The Psychology department attended its second consecutive National American Psychological Association (APA) Convention held in Orlando, Fla. Aug. 2-5. The convention is a three-to-five day annual meeting in which several universities and psychologists come together to present new research that they have been preparing throughout the year.
“The APA convention is an amazing opportunity for both faculty and students to network and learn from the leading researchers in our field,” Liberty University psychology professor Brianne Friberg said. “We were able to present our own research and receive feedback from experts within our content area. In addition, we were able to meet and hear presentations from individuals who students have read about in textbooks or journals and have heard about in their psychology classes.”
Liberty had the unique opportunity of being able to send seven undergraduate students to the convention this year.
psychology — A team of three Liberty students, accompanied by psychology professor Brianne Friberg, attended the National American Psychological Association Convention in Orlando, Fla. Aug. 2-5. Photo provided
“This convention allows us to present research alongside major research universities,” Friberg said. “It is exciting to see research including undergraduate students from a teaching university presented next to research by a doctoral student from a research-focused institution. It is a competitive conference, pushing students to really know their ‘stuff’ during the presentation,” Friberg said. “This convention also allows students to see ‘the next level’ in the world of psychology. They are able to network and meet with leaders in the field, as well as explore research within areas of psychology they believe God is calling them to study and serve.”
One team from Liberty presented research on Early Head Start, a program designed for low-income families concerning mothers with babies from prenatal to 3-years-old. The program promotes child competence and development as well as parenting skills. The team researched different ways the Early Head Start program could be improved and designed to properly fit into more low-income families. According to Friberg, this was “more rigorous research.”
The team presented its own research and met some of the top psychologists in the field today. Among these researchers were Russell Barkley and Ann Masten. Barkley has been researching a new possible diagnosis to the DSM-5, which diagnoses certain disorders. Masten is known for her resilience and risk research.
Liz Colesey, one of the team members from Liberty, described her experience as “motivating,” and said that it was a privilege to attend the National APA Convention as an undergraduate. Colesey said that after the convention, she realized just how much there is to learn about psychology and loved the experience of seeing top researchers taking interest in the same types of research.
“The opportunity to attend and present in a national psychology conference as renowned as the yearly APA convention is one that is not offered to many undergraduate students,” Audrey Anderson, another member of one of the Liberty teams, said. “I greatly enjoyed hearing from the students, professors and keynote speakers on what is happening in psychology research, whether it was in presentations, seminars or casual conversations. This convention really makes the difference in the field of psychology and prepares our department for the next step.”
“The heart of Liberty University and the psychology department is to train champions for Christ, and for me, this convention is a moment where that goal is realized,” Friberg said. “It allows them to see the fruit of their research and gives them practical application in a field full of theories. It is also rewarding to see them light up when they realize they are hearing a theorist they repeatedly cited speak on the current state of the field. Seeing them grow through these experiences and shine for Christ in that moment is worth the price of admission every time!”
A total of three teams attended the National APA Conference this year.