NWPPA invites you to participate in our winter academic panel.

This year NWPPA is pleased to begin the evening with a half hour registration and conversation opportunity with light hors d’oeuvres.

The Academic Panel is free to attend; $35 for 2 CEs paid by check or cash at the time of the event.

Level: Introductory

Presentation 1: Pursuing a Deeper Understanding of the Black-White Mental Health Paradox: A Line of Inquiry

Presented by Megan LaMotte, Ph.D., Associate Director of Research, Susan Hirt Hagen CORE

Black Americans incur disproportionate stress due to systemic racial oppression in the United States and their socioeconomic disadvantages. Such stress exposure has significant negative impacts on Black peoples’ physical health. One would assume Black Americans’ mental health would equally suffer in the face of stress exposure, yet they have lower rates of depression and anxiety than Whites, a phenomenon referred to as the Black-White mental health paradox. In this presentation, I will discuss several theoretical mechanisms that potentially underly the paradox and review my empirical research on the topic. These studies highlight the importance of mixed methods and intersectionality as a theoretical framework and methodological approach in research on the paradox. Overall, I find that more research is needed on artifactual explanations of the paradox, and that any future research on race differences in mental health should not overlook within-race differences in outcomes or etiology.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe what empirical findings the “Black-White mental health paradox” refers to.
2. Compare evidence for different explanations of the paradox.
3. Conceptualize a study that would be a logical next step for research that seeks to explain the paradox.

Presentation 2: The Intersection Between Personality Psychology and Neuropsychology Outcome Variables

Presented by Derek A. McKay, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Mercyhurst University

Much of the literature relating personality traits to outcome variables have focused exclusively on the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality (Costa & McCrae, 1987). Recent research has revealed support for a six-factor alternative model of personality trait structure known as the HEXACO model (Ashton & Lee, 2007). Some studies (McKay & Tokar, 2012) have shown that the HEXACO model significantly accounts for more variance than the FFM in the prediction of certain outcome variables, such as vocational interests. In a series of recent studies McKay and his research team examined the relationship between personality trait models and neuropsychological outcome variables, such as verbal fluency and cognitive flexibility. The purpose of this talk is to explore the rationale for examining such relationships, general findings of the connected studies, and limitations and future directions.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe key personality models including the FFM and HEXACO models.
2. Discuss neuropsychological variables including cognitive flexibility and verbal fluency and how they are measured in both research and practice.
3. Explain the relationship between personality models and neuropsychological variables

This program is cosponsored by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and Northwestern Pennsylvania Psychological Association (NWPPA).  The Pennsylvania Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.  The Pennsylvania Psychological Association maintains responsibility for the program and its content.   The Pennsylvania Psychological Association is an approved provider for Act 48 Continuing Professional Education Requirements as mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors can receive continuing education credits from continuing education providers approved by the American Psychological Association. Since the Pennsylvania Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education, licensed social workers, licensed clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and licensed professional counselors will be able to fulfill their continuing education requirement by attending PPA continuing education programs. For further information please visit the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Web site: www.dos.state.pa.us/social.