The Association for Neuropsychology Students in Training (ANST) Recognizes Fordham Chapter

APA Division 40, Clinical Neuropsychology, oversees the Association for Neuropsychology Students in Training (ANST) which is an important forum for academic, scientific, and overall professional development for those students interested in Neuropsychology. ANST selected Fordham University as their Feature Chapter! The contributions and accomplishments of our Fordham Chapter are highlighted on the ANST website.

If you are interested in joining the ANST-Fordham Chapter please contact our student representative Amanda Gooding at amandalgooding@gmail.com.

Student Spotlight: Amanda Gooding, M.A.

Amanda Gooding, M.A., is a fourth year student in the Clinical program's Health and Neuropsychology specialization. Her recent research on cognitive remediation in individuals with schizophrenia led to a publication in Neuropsychological Rehabilitation: An International Journal. Amanda's future research will continue to explore the impact of neuropsychological abilities on cognitive remediation treatment response, with her current dissertation project exploring the specific role of executive functioning in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Article Summary:

Previous research indicates that treatment intensity and regular attendance is an important characteristic that predicts a more favorable response to cognitive remediation (CR) in schizophrenia. Amanda's research is the first study to date to examine the neuropsychological, psychological, and clinical factors contributing to participants’ voluntary attendance for CR in a community-based clinic setting with a diverse clinical population. The results indicate that objective neuropsychological impairment (i.e., global neuropsychological functioning and attention/working memory in particular) and subjective awareness of having neuropsychological problems both significantly predict lower CR treatment utilization. These findings underscore previous findings suggesting that neuropsychological impairment is a rate-limiting factor with respect to psychiatric rehabilitation outcomes. Thus, although individuals may recognize their neuropsychological dysfunction, they simply may not have the cognitive skills necessary to manage their schedules and regularly attend their CR sessions.

The findings from this study have salient implications for clinical service providers because those clients who have been identified as having specific deficits in the domains of attention/working memory or processing speed may be at the highest risk for drop-out and poor treatment response, and may require extra attention from clinicians. The implications from these findings can be used as a way to provide ongoing guidance for service provision and can aid in the development of empirically informed strategies aimed at improving CR treatment utilization, and thus treatment effectiveness, in clinical settings.

Reference:

Gooding, A. L., Saperstein, A., Rivera Mindt, M., & Medalia, A. (2012). Predictors of treatment utilisation at cognitive remediation groups for schizophrenia: The roles of neuropsychological, psychological and clinical variables. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation: An International Journal, DOI:10.1080/09602011.2012.665583

Full text available: Fordham Digital Research Repository

Noam Chomsky to Speak at Fordham

Fordham University's Latin American and Latino Studies Institute and Pluto Press present a book presentation and discussion, "Voices from the other side: An oral history of terrorism against Cuba." Featuring Noam Chomsky, Ph.D., Institute Professor and Professor of Linguistics at MIT, who is joined by author Keith Bolender, journalist and lecturer at University of Toronto.

Full event details and RSVP information available here

Wednesday, April 4th, 7pm-9pm

McNally Amphitheater

Fordham University, Lincoln Center

Fordham Represents at the 40th Annual International Neuropsychological Society Conference

Fordham's Psychology Department was heavily represented at the recent International Neuropsychological Society (INS) Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Read the full recap of the annual meeting on the INS website.

Faculty, alumni, post doctoral students, interns, current graduate and undergraduate students from Fordham's Psychology Department gathered together in between poster sessions, lectures, and general conference activities...

March Great Speakers in Science Series

The Psychology Department and the Center for Ethics Education sponsor the upcoming Great Speakers in Science Series. The Series presents Paul Appelbaum, M.D., Dollard Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine, & Law in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University. Dr. Appelbaum will speak on "Decision-making about research on innovative technologies: Deep brain stimulation for depression."

Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Time: 3:30pm

Location: Flom Auditorium, Walsh Library, Rose Hill Campus

Reception to follow

Clinical Graduate Student, Armando Fuentes, awarded an APA Student Poster Award

Clinical graduate student, Armando Fuentes, M.A., was recognized by the APA Convention Award Committee with a Student Poster Award by Division 40 in the category of "Cross-cultural neuropsychology." His poster, entitled "Neurocognitive and Sociocultural Factors Impacting Medication Beliefs Among HIV-Positive Latinas/os" will be presented at the 2012 Annual APA Convention in Orlando, Florida in August.

Research Colloquium, February 15th

Research Colloquium's February guest speaker was Walter Gilliam, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Child Psychiatry and Psychology, at the Yale Child Study Center. Dr. Gilliam's research involves policies regarding early childhood education and child care, methods to improve the quality of early childhood services, the impact of early childhood education programs on children's school readiness, and early childhood mental health consultation.