NVC Students and Faculty Present Original Research at SWPA

Depression and Stereotypes Among Topics

During this year’s meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA), Northwest Vista College (NVC) psychology students and faculty reported on topics such as the impact of attire on depression, holding stereotypes, and flourishing as a human.

NVC Professor of Psychology Dr. Don Lucas, Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Catie Phillips, and Psychology Instructor Dr. Kristin Sramek, along with eight NVC psychology students: Aspen Ahmed, Ulises Cardenas II, Malena Duran, Caleb Moreno, Ashton Page, Finley Ralston, Gisel Gabrielle Ramirez, and Azael Rivera, attended the annual meeting, which was held March 27 to 29 in Frisco, Texas.

In addition to attending workshops, invited talks, research symposia, poster sessions, and research paper sessions, five students, along with faculty, presented the following original research studies: 

• Ralston and Lucas presented “Pathway to Human Flourishing: Development and Validation of the Wonderment Instrument.”
  
  
• Sramek presented “Determinants of Depression in Community College Students: A Three-Factor Model.”
  
  
• Page and Ahmed presented “The Impact of Attire on Community College Students’ Beliefs of Approachability.” Phillips and NVC Professor of Psychology Dr. Liz Wright supervised this research.
  
  
• Duran and Moreno presented “More Than Grit: Stereotype Internalization and Academic Identity among Community College Students.” Sramek supervised this research.

UT San Antonio, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Texas A&M University-San Antonio will have the pleasure of having these students attend in the fall. NVC students have been attending and presenting at the annual meetings of the SWPA with Lucas since 2005.

Established in 1953, SWPA represents American Psychological Association members living in Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. SWPA promotes and strengthens psychology’s scientific, professional, and educational facets. Next year’s meeting is scheduled to be held in Houston.