Rory A. Pfund

Undergraduate study in psychology: Curriculum and assessment.

The undergraduate curriculum in psychology profoundly reflects and shapes the discipline. Yet, reliable information on the undergraduate psychology curriculum has been difficult to acquire due to insufficient research carried out on unrepresentative program samples with disparate methods. In 2014, APA launched the first systematic effort in a decade to gather national data on the psychology major and program outcomes. We surveyed a stratified random sample of department chairs/coordinators of accredited colleges and universities in the United States that offer undergraduate courses and programs in psychology. A total of 439 undergraduate psychology programs (45.2%) completed the survey. This article summarizes, for both associate and baccalaureate programs, the results of the Undergraduate Study in Psychology. Current practices concerning the introductory course, the courses offered, core requirements, the psychology minor, and tracks/concentrations are presented. The frequency of formal program reviews and program-level assessment methods are also addressed. By extending prior research on the undergraduate curriculum, we chronicle longitudinal changes in the psychology major over the past 20 years.

Warning messages for electronic gambling machines: evidence for regulatory policies

Abstract In the United States, warning messages were first included on tobacco products in the 1960 s, and were subsequently added to alcohol products in the 1980 s. However, they have yet to be applied comprehensively to gambling. Several jurisdictions, including Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, have mandated responsible gaming requirements, including pop-up warning messages to provide players feedback on potentially risky play. The aim of the current paper was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on gambling-related warning messages and to discuss the public policy implications of the research to date. Across all studies examined, the use of warning messages was largely supported. Messages informed consumers and if applied appropriately, potentially reduced harm. The mode of message display, along with placement, content, framing, and context were all found to influence the impact of messages. Messages demonstrated optimal impact when they popped-up on the center screen, created an interruption in play, and required active removal by the player. Messages were more effective at modifying behavior when they were brief, easy to read, and direct. As opportunities for gambling continue to increase, findings support that gambling-related warning messages can reduce risky gambling play and can be used to inform policy decisions around responsible gaming. Gaps in the warning-message literature to be addressed by future research efforts and to further inform prevention policy are discussed.

A Dubious Distinction? The BA versus the BS in Psychology.

Previous studies have documented small differences between the bachelor of arts (BA) and the bachelor of science (BS) psychology degrees in their general education core requirements, particularly mathematics and science courses. But are there differences between the BA and BS degrees within the psychology curriculum? Using data from the Undergraduate Study in Psychology, we examined the psychology curriculum of 329 accredited, nonprofit institutions awarding bachelors’ degrees in psychology. We investigated potential differences between BA and BS programs as well as programs awarding both the BA and the BS. Overall, we discovered relatively few differences. The largest contributor to differences in baccalaureate degrees was not the type of degree but the level of the degrees awarded at an educational institution. Implications center on correcting student perceptions, faculty advising, and curricula planning regarding the differences between the BA and the BS in psychology.

Introduction to Psychology: Course Purposes, Learning Outcomes, and Assessment Practices

A robust literature has explored multiple facets of the introductory psychology course, but few studies have examined its purposes, student learning outcomes (SLOs), and assessment practices. The second iteration of the Undergraduate Study in Psychology gathered data on these facets in a nationally representative sample of associate (n = 62) and baccalaureate psychology programs (n = 161). Most department chairs indicated that their intro course served as both an introduction to the major and a general education function. Approximately one third of programs incorporated the American Psychological Association Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major 2.0 in their entirety or with minor changes to develop their SLOs for the introductory course. Written assignments and professor-developed quizzes/exams were the most frequently used assessment methods. Discussion centers on how these results may be used by teachers of introductory psychology.

Can a motivational letter increase attendance to psychological treatment for gambling disorder

High rates of treatment refusal and dropout have complicated the delivery of psychological treatment for gambling disorder, which continues accumulating evidence for efficacy. Incorporating motivational interviewing and addressing outcome expectations into psychological treatments has been shown to increase overall attendance. However, no studies have investigated whether motivational interviewing and outcome expectations can increase attendance at the initial and subsequent sessions of psychological treatment for gambling disorder. Participants were 69 prospective clients who contacted an outpatient training clinic requesting treatment services for gambling-related problems. They were randomly assigned to receive a mailed letter that incorporated principles of motivational interviewing and addressed outcome expectancies plus a telephone reminder call or to receive a telephone reminder call only. Clients who received the letter plus reminder call were more likely to attend the initial session than were clients who received the reminder call only. Clients receiving the letter were also more likely to reschedule their initial session and less likely to not show up than were clients receiving the reminder call only. There was no significant difference in attendance at subsequent sessions. These results suggest that mailing a similar letter to prospective clients of psychological treatment for gambling disorder is worthwhile, given the associated ease and low cost. Future investigations should further investigate the value of strengthening the motivation of prospective clients and clinics before initial treatment sessions, and they should investigate the distinction between clients who reschedule versus not show up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

A text comprehension approach to questionnaire readability: An example using gambling disorder measures.

Although readability has been traditionally operationalized and even become synonymous with the concept of word and sentence length, modern text analysis theory and technology have shifted toward multidimensional comprehension-based analytic techniques. In an effort to make use of these advancements and demonstrate their general utility, 6 commonly used measures of gambling disorder were submitted to readability analyses using 2 of these advanced approaches, Coh-Metrix and Question Understanding Aid (QUAID), and one traditional approach, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. As hypothesized, significant variation was found across measures, with some questionnaires emerging as more appropriate than others for use in samples that may include individuals with low literacy. Recommendations are made for the use of these modern approaches to readability to inform decisions on measure selection and development.

Public Stigma Across Addictive Behaviors: Casino Gambling, eSports Gambling, and Internet Gaming

The negative psychological effects of public stigma on disordered gamblers have been well documented. Public stigma deters treatment-seeking and other help-seeking behaviors, and negatively impacts individuals’ view of themselves. Different types of disordered gambling activities may attract different degrees of stigma. One increasingly popular form of gambling involves placing bets on the outcomes of competitive video games, also called eSports gambling. This activity shares characteristics with Internet gaming and gambling. The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of public stigma held towards traditional casino gamblers, eSports gamblers, and Internet gamers, as compared to an individual experiencing comparable levels of impairment and distress due to a financial crisis. Using an experimental between-groups vignette study design, we found that all three types of behavioral addictions were more heavily stigmatized than the control condition. The three behavioral addictions were seen as being highly controllable, engendered a significant amount of anger and blame, and resulted in higher levels of desired social distance. Traditional casino gamblers were seen as significantly more dangerous to be around and created a higher level of desired social distance than the Internet gamer. Differences between the Internet gamer and eSports better were less pronounced. These findings underscore the importance of reducing public stigma for gambling and other behavioral addictions, and provide information that can be used when developing interventions to impact stigma.

Disordered gamblers with and without ADHD: the role of coping in elevated psychological distress

Abstract Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is significantly more prevalent among disordered gamblers than in the general adult population. Despite this, it remains unclear whether co-occurring ADHD is associated with clinically significant differences that call for specialized assessments and treatment planning. The purpose of this article was to explore differences in psychological distress and coping strategies among individuals presenting to an outpatient gambling treatment centre with and without co-occurring adult ADHD. Participants (n = 99) were primarily female (69%) and Caucasian (86%) outpatient treatment-seeking disordered gamblers. At intake, individuals completed self-report measures of coping (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations – Adult Form), psychological distress (Beck Depression Inventory II) and ADHD (Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scales – Adult Form). Results indicated that individuals with ADHD (n = 42) reported significantly more psychological distress and less adaptive coping strategies than those without co-occurring ADHD (n = 57). Mediation analyses showed that an ADHD diagnosis had an indirect effect on psychological distress via the mediator of maladaptive coping. Assessment and treatment should be tailored to address the variety of presentations of gambling disorder. Screening for ADHD at intake may be helpful in creating an individualized treatment plan for disordered gamblers.