participate in implementing strategic planning activities (Walton-Thompson, Fawcett, & Schultz, 2008). Throughout the course of this strategic planning initiative, the Diversity Committee will work collaboratively with the SCPA Executive Committee and actively seek input from members of the organization. The Diversity Committee welcomes and encourages input from members from a wide variety of subspecialties (e.g. developmental, experimental, social) and professional roles (e.g. academics, clinicians, consultants, students) during the strategic planning process. According to Nagy and Fawcett (2003), the VMOSA process begins with the development of vision and mission statements, and the SCPA Diversity Committee would like to have member input in the development of these statements. Qualitative data obtained from members during the diversity needs assessment will be used to create initial drafts of the aforementioned components of the VMOSA process. These initial drafts of the vision and mission statements will be presented in this article as a method to initiate thought and discussion about SCPA’s approach to diversity issues and to seek feedback from SCPA members that will shape the development of future drafts of the vision and mission statements. Contact information for the SCPA Diversity Delegate will be listed at the end of the article so that members can provide feedback to the SCPA Diversity Committee. Feedback from members regarding the development of the vision and mission statements will also be solicited from members during the presentation of data from the diversity needs assessment during the 2011 SCPA Spring Conference. Member feedback from these various sources will then be collected, compiled, analyzed, and reviewed by the SCPA Diversity Committees for further refinement of the vision and mission statements. The first step in VMOSA process is the development of a vision statement. This statement provides a vision of an ideal future the organization would like to achieve, and should articulate shared values that can be embraced by members of the organization (Kirkpatrick, Wofford, & Baum, 2002). The vision statement can also serve as a motivational tool to energize individuals to realize
an ideal environment (Levin, 2000). These characteristics are especially important when considering the development of the diversity vision statement for SCPA in a unique state such as South Carolina. South Carolina has large populations of historically underserved groups (e.g. the elderly, ethnic/racial minorities, rural communities, urban communities) and vibrant, growing communities of smaller minority groups (e.g. sexual minorities, religious minorities, immigrants). Moreover, it is likely that South Carolina will continue to experience considerable demographic shifts over the next several decades (Bondo, 2007; Young, 2005) The increasing diversity of the state offers all of its citizens tremendous opportunities for the future and can serve to further strengthen and unify the state. However, all change, especially change involving issues of human diversity, can present challenges and sometimes contribute to tension and conflict. Psychologists have obtained unique training that can be useful as the state addresses these issues. Psychologists specialize in gathering information and generating knowledge of various types that can be used to understand the nature of the opportunities and challenges that the growing diversity of the state will create. Psychologists are also experts at applying empirical evidence to manage transitions and solve problems, and this skill set can be used to help individuals, communities, organizations, businesses, and governments manage the demographic transitions that will occur in South Carolina during the next century. Given the diversity of skills and training within SCPA, the organization can serve its members and the citizens of the state by working to ensure that psychologists are equipped to support South Carolina with the demographic changes that will occur in the future. Successfully navigating these changes is important for psychologists in South Carolina not only for important lofty moral and ethical reasons, but also to ensure the viability and profitability of the profession. As these demographic changes persist, the ability of psychologists to continue to be relevant providers of information, training, and services will be considerably influenced by their ability to competently and efficiently practice all aspects of our profession (e.g. research, clinical, teaching, consultation) in a manner that meets the needs and interest of an increasing diverse population. With these factors in mind, the diversity vision statement for the South Carolina Psychological Association should communicate the aspirations and inspirational role that SCPA and its members can play, within the
organization, the profession, and larger society, in serving an increasingly diverse and unified South Carolina. The following is an initial draft of the SCPA Diversity Vision Statement. Many Faces and Places: One SCPA, One South Carolina: The diversity vision of the South Carolina Psychological Association is to support and empower psychologists and the communities they serve in successfully managing the opportunities and challenges of a diverse society in the 21st century in a manner that acknowledges and appreciates human differences and recognizes our common personhood. Developing a mission statement is the next step in the VMOSA strategic planning process. The mission statement describes the current function and purpose of an organization and seeks to briefly provide some insight into how the organization’s vision will be reached (Nagy & Fawcett, 2003) The mission statement is extremely important because it drives the development of objectives and plans later in the VMOSA process. In considering the development of a diversity mission statement, the American Psychological Association Division of State, Provincial, and Territorial Affairs Diversity Task Force (2009) suggest that state psychological associations’ diversity mission statements should include remarks regarding the training, needs assessment, community involvement, and inclusion of minority psychologist. It is with these components in mind, along with data from the SCPA diversity needs assessment, that the initial draft of the SCPA diversity mission statement noted below was designed. SCPA Diversity Mission Statement The mission of the South Carolina Psychological Association is to promote awareness, understanding, and competence practice involving issues of human diversity within the organization, amongst its members, and throughout the state. The mission involves regularly evaluating the ability of SCPA to effectively serve underrepresented groups, providing training and consultation on diversity related issues, fostering collaborative relationships with professional organizations that serve the interest of underrepresented groups, and developing strong relationships between SCPA, its members, and communities throughout South Carolina. The mission also includes encouraging the recruitment of psychologists from underrepresented groups to South Carolina and into membership and leadership positions in SCPA. continued on page 12
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The purpose of these initial versions of the Vision and Mission statements is to promote discussion and elicit a broad range of feedback from SCPA members. Comments from SCPA members regarding these statements are valued and welcomed. Once the vision and mission statements are agreed upon the SCPA Diversity Committee will proceed with the next components of the VMOSA process. Clearly defined and measurable objectives will be created based on the mission statement, strategies will be developed to accomplish the objectives, and an action plan will be developed detailing specifically how strategies will be implemented The SCPA Diversity Committee would like for a broad range of members to be involved in the SCPA diversity strategic planning initiative in any manner that members are able to participate, including joining the SCPA Diversity Committee. Any SCPA member interested in providing feedback on the diversity vision and mission statements, participating in the strategic planning initiative, and/or joining the SCPA Diversity Committee should contact the SCPA Diversity Delegate and Committee Chair, Mark Coe, Ph.D. His contact information is listed below. References American Psychological Association, Division of State, Provincial, and Territorial Affairs Diversity Task Force (2009). Implementing a Diversity Initiative in State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Associations: A Handbook for STPAs. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Bondo, M. (2007). Changing faces of South Carolina: A profile of South Carolina senior citizens. Retrieved from the University of South Carolina Institute for Public Service and Policy Research website: http://www.ipspr.sc.edu/publication/Older%20SC. pdf Kilpatrick, S.A., Wofford, J.C., & Baum, J.R. (2002). Measuring motive imagery contained in the vision statement. The Leadership Quarterly, 13(2), 139-150. doi: 10.1016/S1048-\9843(02)00096-6 Lane, R.J., Bishop, H.L., & Wilson-Jones, L. (2005). Creating an effective strategic plan for the school district. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 32(3), 197-204. Retrieved from http://www.projectinnovation.biz/jip_2006.html Levin, I.M. (2000). Vision revisited: Telling the story of the future. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 36(1), 91-107. doi: 10.1177/0021886300361005 Nagy, J. & Fawcett, S.B. (2004). An overview of strategic planning or “VMOSA� (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Plans). Retrieved from the University of Kansas Community Toolbox website: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_ section_main_1085.aspx Walton-Thompson, J., Fawcett, S.B., & Schultz, J.A. (2008). Differntial effects of strategic planning on community change in two urban neighborhood coalitions. American Journal of Community Psychology, 42(1-2), 25-38. doi: 10.1007/s10464-008-9188-6 Young, R.D. (2005). The growing Hispanic population in South Carolina: Trends and issues. Retrieved from the University of South Carolina Institute for Public Service and Policy Research website: http://www.ipspr.sc.edu/publication/Population%20 In%20SC.pdf Mark Coe, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, U S C Lancaster: coemarks@ mailbox.sc.edu, 803-313-7057
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Forensic Forum False Confessions: A Brief Overview Kimberly S. Harrison, Ph.D.
On the surface, the idea of a criminal suspect falsely confessing to a crime he or she did not commit seems absurd and incomprehensible. Although it is impossible to know the prevalence rates of such occurrences, research indicates that false confessions are involved in 15-20% of all DNA exonerations (Kassin, 2010). Recent high-profile cases (e.g., the Central Park jogger case, JonBenet Ramsey case) have brought the issue of false confessions to the attention of the general population as well as to the forefront of forensic psychology research. Several studies have investigated the demographic, psychological, and personality characteristics of false confessors. In the largest sample of proven false confessions (n = 125), Drizin and Leo (2004) found that 63% of the false confessors were under the age of 25, and 32% were under 18. In addition, 22% were mentally retarded and 10% had a diagnosed mental illness. In a study of prisoners who alleged that they had falsely confessed, Gudjonsson (1990) found that these false confessors demonstrated significantly lower IQ scores than those not claiming a false confession. Kassin and Wrightsman (1985) conceptualized three psychologically distinct types of false confessions. “Voluntary false” confessions are offered in the absence of any coercion or even interrogation. Individuals providing voluntary false confessions are typically motivated by the desire for notoriety, a need to alleviate unwarranted guilt, a desire to protect the real criminal, or symptoms of a mental illness. For example, when Charles Lindbergh’s infant son was kidnapped in 1932, 200 people volunteered confessions. More recently, in 2006 John Mark Karr offered a confession to the unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey. The second type of false confession is “coercedcompliant,” which is usually the result of extreme methods of interrogation. The suspect professes guilt to the offense in order to escape a stressful situation, avoid punishment, or gain a promised or implied reward, despite knowing privately that he/she is truly innocent. The individual often comes to believe that the short-term benefits of confessing outweigh the long-term costs. Specific incentives that may induce a confession include being allowed to eat, sleep, make a phone call, or go home. Individuals who are young, socially dependent, or fearful of being locked up may have a particularly urgent need to end a stressful interrogation and confinement. In the 1989 Central Park jogger case, five teenagers confessed after lengthy interrogations and the expectation that they would be allowed to go home.
Although they immediately retracted their confessions, they were convicted. They were all exonerated 13 years later, after the actual rapist confessed and his account was confirmed by DNA evidence. The third kind of false confession, “coercedinternalized,” typically occurs as the result of fatigue, continued pressure, and suggestiveness of the interrogation process. The suspect is told that there is incontrovertible evidence of his/her involvement in the crime, and the suspect comes to believe that he or she actually committed the offense. The suspect may confabulate false memories during this process. These types of confessions may occur when suspects develop such a distrust of their own memory that they become vulnerable to influence from external sources. Suspects who are young, mentally retarded, or mentally ill may be especially susceptible to the influence of their interrogators. Ofshe (1989) hypothesized three personality vulnerability factors that likely contribute to a “coerced-internalized” false confession: unwavering trust of people in authority, lack of self-confidence, and increased suggestibility. In a case cited by Kassin et al. (2010), a 14-year-old boy confessed to the stabbing death of his sister after a series of interrogations. He eventually became convinced that he had a “split personality” and his “bad” personality killed her in a jealous rage, while his “good” personality blocked the incident from memory. Charges were eventually dropped after police found a man in the neighborhood with the victim’s blood on his clothing. This brief overview has focused on the types of false confessions and various person-specific characteristics that may make false confessions more likely to occur. Future Forensic Forums will address situation-specific factors (i.e., aspects of the interrogation) that may produce false confessions and recommendations for safeguarding against them. References: Drizin, S.A., & Leo, R.A. (2004). Heeding the lessons of history: The need for mandatory recording of police interrogations to accurately assess the reliability and voluntariness of confessions. Drake Law Review, 52, 619-646. Gudjonsson, G. H. (1990). One hundred alleged false confession cases: Some normative data. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 29, 249250. Kassin, S.M., Drizin, S.A., Grisso, T., Gudjonsson, G.H., Leo, R.L., & Redlich, A.D. (2010). Police-induced confessions: Risk factors and recommendations. Law and Human Behavior, 34, 3-38. Kassin, S.M., & Wrightsman, L.S. (1985). Confession evidence. In S. Kassin & L. Wrightsman (Eds.), The psychology of evidence and trial procedure. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Ofshe, R. (1989). Coerced confessions: The logic of seemingly irrational action. Cultic Studies Journal, 6, 1-15.
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S C P A South Carolina Psychological Association PO Box 11035, Columbia, SC 29211 Phone: 803.252.7128 Fax: 803.252.7799 www.scpsychology.com
2011 State Leadership Conference Delegates from the South Carolina Psychological Association (SCPA) recently attended the State Leadership Conference that was put on by the American Psychological Association’s Practice Organization (APAPO). Delegates included President-Elect, M. Michele Burnette, Ph. D., Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Brian Sullivan, PsyD, and SCPA Executive Director, Leigh-Ann McCune. Attending the conference helped make SCPA’s issues “human” by putting faces and names with state members. This was and continues to be particularly important as SCPA’s funding from APA is critical to the on-going operations of the association. As with many other associations, businesses and even individuals, finances are tight and funding such as that received by SCPA is on the “chopping block.” Our delegation was given specific tasks while visiting with Congressmen and their Health Legislative Aids during our Hill Vists on Tuesday, March 15. The topics covered were: Adding psychologists to the Medicare physician definition, extending the restoration cuts from Medicare through 2011, and making psychologists eligible for HITECH ACT incentives. If you would like more information on these issues, feel free to contact the Leigh-Ann Mccune at lah@ scpsychology.com. The highlight of the “Hill Visits” as they are known was meeting with Congressman Tim Scott from the Charleston district.
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