Cancer is theme for presidential miniconvention

Many of the experts featured in this special issue will be presenting their work at the "Presidential Miniconvention on Cancer," to be hosted by APA President Richard M. Suinn, PhD, at this year's APA Annual Convention in Boston, Aug. 20­24.

The miniconvention will highlight the role psychologists play in cancer treatment and prevention. Suinn has gathered experts in and out of psychology to present research and discuss issues related to cancer, as well as cancer survivors who will discuss personal experiences with cancer.

"The miniconvention will be the absolute best display of science and practice--the state of the art regarding psychology and cancer," says Suinn.

University of Pittsburgh psychologist Andrew Baum, PhD, who helped to organize the programming, will open the miniconvention on Saturday, Aug. 21, at 10 a.m. He will briefly discuss the dramatic growth in psychological research and practice related to cancer and outline future opportunities for psychologists in these areas. University of Kentucky psychologist Michael Andrykowski, PhD, was also a key organizer of the miniconvention programming.

Other miniconvention symposia will address research on emotional well-being in cancer patients, psychosocial interventions for cancer patients and motivating cancer prevention behaviors.

Programming will also include a panel discussion of four cancer survivors, talks on how psychologists can facilitate decisions about cancer screening and an international comparison of cancer patients.

The miniconvention sessions on cancer are:

* "State of the art research programs in cancer," Saturday, Aug. 21, 10­11:50 a.m., Michael Andrykowski, PhD, University of Kentucky, chair. Presenters are Barbara Andersen, PhD, Ohio State University; Andrea Patenaude, PhD, Harvard Medical School; Vicki Helgeson, PhD, Carnegie Mellon University; and Dana Bovbjerg, PhD, Mt. Sinai Medical Center.

* "Depression and emotional well-being in cancer patients: a comparative study," Saturday, Aug. 21, 1­2:50 p.m., Virginia Mullin, PsyD, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare; David Cella, PhD, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, discussant. Presenters are Prabha Chandra, MD, Bangolore, Bangladesh, and Lourens Schlebush, PhD, Durban, South Africa. Co-sponsored with Div. 38 (Health).

* "Panel discussion on cancer survivors," Saturday, Aug. 21, 3­4:50 p.m., Lisa Porsche-Burke, PhD, chair. Five panelists will discuss their personal experience with cancer. Panelists are Alice Chang, PhD, Saar Porrath, MD, Davida Hopkins-Parham, O'Linda Magsamen and Manny Hamelburg. Discussants are Norman Anderson, PhD, National Institutes of Health, and Arthur Nezu, PhD, Allegheny University of Health Sciences.

* "Psychological interventions for younger women with breast cancer," Sunday, Aug. 22, 10­11:50 a.m., Nancy E. Avis, PhD, New England Research Institute, chair. Presenters are Susan M. Allen, PhD, Brown University; Charles S. Carver, PhD, University of Miami; and Joan R. Bloom, PhD, University of California­Berkeley. Discussants are Claudette Varriocchio, National Cancer Institute, and Annette Stanton, PhD, University of Kansas. Co-sponsored with Div. 38.

* "State of the art psychosocial care of cancer patients," Sunday, Aug. 22, 2­2:50 p.m. Panelists are Jimmie Holland, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Richard McQuelon, MD, Wake Forest University; and Paul Jacobson, PhD, Moffett Cancer Center.

* "Promoting informed screening decisions: community-based approaches," Sunday, Aug. 22, 3­3:50 p.m., Renee Royak-Schaeler, PhD, MCP Hahnemann University, chair. Presentations will be made by Royak-Shaeler and Electra D. Paskett, PhD, Wake Forest University.

* "Motivating cancer prevention behaviors with appropriately framed messages," Sunday, Aug. 22, 4­4:50 p.m., Robert T. Croyle, PhD, National Cancer Institute, chair. Peter Salovey, PhD, Yale University, invited address. Co-sponsored by Divisions 8 (Society for Personality and Social Psychology) and 38.

--J. Chamberlin

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