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: Evidence-Based Psychotherapies for Prenatal and Postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

Presented by Alyssa Zampogna, M.A. Candidate, Penn State Behrend; Faculty Supervisor: Wilson Brown, Ph.D.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant mental health concern for pregnant and postpartum women, often co-occurring with depression and anxiety. PTSD can preexist, arise during pregnancy from unrelated trauma, or develop postpartum following a traumatic birth experience. However, this population is often underrepresented in trauma-focused treatment studies, creating a substantial research-to-service gap characterized by limited knowledge of how to best treat prenatal or postpartum trauma exposure. This meta-analysis aims to synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness of evidence-based PTSD treatments for pregnant and postpartum women as recommended by the APA and VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines. As data analysis is in progress, preliminary examination of included studies will be presented in this panel. By exploring trends and themes across pertinent studies, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the potential factors driving therapeutic effectiveness in the perinatal population.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe differences in PTSD presentation across the perinatal period.
2. Discuss perinatal PTSD and common comorbid psychiatric disorders.
3. Examine trauma-focused psychological interventions for prenatal and postpartum individuals.

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.