Monitor on Psychology - March 2012 - (Page 74)

Foundation amerIcan PsychologIcal Grants to support groups APA’s Div. 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy) is leaving a legacy for its members through the American Psychological Foundation. By JAMiE CHAMBERLiN Monitor staff Paul Sutherland s the saying goes, there’s strength in numbers. Research shows that can be true even in psychotherapy. Scores of studies show that group therapy can be particularly effective for people who feel socially isolated by drug dependence, depression or other mental health concerns. In today’s tough economic times, group treatment is also gaining popularity among insurers and consumers for being less expensive than one-to-one interventions, costing about half as much per person. “The field is ever-increasing as groups are more utilized for all sorts of things,” including pain management, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder, says Jean Keim, PhD, 2011 president of APA’s Div. 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy). To help support the growth of the next generation of therapists and researchers, APA’s Div. 49 has pledged $100,000 to the American Psychological Foundation to establish a fund that will provide travel and early career research grants, student scholarships and other funding opportunities for its members. “Like many divisions, our membership is older and we wanted to leave a legacy for training and mentoring and continued development of the specialty area,” says 2011 division treasurer Lynn Rapin, PhD. “We also wanted to model to our members that 74 a giving back to the membership and the division is important.” The division has already raised $40,000 toward its goal, mostly through revenue from its journal, Group Dynamics. Six other divisions of APA have pledged similar amounts to establish a grants fund for their own members (see page 76), Div. 49 is the first division to pledge the full amount from its own budget. The division has a five-year plan to reach its $100,000 cash goal by 2016. Div. 49 members have started contributing to the fund on their own as well, which may mean that the division could reach its goal and start offering grants by 2014, Keim says. To encourage more contributions, the division set up a system that allows members to donate any amount they choose directly from their bank accounts, either in monthly payments or one lump sum. “It’s a use of funds that’s had widespread support among our members because they see their dues as going to something specific and longterm,” adds Keim. “It’s also a member benefit; even if a member doesn’t contribute he or she could eventually receive funds for their research.” n For more information on the Div. 49 fund, email Jean Keim, PhD, at jkeim@ unm.edu. For more information on APF and its funding programs, visit www.apa. org/apf. M o n i to r o n p s yc h o l o g y • M a rc h 2 0 1 2 http://www.apa.org/apf http://www.apa.org/apf

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - March 2012

Monitor on Psychology - March 2012
Letters
President’s column
Contents
From the CEO
Supreme Court rejects eyewitness protections
New member benefit: prevention screenings
A psychodynamic treatment for PTSD shows promise for soldiers
Was ‘Little Albert’ ill during the famed conditioning study?
New research identifies ways to improve eyewitness identifications
In Brief
‘Our health at risk’
Perspective on Practice
APA endorses higher education guidelines
TIME CAPSULE
QUESTIONNAIRE
Random Sample
Judicial Notebook
Help for struggling veterans
Driving out cancer disparities
In the Public Interest
SCIENCE WATCH
Practice, virtually
The legal and ethical issues of virtual therapy
Psychologist PROFILE
EARLY CAREER PSYCHOLOGY
Bringing life into focus
Pay attention to me
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Division Spotlight
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - March 2012