Summer, 2020 – Volume 60, Issue 2
Editor: Stephen DiDonato
Associate Editor: Joyce Yip Green
Table of Contents
Message from the President
Division News
- Division 52 Awards
- Dr. Laura Dryjanska receives the 2020 Citizen Psychologist Award
- APA Division 52 COVID-19 Taskforce
Global Perspectives
Collaborations
Early Career Professionals
Message from the President
Brigitte Khoury, PhD
Dear Division 52 members,
I am happy to invite you all to attend the great program we have put together for the APA 2020 virtual convention.
The two convention co-chairs, Dr. Julie Hakim-Larson and Dr. Dinah Ayna worked tirelessly, planning a rich and diverse program, with an international focus. They worked hard to put together this amazing program, despite the many challenges we all faced with the virtual format and the technlogical demands which they managed to navigate in such a short amount of time!
Presentations from several highly regarded psychologists working in international settings or experts in international psychology emphasized their commitment to the division by agreeing to present virtually during the convention. The topics and themes are varied and range from practice, to research, education and training.
The hospitality suite has also a rich program of events, meetings, discussion groups and lectures, where members can either participate in live sessions or watch the pre-recorded ones.
One of the most important events planned by our division for this convention is: “The peace and nonviolence Jibran Khalil Jibran virtual vigil.” Although we had planned to have that vigil live at the Jibran Khalil Jibran memorial garden in Washington DC, Dr. Greg Gormanos, a division member and the President of the Jibran Khalil Jibran foundation, suggested to do it virtually and has been working incessantly with the help of a whole team to make this event a success. “The vigil comes at a time when psychologists need to underscore and amplify the ideals of peace and nonviolence: respect, dignity, justice, equality, love, unity and inclusivity. It will focus on eradicating systemic barriers to Peace: disparities in opportunities, education, health and mental health, security and other barriers such as poverty, homelessness and hunger.” As Dr. Gormanos expressed so eloquently.
Although we would have preferred to meet our division members in Washington DC as planned, and to have time for rich exchanges, networking and meeting old and new friends for some fun, this virtual convention is the new reality we have to live with. I hope you will join us to the many events planned during the APA 2020 and I will be happy to “see” each one of you even if on the screen.
Division 52 Awards
It is with great pleasure to announce the awardees for our Division 52 awards. Please congratulate them and know that during our business meeting at APA a short video will be shown to showcase these incredible individuals and their powerful international psychology focused work.
Student International Research
Cheung Yan Lok
City University of Hong Kong
Outstanding Early Career Psychologist in the US
Anu Asnaani, PhD
The University of Utah
Ashley K. Randall, PhD
Arizona State University
Outstanding Early Career Psychologist outside the US
Zed Zhipeng Gao, PhD
Simon Fraser University, Canada
Anastasi Graduate Student Research Award
Fanie Callardeau
University of Victoria, BC
Nicholas J. Haynes
University of Georgia
Denmark-Reuder Women and Gender Award
Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD
Pepperdine University
Henry David International Mentoring Award
Vaishali Raval
Miami University
Outstanding Psychologist inside the US
Irma Serrano-Garcia, PhD
University of Puerto Rico
Outstanding Psychologist outside the US
Klaus Boehnke, PhD
Jacobs University Bremen, Germany
k.boehnke@jacobs-university.de
Jaan Valsiner, C.Sc./PhD
Aalborg University, Denmark
Society for General Psychology’s Citizen Psychologist Award
The winner of the 2020 Citizen Psychologist Award is Dr. Laura Dryjanska, Associate Professor at Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University.
This award recognizes members who exemplify the mission and goals of Division 1 through multidisciplinary and integrative voluntary efforts that address real-world problems to improve society and benefit lives.
It is also our pleasure to note that Dr. Dryjanska recently received the Outstanding Early Career Psychologist Award from Division 52 International Psychology, and was invited to be a keynote speaker at the next conference of the European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation, which will take place in Tel-Aviv, Israel during June 2021.
A Polish and Italian citizen fluent in five languages, Dr. Dryjanska obtained a PhD in social psychology in 2012 from the Sapienza University of Rome. As an early career psychologist, Dr. Dryjanska has been dedicated to teaching and conducting research related to human trafficking, with a particular focus on foreign victims of this crime.
The award committee was very impressed by Dr. Dryjanska’s intergenerational community-based work related to human trafficking. Utilizing a “scientist-practitioner-advocate” framework, graduate students are trained as facilitators of interactive workshops, designed to educate high school students and raise awareness about human trafficking in their community. In turn, the high school students share information gleaned from this program with their family and friends, to shed further light on the prevalence of human trafficking. Workshops at various community-based organizations have also been part of the effort. The project, which has received media attention, has successfully reached diverse communities, and there are plans to continue it, including involving undergraduate college students.
We are so pleased to honor her and her important work with this award.
APA Division 52 COVID-19 Taskforce
Co-Chairs:
Lawrence Gerstein & Falu Rami
In April, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Division 52 formed a taskforce.
The mission of this taskforce is to identify and compile resources and knowledge regarding the psychological impact of COVID-19 and potential future pandemics including ways to cope and mitigate the psychological consequences.
If you would like to join a subgroup, please contact one of the appropriate Co-Chairs. See below:
Service Delivery Subgroup: – LINK TO PAGE
Co-Chairs: Lemny Perez & Priya Ratty
Our mission is to ensure that all persons and peoples have access to timely, affordable, culturally relevant and ethically responsive mental health resources to support their overall wellbeing. Specifically, we want to learn from others, compile and disseminate various international and multi-sectoral responses to the current COVID-19 pandemic.We endeavor to reduce inequities for accessing mental health services during health emergencies especially among frontline staff, marginalized and vulnerable populations. Our objectives include, identifying services such as but not limited to; supporting frontline staff, community health workers who are providers of basic psychological first aid, integrating mental health services to other services, telehealth and faith-inclusive services, among others.
Legal Issues and Advocacy Subgroup – LINK TO PAGE
Co-Chairs: Karen Brown & Falu Rami
The mission of the Legal Issues and Advocacy Subgroup is to identify, highlight, assess, collaborate, and disseminate global trends facing marginalized and vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 and similar pandemics as well as other international emergencies.
Training and Education Subgroup – LINK TO PAGE
Co-Chairs: Joyce Green & Deborah Stiles
The mission of the Training and Education subgroup is to strengthen access to mental health supports and services such as trainings and education related to COVID-19 global pandemic. Trainings will target service providers who work nationally and/or internationally with vulnerable, and culturally diverse populations.
Webinars on COVID-19, Children, and International Perspectives
Webster University’s Applied Educational Psychology and School Psychology programs are focused on the well-being and mental health of children and adolescents from multicultural and international backgrounds. In 2020, the coronavirus global pandemic poses an acute threat to the well-being of children. And so, Webster is studying the psychological impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable children. Thus far, not many psychologists are looking into this topic. In the PsycInfo database, there are 239 peer-reviewed, full text articles about COVID-19 listed. Only eight or 3.3% of these articles had the words child, children, childhood, adolescent, or adolescence in the article’s title. Here are the titles of some of the webinars we’ve made on COVID-19 and children:
Building resilience in “at-risk” children during a global pandemic: The importance of gaining new professional knowledge and practicing self care
Child psychology, international children’s rights, and age-group approaches to COVID-19
The psychological impact of COVID-19 on children: Perspectives of two international students from Armenia.
Helping Muslim students cope with grief: A guide for teachers and counselors
COVID-19: Perspectives of an international school psychology student from Venezuela
Webinars and other COVID-19 materials can be found on the Division 52 International Psychology Training and Education web page.
Research Subgroup:
The Division 52 COVID-19 Subgroup Taskforce Research members will focus on current research across the world related to the psychological, clinical and psychosocial emerging from the pandemic crisis. The extended consequences of the pandemic have brought to the fore several themes that international psychology will deal with in the future, when global crises are likely to occur. Phenomena of social distancing, distress, difficult access to education and information, social exclusion, quarantine do for instance affect people in different ways, revealing the existing inequalities in terms of race, income, nationality and welfare. Theoretical approaches and intervention models that do not account for the psychodiversity and the different cultural contexts and the social justice risk to be ineffective.
The subgroup thus plans to produce and share resources for both researchers and practitioners (e.g., monitoring innovative or extensive international research projects and online qualified knowledge sources) via various media outlets. The subgroup will collect experiences and knowledge bases from the different areas of the Planet, including calls, fundings, databases and open access materials, and will organize activities (webinars, online discussions, symposia with international researchers) for both APA members and the whole international psychological community. The subgroup will continue its work beyond 2020, in coordination with the Div 52 task force and the other APA divisions.
Co-chairs: Luca Tateo and Pina Marsico
https://div52.net/activities/covid-projects/covid-19-research/
The Pandemic Seminars:
by Luca Tateo, Pina Marsico and Falu Rami
The recently constituted Div 52 taskforce on Covid-19 has become a productive arena of discussion about the role of international psychology in the major global crisis that affect mankind, such as the SARS COVID-19 pandemic, and that are likely to occur in the future, due for instance to the environmental crisis. In this context, a need for a space of reflection and debate, beyond contingency, has emerged. For this reason, we have created a new cycle of webinars, called “The pandemic series”, where invited lecturers, from all the continents, will propose innovative theoretical understandings of the psychological aspects of global critical events. Psychological sciences have been dramatically challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and by its psycho-social consequences, revealing the effects of social, racial and economic inequalities.We need a serious theoretical and epistemological reflection, seeking advancements in the way psychology understands human psychic experience outside the Western-centric way of life.
The webinars will take place every month, starting June 26, 2020, and will be free and open also to non-members, in order to foster the dialogue with scholars and professionals worldwide expanding the Div 52 community. The complete list of webinars is available at https://div52.net/index.php/activities/webinars
https://div52.net/the-pandemic-seminars/
Virtual Training on Covid19 Response for Psychologists in Russia
Elena Cherepanov, PhD, LMHC
Graduate School of Psychology and Counseling. Cambridge College, Boston MA
Cherepanov, E. (2018). Ethics for Global Mental Health: From Good Intentions to Humanitarian
Accountability. New York: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781351175746
Elena.cherepanov@yahoo.com
Covid19 pandemic has created unique challenges and also has opened up unique opportunities. The 3-hour training hosted by the Institute of Psychodrama and Psychological Counseling and the Open Institute of Professional Innovations (Russia) on June 20, 2020, would not has been logistically possible under any other circumstances. On a few days’ notice, 96 psychologists, social workers, psychology students, and the healthcare professionals from Russia and Ukraine came together virtually to discuss the response to the pandemic. The training reviewed the principles and structure of Psychological First Aid (PFA), and focused on essential professional competencies, ethical considerations, and the risk management issues arising when providing PFA remotely. The reports of the increased incidents of intimate partner violence were of particular concern. As a result, the initial request, “What can we do to help?” evolved into the conversation about the need for developing the situation-appropriate and culturally-informed mental health interventions and psychosocial supports. Emphasis on quality assurance highlighted the importance of standardized training in PFA, establishing regular supervision, and maintaining the life-work balance during the emergencies. The training demonstrated the benefits of using technology for sharing innovative approaches and strengthening professional and interdisciplinary collaborations during the global crisis.
COVID-19 Almost Ruined My International Research Project on the Value of Tree of Life Therapy for Traumatized Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Youth
Deborah A. Stiles
An article first presented at the 2019 convention of the American Psychological Association and later published in the 2019 Fall/Winter issue of the International Psychology Bulletin was titled, “The Myriad of Problems Encountered When Conducting Psychological Research with Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Youth.” The article described the three main reasons why researching the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for refugee children and adolescents is especially difficult. https://div52.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2019-24-IPB-FallWinter.pdf
After the APA Convention, I began tackling the “myriad of problems.” I gained IRB approval, obtained funding, and identified international research sites. Over a period of several months, positive, trusting relationships were built with psychologists, educators, and administrators from four countries. Thirty-one culturally diverse adolescents served as consultants and helped to design the research process and develop the research Instrument. In late 2019, I co-authored an article titled, “Researching the Effectiveness of Tree of Life: An Imbeleko Approach to Counseling Refugee Youth.” The article presented a multi-method study protocol and a plan for using pragmatic, group-randomized controlled trials to examine the effectiveness of Tree of Life. The article included a CONSORT checklist with extensions for pragmatic trials and a Tree of Life flow diagram.
The Tree of Life research project was well-designed and the research plan was all set and ready to go until March of 2020 when COVID-19 turned everything upside down. Suddenly, the “myriad of problems” seemed to multiply. All communications were online or by telephone. Social distancing and face masks were recommended and later required. School activities and summer camps were cancelled, and international travel became nearly impossible. Everything I was counting on seemed to be falling apart.
In July, I reached out to several colleagues hoping to find a way to still do the research project. The most common response was, “Just put the research project online.” I explained that I intentionally selected “low tech” Tree of Life therapy because it is conducive to establishing trust and developing positive relationships with traumatized youth.
I felt that COVID-19 was ruining my research project. I reached out to two more colleagues and they helped me reimagine my research project. They helped me let go of my assumptions about exactly how my research project would progress. One colleague suggested that I “deputize” mental health professionals to do the data collection and the Tree of Life therapy at my international sites (S. Swayze, personal communication, July 8, 2020). Another colleague encouraged me to consider different international sites such as Singapore, Lebanon, Greece, and Thailand (F. Rami, personal communication, July 9, 2020). As a result of these conversations, I can imagine the possible completion of the international Tree of Life study. If you the reader have any suggestions for me, please email me at stilesda@webster.edu.
United Nations Psychology Day 2020 focused on Multilateralism
Priyadharshiny Sandanapitchai & Harold Takooshian **
On May 27, 2020, the Thirteenth Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations, brought together over 1,271 participants from 104 nations to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the UN. This year’s focus was on “UN75: The multilateralism we want: Psychological contributions to building bridges among and within nations.”
This year’s UN Psychology Day (UNPD) was unusual in at least four ways. (1) Sponsorship of UNPD shifted from the American Psychological Association (APA) and its Office of International Affairs to the Psychology Coalition at the UN (PCUN). PCUN is a coalition of psychology NGOs, formed in New York City in 2011 (Okorodudu, 2013), which has been expanding despite a few challenges—and now numbers about 150 psychologists and interns representing nine psychology NGOs (Takooshian, 2020). Many PCUN members recently contributed to volume 1 of a new book series on “Behavioral science in the global arena” (Congress et al., 2020).) [See notes 1,2, 3 below] (2) Virtual. Since New York City is the U.S. epicenter for the coronavirus, the United Nations building is closed. Rather than cancel UNPD, PCUN requested and received APA cooperation to hold the first virtual UNPD, using the “Go To Meetings” platform. (3) Participants. Instead of 400 participants in one room in New York City, this UNPD enlisted 2,763 registrants, and 1,271 of these were able to participated online from 104 nations. Only 25% of these were in the USA. (4) Theme. This was the 75th year of the UN, so the theme focused on the mission of the UN itself: “UN75” and multilateralism. [4]
As in the past, UNPD was kindly hosted by the diplomatic community–this year including the Missions of Palau, Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
On May 27 at 11 am, the 130-minute forum was welcomed by its two hosts: Drs. Leslie Popoff, the President of PCUN, and Rashmi Jaipal, head of the APA team at the UN.
The first of two 45-minute panels was moderated by Dr. Walter Reichman, Chair of the PCUN Program Committee, who introduced his two speakers, and moderated a lively Q & A. The second panel was moderated by Dr. Maysa Akbar, who introduced her two speakers, and moderated a lively Q & A. The four experts’ presentations appear below.
In the final 20-minute Q & A, all six experts fielded several online questions from colleagues and students from as far as Nepal.
A video recording of the entire 130-minute UNPD is now available online [5], as are recordings of past UNPDs in 2019 [6] and 2018 [7].
PCUN President Leslie Popoff noted that especially in 2020, the hosting of UNPD required the coordination of many dedicated volunteers. She thanked the speakers and moderators, the nine cosponsoring groups, the team at the APA (Sally Leverty, Juliana Mayhew, Jung-Yun Min, Drs. Gabriel Twose, Amanda Clinton, Nelida Quintero), the three UN missions (Palau, Mexico, Dominican Republic), the PCUN program committee (Drs. Walter Reichman, Maysa Akbar, Comfort Asanbe, Rashmi Jaipal, Sonia Suchday, Michelle Bell, Vera Araujo Soares, Laura Lopez-Aybar, Ayorkor Gaba, Cynthia Grguric, Carmen I. Vazquez), and outreach team (Priyadharshiny Sandanapitchai, Harold Takooshian, Elaine P. Congress).
For any details on UNPD or PCUN, check the links below, or contact UNPD at unpsychday@gmail.com, or PCUN President Leslie Popoff at drLPopoff@gmail.com
*****
It is with great honor that the Committee on Earlier Career Psychology (ECP) of Division 52 announces and congratulates the three 2020 Outstanding Early Career Psychology Awardees, each of whom has conducted extensive academic scholarship on international psychology!
Anu Asnaani, PhD is currently an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at University of Utah. She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology at Boston University and was a predoctoral resident at the Brown Alpert Medical School. Dr. Asnaani’s areas of expertise include: a) understanding mechanisms that underline change in fear-based disorders (i.e., anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD); b) improving outcomes that matter (e.g., quality of life, employment) to diverse communities both locally and internationally; and c) leveraging the use of modern technology in the implementation of evidence-based treatments.
Zed Zhipeng Gao, PhD is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Simor Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada. He is also a postdoctoral fellow in the same institution, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada. He completed his doctoral training in the Historical, Theoretical, and Critical Studies of Psychology at York University. He is currently studying Chinese immigrants’ mental health, sense of (un)belonging, and experience of racism amid the COVID-19 pandemic. His scholarship also focuses on the history of psychology and human sciences in China’s socialist movement, and on how contemporary Chinese people experience sociocultural conflicts.
Ashley K. Randall, PhD is currently an Associate Professor in Counseling and Counseling Psychology at Arizona State University. She completed her doctoral training in family studies and human development at University of Arizona. Her area of expertise is on how romantic couples cope with stress and resulting implications for wellbeing. Dr. Randall currently serves as the Mentoring Chair of Division 52’s ECP subcommittee, wherein she was instrumental in developing Division 52’s inaugural mentoring program.
To learn more about Dr. Asnaani, Dr. Gao, and Dr. Randall, please join us at a virtual conversation hour on Friday, August 7th at 4PM EST (right after the Division 52’s Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony) organized by the Division 52 Early Career Psychology Committee in conjunction with the Division 52 Student Committee. The Zoom link for this event will be published with the 2020 Division 52 Virtual Hospitality Suite’s schedule.
Division 52 Webinar Series
APA Virtual Division 52 Hospitality Suite Programming
- Theory and Practice of Psychology in Kenya: Opportunities and Challenges – VIEW PRESENTATION HERE
- Mental Health, Forgiveness, and Trauma Impacted by Ethnopolitical Conflict and Natural Disasters – VIEW PRESENTATION HERE
- Mental Health and Barriers to Treatment: Application of International Psychology – VIEW PRESENTATION HERE