Faculty, alumni, and students present research at APA

Attending the American Psychology Association Conference were from left:  Amber McMillen, Kim Clark, Suzie Clark, Jeanne Slattery, Carie Forden, Marité Rodriguez Haynes, Marietta Davis, and Stephen Davis.

            Dr. Carie Forden, professor of psychology, senior Marietta Davis, and 2009 Clarion University graduate Amber McMillen, presented a poster "Reducing the Rate of Smoking During Pregnancy in Rural Pennsylvania."

            They looked at attitudes about smoking among pregnant women, household adults and accompanying adults, all of whom saw smoking during pregnancy as harmful, regardless of their own smoking status. Side effects, lack of cessation efficacy and social support were all factors in these women's inability to quit smoking during pregnancy. Those women who continued to smoke had less behavioral support from others than those who did not.

            Davis, a senior psychology major, resides in Leeper with her husband, Stephen, and is a graduate of North Clarion High School.
            Forden, Jayne Romero, MS and MPH, and 2009 Clarion University graduate Amber McMillen presented a poster "Partnering to Increase Evaluation Capacity in Rural Community-Based Organizations."

            They described four evaluation-building initiatives that were developed through a partnership between Venango campus and a community collaborative board in Venango County. They reported that these four initiatives were simple to set up, did not cost a lot of money, and were successful in increasing the evaluation capacity of community-based organizations.
            Psychology professors Dr. Jeanne M. Slattery and Dr. Marité Rodriguez Haynes presented a paper in the symposium, "Critical Thinking and Writing in Undergraduate Programs," with faculty from Governor's State University and University of West Florida.

            They presented on their strategies and outcomes from their collaboration teaching critical thinking skills and developmental psychology, particularly the ways that these impact students' perceptions of their current success in these courses and their future success in the department and the university.
            Slattery chaired the symposium "Project Syllabus: Best Practices in Syllabus Tone," which included faculty from Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and New Jersey. This symposium, an outgrowth of the work of Project Syllabus, described the group's conclusions about the ways that effective syllabi can motivate students and strengthen student learning.
            Students who attended the convention include:

            Stephen Davis, a junior psychology major, resides in Leeper, with his wife, Marietta, and is a graduate of North Clarion High School.

            Robert Kim and Suzie Clark of Oil City. Robert is a freshman business administration major. Suzie is a senior psychology major. Both are Cranberry High School graduates.

            Clarion University is the high-achieving, nationally recognized, comprehensive university that delivers a personal and challenging academic experience.