Neuroendocrinology and Mental Health Consequences of War-Related Trauma: An Illustrative Review

We are currently experiencing the greatest refugee crisis since World War II (United Nations High Commission for Refugees, 2016). It is important to understand how war-related trauma impacts psychological and physiological health. The purpose of our review was to synthesize existing research that examines physiological indicators of stress (particularly cortisol) and the mental health consequences of war-related trauma. Cortisol is a physiological by-product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA-axis) and has been widely used to measure stress reactions. The psychological variables of interest were Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), responses to reminder cues, coping strategies, and different types of trauma (e.g., concentration camps; war; rape) across development. All articles included in the review were found using the PsycINFO database. Articles were included if it was a published, peer-reviewed empirical article that included cortisol measurements (saliva or blood) in relation to psychological variables among war-related trauma participants (including refugees, but excluding veterans). Overall, results demonstrated decreases in cortisol levels in response to reminder cues and among participants with PTSD. Negative coping strategies were also associated with lower cortisol levels. More longitudinal research is needed on the physiological impact of trauma so that prevention and intervention programs intended to support these individuals are strengthened

Effects of Interracial Contact on University Students\u27 Perceptions of Inclusion

Research from higher education and social psychology has recognized feelings of belonging and perceptions of inclusion as important factors within the university student experience. Yet little research has examined the extent to which interracial contact may correspond with belonging and inclusion in the university setting. In the present study, I conduct secondary analyses of a 2016 campus climate survey of undergraduate students to examine the associations between interracial contact and three indicators of belonging and inclusion (e.g., feeling a sense of belonging, perceiving the campus to be welcoming, perceived university commitment to inclusion) among undergraduate students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and among racial and ethnic minority students (ALANA students) regarded as international students and as U.S. residents. Results indicate, overall, White students tend to report greater feelings of belonging and perceptions of inclusions compared to their ALANA peers. Greater interracial contact was generally associated with greater feelings of belonging and greater perceived institutional commitment to inclusion, yet these effects tended to be stronger among ALANA students than among White students. Black students tended to report lower feelings of belonging in comparison to other ALANA students; at the same time, no significant interactions were observed between interracial contact and racial/ethnic status among ALANA students from Asian, Black, Latino/a, or multiracial backgrounds. In addition, international ALANA students tended to report lower levels of belonging as compared to ALANA students regarded as U.S. residents. However, there were no significant interaction effects of interracial contact and international ALANA status in predicting students’ feelings of belonging and inclusion perceptions. The present study highlights how students’ racial/ethnic status can shape belonging and inclusion perceptions on the university campus, and how associations between interracial contact and key indicators of inclusion may vary among students whose racial and ethnic groups occupy different status positions in U.S. society

Development of the Campus and Career Resource Inventory

The need for departmental evaluation has been documented as important for institutional evaluations and resulted in APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major, Version 2.0 (American Psychological Association [APA], 2013). Well-known websites including O*NET OnLine and CareerOneStop, books such as the APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology, and resources specific to campus such as a Career Center have not been evaluated in conjunction with psychology students specifically. In our study, we intend to close this gap and identify effective career-related resources available to undergraduate psychology students as well as assess how important these resources are to students’ career paths across the nation at four different universities. The Career and Campus Resource Inventory measured students’ knowledge of psychology-specific resources through a survey of open-ended and close-ended questions. We concluded that students primarily rely on faculty to get accurate information on their careers. Interestingly, student clubs and organizations were rated as one of the lowest in importance to advancing student career paths. Additionally, all seven resources were reported as average in helping students advance their career paths. This research is the first step to providing students with accurate and informative resources regarding career paths with a bachelor’s degree in psychology

Do Career Interest and Major Alignment Matter?

Career exploration is a critical task during the development of young adults which is important in leading towards satisfying postgraduate lives (Lee, Porfeli, & Hirschi, 2016; Skorikov, & Vondracek, 2007). Psychology graduates enter sales as the primary occupation followed by a category of “other” (Stamm, Lin, & Christidis, 2017). The purpose of our research is to identify the alignment of students’ knowledge of career and increase students’ knowledge of the steps needed to enter their intended career. Alignment is defined as an understanding of the intended career and the accurate knowledge about entering the intended career; for instance, an understanding of expectations and outcomes would be considered a high alignment whereas unmet expectations would be considered low alignment (Landrum, 2018). In Study 1, we will create a questionnaire that identifies students’ alignment with their intended career and their current major (psychology). In Study 2, we will use the questionnaire before and after various interventions to identify effective ways of increasing students’ knowledge and understanding of the alignment between their major and future career. Both studies will be conducted using undergraduate university students as participants

Educational Barriers and Resources for University Refugee-Background Students

We aim to explore and understand the refugee-background student experience at Boise State University. Refugee-background students are defined as students who came to the US through the process of displacement, asylum seeking, or refugee resettlement. Studies show that challenges faced by refugee-background students in accessing higher education include economic, cultural, social, and psychological barriers. Previous research on refugee-background students in Australia has found that peer-mentor programs, financial support, and culturally sensitive advisors with accurate information are positive factors that foster student experiences on-campus and academic success. We are currently conducting focus groups to interview refugee-background students about their experience at Boise State University and identify effective resources or ideas that reduce educational barriers. Each focus group is open to five participants and are centered around different themes. The themes are: (1) campus resources; (2) campus barriers; (3) work and family; and (4) social life and sense of belonging. Additionally, we will survey students’ academic performance via GPA. Qualitative and quantitative data will be analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Findings will be ready for presentation in early April and may inform policies and programs intended to support university students