The Department of Psychological Science invites you to our September “Talk Psych” presentation! Talk Psych is a series of talks being offered by the Department of Psychological Science this academic year, during which faculty their ongoing research. Join us as we kick off the Fall semester with a special reception followed by lightning talks from four of our faculty members.
Topics
Eating Disorder Prevention Efforts at Boise State: Does Body Positivity Work? – Presented by Dr. Mary Pritchard
Eating disorders are on the rise in college populations. Once considered a ‘female’ issue, disordered eating and exercise habits are now as common in men as in women. Students are dissatisfied with how they look and are turning to unhealthy diet and exercise habits to keep up with body trends they see on social media. How can we stop these dangerous trends and help our students thrive? After 20 years of studying factors affecting body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in college students, Dr. Pritchard and her lab have turned their focus to eating disorder prevention in men and women. She and her students are testing programs that help students have a healthier relationship with food and their bodies to prevent normative body dissatisfaction from turning into something more serious.
Stress and Resilience among Refugee Youth and Families
Presented by Dr. April Masarik
Refugees are forcibly displaced persons who resettle in new communities often very different from their own. Resettlement stress can undermine the mental and physical health of refugee families, but these families also demonstrate considerable strength and resilience. In this presentation, Dr. April Masarik will share details and key findings from her interdisciplinary research involving African families who have recently resettled in Boise, Idaho as refugees. Her research is supported by the Spencer Foundation and is a collaborative effort involving researchers from anthropology, community members with refugee backgrounds, local resettlement agencies, and undergraduate students here at BSU.
The Connection Between Herbicides, Olfaction, and Neurodegeneration
Presented by Dr. Sydney Boutros
Earlier identification and earlier intervention are essential in our goals to reduce the impact of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Dr. Boutros and her lab focus on exactly these goals. One of her teams investigates the connection between common herbicides, like Roundup(TM), and Parkinson’s disease. The other team is using virtual reality and our sense of smell to detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier.
Building Momentum: Boise State as a Leader in Designing Interventions and Outreach to Support Men’s Mental Health in Idaho and Beyond
Presented by Dr. Matthew Genuchi
Men in the United States are at increased risk for experiencing a range of significant mental health-related challenges, notably high rates of suicide death, loneliness, and substance use. Alternatively, many boys and men are seeking to identify healthy forms of masculinity that help them to live meaningful lives as partners, fathers, and coworkers. Therefore, opportunities exist for improving men’s mental health via interventions uniquely designed to support them and by engaging communities in conversations around healthy masculinities.
At Boise State, we are building a Men’s Mental Health Initiative that emphasizes research on novel interventions to improve men’s lives as well as community-based outreach to increase broader public awareness of men’s mental health concerns. Our work is positioning Boise State as a leader in the area of men’s mental health. An overview of existing research and outreach projects will be discussed as well as future goals for the initiative.
Time and Location
This event will take place on Wednesday, September 18 in the Alumni and Friends Center from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Doors will open at 5:30 for the reception, followed by faculty presentations.
If you plan to attend this event, RSVP here. Complimentary parking is available in the Alumni and Friends Center parking lot. We look forward to seeing you there!