Science Briefs

Program ACTIVE: Addressing the Need for Accessible Depression Treatment in a Rural Population with Diabetes

by Mary de Groot

Mary de Groot is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Ohio University.  She is a licensed clinical psychologist with an emphasis on health psychology and chronic illness. Over the past 17 years, Dr. de Groot has published numerous papers in the following areas of interest: the development of interventions for depression in adults with type 2 diabetes; the role of culture in diabetes self-care behaviors; and the role of patient-provider communication on diabetes self-management behaviors.   Dr. de Groot received her doctoral degree from the University of Rhode Island and completed post-doctoral training at Washington University School of Medicine.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) continues to rise in epidemic proportions both in the U.S. and globally [1]. Currently within the U.S., T2DM accounts for greater than 90% of all diabetes cases and is over-represented among ethnic minority and other underserved populations, including the rural Appalachian region [2, 3].  As a region, rural Appalachian counties experience greater burdens of poverty, income inequality, and unemployment compared to non-Appalachian U.S. counties [4, 5] and exceed state and national averages.

Poverty, socioeconomic stress and consequent unhealthy lifestyles have been shown to increase the risk for the development of obesity and T2DM as well as morbidity and premature mortality of T2DM [6-10].  Recent data have demonstrated higher rates of self-reported T2DM (11.3%) in Appalachian Ohio compared to the general population, rivaling rates found among ethnic minority communities [2].  Individuals with diabetes in this region reported a two-fold higher prevalence of heart disease and a three-fold higher prevalence of stroke compared to non-diabetes individuals [2].

Impact of Co-Morbid Depression

Patients with T2DM have been found to be two times more likely to experience depressive symptoms than their non-diabetes peers [11]. The aggregated lifetime prevalence of major depression has been found to range between 11.4% and 27%, with greater rates found in studies using depression questionnaires [11].

Depressive symptoms have been shown to have negative consequences for individuals with diabetes.  Depression has been shown to be associated with worsened blood glucose levels [12] and diabetes complications [13] such as coronary heart disease (CHD) [14].  Depression is also associated with decreased adherence to self-care regimens, increased medical costs associated with greater depression severity and greater ambulatory care use and prescription costs [15-17] in individuals with diabetes.

Despite the significant costs of co-morbid depression and diabetes, relatively few controlled depression treatment trials have been conducted.  The majority of trials have demonstrated the efficacy of medication treatment [19-24]. Lustman and colleagues conducted the benchmark randomized controlled trial for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in patients with co-morbid depression and diabetes [18]. In this study, 51 patients diagnosed with T2DM and major depression were randomly assigned to a 10-week individualized CBT or control condition without medication intervention. Findings showed 71% of patients receiving CBT compared to 22% of patients in the control group achieved depression remission at post-treatment assessment. At 6-month follow-up assessments, depression remitted in 67% of patients in the CBT condition compared to 30% in the control group [18].  In addition, clinically significant reductions in average blood glucose (HbA1c) were found among those in the CBT condition at 6 month follow-up assessment.

No studies to date have examined the effectiveness of aerobic exercise as a treatment for major depression in patients with diabetes, although a variety of studies have demonstrated antidepressant effects of exercise in patients with clinical depression [25-28].  In randomized clinical trials, exercise was shown to be as effective as antidepressant medications in treating depression with the benefits of exercise extending beyond those observed in medication alone [25-26].  

Finally, exercise interventions have been shown to improve glycemic control in patients with T2DM [29-35]. Exercise training has also been shown to result in the reduction of a variety of cardiovascular risk factors including:  upper-body visceral adiposity [30], improvement in  insulin sensitivity [31], increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C; [32-33], reduction of triglycerides, increased LDL particle size, reduction of  hypertension, and decreased total cholesterol [35-39].

Taken together, there is mounting evidence for the need to develop effective and accessible depression treatment for individuals with T2DM and depression.  Program ACTIVE (Appalachians Coming Together to Increase Vital Exercise) was designed to test the effectiveness of a combination behavioral approach to the treatment of depression in adult patients with T2DM, living in the Appalachian region, on depression, glycemic and cardiovascular risk outcomes.  The study received Institutional Review Board approval from Ohio University.

The primary study aims were: 

1. To assess the feasibility of recruitment, retention, and adherence of an at-risk Appalachian T2DM sample with major depression to a 12-week interdisciplinary depression treatment protocol combining CBT and community-based exercise;
2. To assess changes in depression following intervention (POST) and 3-month follow-up (3MFU) assessments compared to baseline.
3. To assess changes in glycemic control at POST and at the 3MFU assessments.
4. To assess changes in blood lipids as an index of cardiovascular risk, at POST and 3MFU.  Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 max), exercise tolerance, and resting blood pressure were evaluated at POST and 3MFU assessments.

The secondary aims of Program ACTIVE were to assess changes in quality of life and social support at POST and 3MFU compared to baseline.

Study Design

Program ACTIVE was a single-arm repeated measures intervention study conducted in two phases. In Phase I, a culturally consonant CBT manual was created. Exercise protocol materials based on the Diabetes Prevention Program [DPP; 40] were culturally-tailored for a rural Appalachian population with T2DM.  All materials were evaluated for cultural salience, readability and comprehension by key informants drawn from the community and national consultants (de Groot, et al., In preparation). 

In Phase II, the interdisciplinary treatment protocol was implemented. Participants were recruited from the community through direct physician referral and community advertisement. Participants were screened by phone for initial study inclusion before completing a baseline assessment protocol. Participants who met eligibility criteria during baseline assessment were enrolled in the intervention.  Participants completed follow-up assessments immediately following the intervention (POST) and 3 months following intervention completion (3MFU).

Recruitment

Participants for Program ACTIVE were recruited from communities in southeastern Ohio and western West Virginia.   In order to ensure participant safety, the following eligibility criteria were used: age 18 or older, ability to engage in walking or other physical activity, diagnosis of T2DM for one year duration or longer, and a current diagnosis of major depression with no evidence of psychotic symptoms. Individuals were excluded from participation if they were diagnosed with current or recent medical events that would preclude safe participation in moderate intensity physical activity (e.g. uncontrolled hypertension, medical instability, recent cardiac events, etc.) or met criteria for psychiatric disorders not addressed by the intervention (e.g. bipolar disorder).

A total of N=336 individuals were screened by phone to assess medical and psychiatric eligibility.  Twenty-three percent (N=65) of these individuals met eligibility criteria and were referred for baseline assessment.  Of these, N=50 (77%) individuals were enrolled in the intervention.

Assessment Procedure

Psychological, behavioral and physiologic measures were administered at each of the three assessment periods: baseline, immediately following the intervention (POST) and 3-month follow-up assessment (3MFU).  Psychological and behavioral measures included:  demographic questionnaire; the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IVTR [41,42] used to assess lifetime and current diagnoses of Axis I disorders;  Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) used to assess symptoms of depression [43];  Diabetes Quality of Life Measure (DQOL) used to assess diabetes-specific quality of life [45]; SF-36 Quality of Life Measure (SF-36)used to assess general quality of life [45]; Chronic Illness Resource Survey (CIRS) used to assess social support using an ecological lens [46]; Physical Activity Diaries adapted from the DPP Lifestyle Balance Intervention condition [40] used to record physical activity for a one-week period at each assessment and weekly throughout the 12-week intervention period;  and Number of Steps were measured during a one-week period at each assessment and throughout the intervention [47].

Physiologic measures included: body mass index (BMI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); fasting blood lipids including HDL-C, total cholesterol, LDL-C (direct), and triglycerides. The maximal graded exercise test (GXT)was utilized to assess maximal aerobic capacity and exercise tolerance at the baseline and POST assessments. In addition, resting, exercise and recovery blood pressures and heart rate, and the Perceived Exertion (Borg Scale) were measured during the GXT to determine perceived stress during aerobic exercise training.  Self-monitored blood glucose (SBMG) data was gathered from One-Touch SMBG monitors by participants throughout the study period. 

Intervention Design

The interdisciplinary intervention was composed of 10 manualized CBT sessions, six exercise classes with supervised exercise, and 12 weeks of community-based aerobic activity.  These interventions were administered concurrently in order to assess the feasibility of recruiting and retaining participants in this demanding combination treatment protocol.  CBT sessions were conducted by trained advanced graduate students in the doctoral program in clinical psychology at Ohio University. Sessions were scheduled weekly over the course of the 12-week period, with two weeks available for flexibility in scheduling due to holidays or vacations as needed. The community-based exercise was conducted throughout the 12-week period.  An exercise manual, free access to a community exercise facility, and weekly contact with study personnel were provided to participants to encourage adherence to the exercise protocol, collect activity data, and review participant safety and changes to medical status. 

Exercise goals were adapted to accommodate the physical and medical restrictions of an older-adult diabetes population.  Exercise prescriptions were based on the results obtained from the GXT at baseline. Participants were given exercise goals that represented a total duration of 150 minutes per week with activity that reached 50 to 85% maximum heart rate consistent with the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations [48, 49]. Due to the limited prior exercise experience of participants as well as the unique needs of patients with depression and diabetes, exercise duration and intensity goals were increased in a graduated fashion during Weeks 1-3, beginning with 100 minutes of weekly exercise  and increasing to 150 minutes of total weekly exercise. Participants were asked to complete weekly exercise diaries and to record number of steps measured using pedometers during the intervention period (Weeks 1-12).

Results

Analysis of demographic characteristics of the total sample (N=50) enrolled in the intervention indicated that participants had a mean age of 57 (S.D. 9.0) years.  The sample was predominantly female (68%), married (74%), and evenly distributed across educational levels with a modal annual household income of $21,000-40,000. The mean duration of T2DM was 11.0 (S.D. 7.0) years.  The mean BMI was 35.1 (S.D. 7.1).

Using intent-to-treat analyses, 66% of participants no longer met criteria for Major Depressive Disorder at POST (p<.001) and 65% of participants were remitted at the 3MFU assessment (p<.001). Mean Beck Depression Inventory scores improved significantly both at the POST (-8.8, S.D. 8.9, p<.05) and 3MFU (-8.3, S.D. 10.9, p<.05) assessments. 

With respect to diabetes outcomes, significant decreases in fasting glucose were observed at 3MFU (M=-21.4 mg/dl, S.D. 43.2, p<.01) as were improvements in LDL-C at POST (M=-11.9, S.D. 28.6, p<.01). Average blood glucose levels (HbA1c) decreased by .32% at the POST assessment (S.D. 1.0%, p=.05) and .22% at the 3MFU assessment (S.D. 0.9%, p=.10). 

Evaluation of exercise outcomes from the GXT procedure showed increased participant capacity for exercise at the POST assessment compared to baseline (VO2 peak M=0.08 L/min, S.D. 0.2, p<.05).  Participants completed 193 min/wk of aerobic activity (range: 76-478) during the intervention, exceeding the graduated study goal of 150 minutes/week.  Self-reported physical activity improved significantly from baseline to POST (11.9, S.D. 18.5, p<.01) and 3MFU (10.2, S.D. 16.6, p<.01).  Participants reported significant improvements in their confidence to perform regular physical activity at POST compared to their baseline values (M=5.9, S.D. 13.6, p<.05).

Finally, evaluation of diabetes-specific quality of life and social support from baseline to POST and 3MFU assessments showed significant improvements.

Conclusions

Program ACTIVE demonstrated positive outcomes associated with a rigorous combination behavioral approach to the treatment of depression tailored for individuals living in the rural Appalachian region.  Rates of depression remission are comparable to previous studies using single strategy approaches (i.e. CBT, medication, or exercise alone [18, 25]).  Improvements in diabetes and exercise outcomes also demonstrated the value of a combination treatment approach for depression, diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.  Moreover, participants reported improvements in quality of life and social support following this demanding intervention.   

Barriers endemic to this region such as large geographic distances between place of residence and community facilities, gas price vulnerability, and caregiver demands for family members were identified by participants as pertinent to recruitment and retention in the depression treatment protocol.  Participants identified the need for a network of community partners to provide participants with affordable and convenient exercise outlets and cognitive behavioral therapy. Intervention programs such as Program ACTIVE can be successful in improving depression and diabetes outcomes in spite of these barriers if they are flexible in their approach and make use of community resources to facilitate participant self-care.  In so doing, there is great opportunity to address the significant costs associated with co-morbid depression and diabetes and to improve the quality of life of residents of this underserved region.

Funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health R34DK71545, Ohio Department of Health, Office of Healthy Ohio, Bureau of Health Promotion and Risk Reduction, Diabetes Prevention and Control Program and the Ohio University Diabetes Research Initiative.  This research was conducted with support from the Investigator-Initiated Study Program of Lifescan, Inc.

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Executive Director's Column

Making the Case for Behavioral and Social Research
by Steven Breckler, Executive Director

The subcommittee on Social, Behavioral, and Economic (SBE) Sciences of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) just issued a new report, Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research in the Federal Context.  Release of the report was one of the last official acts of John H. Marburger, III, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

The main focus of this report is on the policy relevance of SBE research, especially in six high-profile areas:

• Education
• Health
• Cooperation and Conflict
• Societal Resilience and Response to Threats
• Creativity and Innovation
• Energy, Environment, and Human Dynamics

Three foundational SBE research themes are identified as ones holding the greatest promise for informing the six policy arenas:

• Understanding the structure and function of the brain
• Understanding the complexity of human societies and human activities
• Understanding the origins of genetic and environmental factors in shaping identity and diversity

The report concludes with a forecast of priority research areas for the immediate future:

• New tools and technologies
• Data gathering and management
• Systems integration
• Evidence and policy making

The aim here is to help frame priorities for the federal agencies that fund research in the SBE sciences, and to highlight the importance of sustaining and growing the federal investment in SBE research across those agencies.  A very broad array of research examples is provided, highlighting the diversity of SBE research supported by the federal agencies.

The report is simultaneously a message to policy makers and to scientists.  For policy makers, it reinforces the value of SBE research in addressing the most pressing societal challenges of the 21st century.  For scientists, it reminds us that our research priorities should align with the policy priorities of the nation.  For everyone, it underscores the often-unrecognized truth: social, behavioral, and economic science is critical for solving the most significant of challenges facing society today.

The message is not necessarily a new one.  Our own challenge has been to spread that message, attached with high credibility and a strong sense of urgency.  This report offers that opportunity.  It is a report straight from the Executive Office of The President.  It distills current thinking across the Executive Branch, including dozens of federal agencies that both fund and utilize SBE research.

We should seize this opportunity to spread the word.  Read the report, share it with colleagues, send a copy to your Dean.  Perhaps you can share a copy of the report with your representatives in congress.  The subcommittee on SBE Sciences has done us all a great favor by producing this report.  Let’s not waste the opportunity it provides!

From the APA Science Student Council

The Science Student Council is a group of nine graduate students who spend a couple of weekends a year with the Science staff, advising on programs and activities that would benefit graduate students in psychological science. In this column, the students will present useful information that other graduate students need to know! Visit the Science Student Council page (www.apa.org/science/apasscweb.html) to learn more about the activities of the SSC.

The How and Why of Mentoring Undergrads

by Abby D. Adler

As graduate students we have many daily responsibilities, including teaching, conducting research, and attending classes. Often, we are also called upon by our faculty advisors to help mentor undergraduate students in the lab. Although this may be viewed as just another time-consuming responsibility, mentoring undergrads actually has a number of benefits.

What do I mean by mentoring? Mentoring involves investing time and sharing expertise to enhance another’s knowledge and skills. It can take the form of leading a weekly discussion group for undergrads, supervising research assistants to run experiments for your dissertation, or advising a senior honors thesis on experimental design, informed consent and statistical analysis. Undergraduates are often interested in learning about how to get into graduate school, and because we’ve already been through that process, we have a lot to share.

But why do it? Undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in research need to gain experience, and working with a graduate student is often less intimidating than working with faculty. At the same time, you gain research assistants who can assist you in return for course credit. Being a mentor is also an opportunity for you to share your enthusiasm for psychology and discuss your research interests, as well as develop your mentoring style prior to becoming a professor—when this will be expected of you.

Since your first exposure to mentoring will likely be with undergraduate research assistants, here are some tips that will make this experience more rewarding*:

• Define clear expectations for your mentee, including the required time commitment and specified role. Responsibilities may include data entry, running subjects, or conducting literature reviews.
• Provide opportunities for greater responsibilities as your mentee demonstrates proficiency. This will help preserve motivation and interest.
• Schedule regular meetings to discuss progress and address any problems that arise. These meetings are best in-person rather than over email.
• Don’t assume that students understand everything you say (even if they nod). Provide background reading and opportunities to discuss the purpose of the project. Set aside time for your mentees to ask questions.
• Be encouraging and supportive even if a mistake is made. Discuss what led to the error and how to correct it in the future.

Some research assistants may wish to take on more responsibilities and conduct independent projects.  Honors students can take up a lot of time, so make it clear how you will be involved (e.g., that you won't do it for them) and how much time you can devote to their project. Here are some additional tips specifically related to mentoring honors thesis students:

• Help your mentee establish deadlines for various parts of the project.  This will ensure that you are available to supervise the entire project and that things get done on time.
• Encourage your mentee to discuss their research project with peers. Provide opportunities at lab meetings or group discussions for presentations.
• Be friendly and helpful, but continue to assume a role of authority/expert.

The impact graduate students can have on undergraduate students may not be apparent initially, but the investment is still worthwhile. Taking the time to teach an undergrad how to read (and understand) a research article will have a lasting impact on them, and they may even thank you for it later!

*adapted from Mentoring Tips from Buffalo State Colleagues, www.buffalostate.edu/undergraduateresearch/x460.xml

Nonhuman Animal Research DVD Released

by Sangeeta Panicker

The APA Committee on Animal Research and Ethics (CARE) has released a DVD containing two new segments in its video series on the contributions of nonhuman animal research within basic and applied behavioral science. One segment, Recovery of Function, highlights research on learning and plasticity, focusing on the recovery of motor functions lost as the result of neural damage following injury to the brain or spinal cord.

The second segment, on the Significance of Touch, examines nonhuman animal research that reveals the primary role of physical touch and contact in healthy behavioral development throughout the lifespan.

The DVD also includes an older segment, previously released on VHS, entitled Psychopharmacology. This segment features nonhuman animal research on the nature and mechanisms of the effects of psychoactive drugs as well as the development of treatments for drug abuse.

The DVDs, which are appropriate for high school and introductory undergraduate classes, can be used to initiate discussions on the relevance and ethics of research with nonhuman animals. Teachers’ study guides that elaborate on the research depicted in each of the three segments are included in the DVD.  Each segment has a running time of approximately 15 minutes.

Copies of the DVD can be obtained by emailing the Science Directorate or calling 202-336-6000.

APA to Sponsor Four Advanced Training Institutes in 2009

The Line-Up Includes a New Topic – Data Mining

by Nicolle Singer

Each summer, APA’s Advanced Training Institutes (ATIs) tackle the big issues confronting researchers who seek to use innovative and emerging methodologies.  Through lectures, labs, and discussions, expert instructors lead participants to understand how new methods and technologies can be applied within psychological science.  Instructors not only offer a big-picture view of these methodologies but also help individual attendees incorporate them into their own research.  ATIs are appropriate for new and established faculty, non-academic researchers, post-doctoral fellows, and advanced graduate students.

Participants in the 2008 Research Methods with Diverse Racial and Ethnic Groups ATI.

As described below, four ATIs will be held in the summer of 2009.  Each one takes place on or near the campus of a major university.  Application deadlines for these programs begin in late March.  Applications must be submitted online through the webpage for each ATI. 

Modest financial support is available for some ATI participants.  Details can be found on each ATI’s webpage.  Requests for support must also be submitted online.

Nonlinear Methods for Psychological Science (June 8-12, University of Cincinnati; deadline: March 24).  This ATI will provide participants with an overview of and first-hand experience in analyzing data for nonlinear structure.  Participants will leave the ATI with software and strategies for performing various types of nonlinear analyses on their own.  Instructors include Dr. Guy Van Orden (director) and additional faculty from UC and other universities.

Research Methods with Diverse Racial & Ethnic Groups (June 22-26, Michigan State University; deadline: March 30).  Dr. Frederick Leong, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Multicultural Psychology Research at MSU, will direct this ATI.  The instructors, who come from various universities, will discuss a wide range of research approaches that can be used with diverse racial and ethnic groups to produce significant and useful knowledge about these populations.  Time will also be set aside for informal dialogue with instructors and networking among participants.   Participation in the ATI will help researchers to conduct studies that are culturally appropriate and relevant. 

Structural Equation Modeling in Longitudinal Research (June 29-July 3, University of Virginia; deadline: April 6).  This ATI will cover basic and advanced issues in the analysis of longitudinal psychological data using structural equation modeling.  Dr. John McArdle, of the University of Southern California, will be the director of this ATI, with Dr. John Nesselroade (UVa) and other experts serving as instructors. 

Exploratory Data Mining in Behavioral Research (July 20-24, University of Southern California; deadline: April 14).  This ATI is being offered for the first time in 2009, with Dr. John McArdle (USC) serving as director.  The program will provide an overview of recent advances in exploratory data mining for the analysis of psychological and behavioral data, including both general principles and specific techniques.  Participants are encouraged to bring their own data to work on in consultation with the instructors. In addition to Dr. McCardle, instructors will include Dr. John Nesselroade (UVa) and other
faculty from US and European universities. 

The APA website also provides an up-to-date list of other training opportunities for psychologists. These programs span a wide range of behavioral, social, and biological research and are sponsored by university departments and centers, national funding agencies, and other organizations.  Suggestions for other training programs to add to this list may be sent to the Science Directorate.

Speakers Chosen for 2009 APA Distinguished Scientist Lecture Program

by Rachel Martin

Psychologists Alice H. Eagly, Susan Goldin-Meadow, and James S. Jackson have been selected as speakers for the 2009 APA Distinguished Scientist Lecture Program.  Through this program, which is managed by the APA Science Directorate, each psychologist will give a featured address at a regional psychological association annual meeting.

Alice Eagly will speak on “Women as Leaders: Negotiating the Labyrinth” at the Western Psychological Association meeting, which will be held in Portland, OR, on April 23-26.  Eagly is the James Padilla Chair of Arts and Sciences, Faculty Fellow of the Institute for Policy Research, and a Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University.  She is a social psychologist whose primary work is on topics related to gender and to attitudes.

Susan Goldin-Meadow will speak at the Eastern Psychological Association meeting, which will be held in Pittsburgh, PA, on March 5-8.  Her lecture will be on “How Our Hands Help Us Think.”  Goldin-Meadow is the Beardsley Ruml Distinguished Service Professor in Psychology at the University of Chicago.  Her research interests include language development and creation and the role of gesture in communicating, thinking, and learning.  

James Jackson will speak on “Social Psychological Perspectives on Race and Ethnic Disparities in Health” at the Southeastern Psychological Association meeting, which will be held in New Orleans, LA, on February 18-21.  Jackson is the Director of the Institute for Social Research and the Daniel Katz Distinguished University Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan. His research examines racial and ethnic influences on life course development, attitude change, reciprocity, social support, and coping and health among Blacks in the Diaspora.

The APA Board of Scientific Affairs, with support of the regional association presidents, established the Distinguished Scientist Lecture Program 19 years ago as part of its ongoing mission to promote psychological science. The Distinguished Scientist Lecturers, together with the G. Stanley Hall Lectures (sponsored by the APA Education Directorate), allow APA to support invited talks at each regional meeting.  See the APA website for additional information about the regional psychological associations.

Psychological Science Highlighted at NICHD Advisory Council Meeting

by Karen Studwell

The National Advisory Child Health and Human Development (NACHHD) Council, which provides oversight to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), met on January 22nd.  The meeting provided a platform for discussion of the contributions of psychological science to the institute’s mission.

As part of his Director’s Report (to be posted online), Duane Alexander stated that the institute had funded 1,799 research project grants in FY08, including 455 competing awards, with the success rate dropping from 20.6 percent in FY07 to just 16.9% in FY08.  NICHD, like NIH as a whole, is currently funded under a continuing resolution, with a total institute budget of approximately $1.26 billion. (Under the Specter-Harkin amendment offered to the Senate’s fiscal stimulus legislation in early February, NICHD would receive an additional $348 million over the next two years.)

Following the Director’s Report, the Child Development and Behavior Branch, led by Peggy McCardle, presented its Branch review report (see draft).  The CDB Branch funds research on typical child development and behavior, including developmental cognitive psychology; behavioral neuroscience; early learning and school readiness; reading, writing and learning disabilities; math and science cognition; child maltreatment and violence; as well as pediatric behavior and health promotion.  McCardle was joined by two of the Branch’s principal investigators, Jack Fletcher, of the Department of Psychology at the University of Houston, and Lynne Vernon-Feagans, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Early Childhood, Intervention and Literacy and Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina.

Fletcher commended the NICHD for its support for education research that has led to advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of learning disabilities over the past 25 years.  As the principal investigator for the NICHD-funded Texas Center for Learning Disabilities, Fletcher leads an interdisciplinary team that pursues work on the classification and definition of learning disabilities and on the cognitive and neural mechanisms involved in learning disabilities, as well as intervention studies in schools.

Vernon-Feagans discussed her research on the effects of poverty and rurality on education outcomes and child development.  Her current NICHD project is a multi-site birth-cohort study of children born in three poor, rural Pennsylvania and North Carolina counties.  In collaboration with 23 investigators, she is collecting behavioral and biological measures in various domains, including stress and health, family function and economic status, literacy activities, and the children’s cognitive, linguistic, emotional, and social development.

In response to the presentations, Advisory Council members recognized the Branch’s scientific contributions to the NICHD mission, commenting that behavior is the endpoint on which researchers should focus, and noting that understanding healthy growth and development are critical to explaining, preventing, and treating atypical development.

NIH Launches New Research Project Tracking System

by Karen Studwell

On January 15th, the National Institutes of Health launched its new Research, Condition and Disease Categorization (RCDC) system, designed to provide consistent and transparent information to the public about NIH-funded research. The NIH supports research on nearly 6,000 diseases and funds nearly 40,000 grants in any given year.  The new system, required by the NIH Reform Act of 2006, includes a complete list of all NIH-funded projects by category with the aim of standardizing reporting across the NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers.   

The RCDC relies on a text data mining system that is designed to reconcile the historical definitions used by the individual institutes and to create a more uniform system.  At the end of each fiscal year, RCDC will enable reports to be produced on what was funded in the 215 categories that have historically been reported to the public and Congress, such as mental health, aging, behavioral science, and diabetes. In the past, NIH reported a funding level for each category, but to the external observer it has not been obvious how the amount was derived.

In speaking with outside stakeholders including APA, NIH staff members have acknowledged there are challenges in adopting the new system.  Because RCDC uses a different process to categorize diseases and research areas, it is expected that the funding amounts that RCDC reports might differ significantly from the levels that NIH reported in previous years.  Additionally, as the research categories are not mutually exclusive, individual research projects can be included in multiple categories and so the total across categories can exceed the entire NIH research budget. The agency plans to report figures for FY 2008 using both the old and new methods to show the impact of the new system.

Currently, RCDC includes the grant title and its supporting institutes. Eventually, the grant titles will be linked to the Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP) database, which is a searchable database of federally funded biomedical research projects. An additional feature of the system is that RCDC data can also be exported to an Excel file or other applications. 

In a search of just one category of interest to psychological scientists, the new RCDC reports approximately $1.1 billion in basic behavioral and social science research for FY 2007, $15 million more than what was previously reported under the old system for the same year.  Included in this category, however, are projects on mental health services and in cellular neuroscience.   APA and others in the behavioral science community will scrutinize RCDC reports and provide feedback to NIH about the appropriateness of the categorization scheme.

The RCDC is part of a broader effort by NIH to provide information about its operations and expenditures and the results of the research it supports.  The new NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT) website serves as a single access point to a wide range of reports and data. 

2009 Troland Research Award Recipients

by Kirk Waldroff

On January 28th, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) announced the names of 18 researchers in a variety of fields who will be honored this year with awards that recognize extraordinary scientific achievement.  Two of these individuals are recipients of the Troland Research Awards, which are among the most prestigious awards for early career psychological scientists.

Tirin Moore, assistant professor in the department of neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Andrew Oxenham, associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Minnesota, will each be presented with a Troland Research Award at an April 26 ceremony at the Academy’s 146th Annual Meeting.  Each will receive a prize of $50,000 to “recognize unusual achievement and to further their research within the broad spectrum of experimental psychology.”

Tirin Moore	Andrew Oxenham

Moore is being honored for “fundamental and insightful contributions to our understanding of the neuronal mechanisms that control directed visual attention.” At Stanford, Moore’s research examines “the activity of single neurons in visual and motor structures within the brain, … how perturbing that activity affects neurons in other brain structures, and … how it affects the perceptual and motor performance of behaving animals.”  Moore has also received the McKnight Scholar Award and the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award.

Oxenham is being honored for “profound and rigorous contributions to our understanding of the relationship between auditory perception and its underlying physiological mechanisms.” His work at the University of Minnesota “ranges from behavioral investigations of the workings of the inner ear to studies that use a combination of psychophysics and functional imaging to investigate how the brain parses multiple sound sources to form coherent auditory objects.”  He was the recipient of the R. Bruce Lindsay Award in 2001 and in 2003 he was elected a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America.

The Troland Research Awards were established by a bequest from Leonard T. Troland and have been presented since 1984.  Visit the NAS website for a full listing of recipients and more information about the award.

Presidential Early Career Awards Part II: More Psychologist Winners

by Pat Kobor

Last month Psychological Science Agenda profiled two psychologists who won Presidential Early Career Awards for Science and Engineering (PECASE) (“Congratulations to Presidential Early Career Award Winners.”)  Both Laura Elena O’Dell and Francis S. Lee were nominated for their awards by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Three additional psychologist winners were nominated by other federal agencies: two by the U.S. Department of Education and one by the National Science Foundation.  Please join the APA Science Directorate in congratulating these individuals who have received the highest honor bestowed upon junior scientists by the U.S. government. 

Jeremy Gray, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Yale University, pursues research on the interactions between emotion and higher cognition, including attention and self-control, at both behavioral and neural levels of analysis.  Gray’s research is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Education and Human Resources Directorate, Division of Research on Formal and Informal Learning. The PECASE was granted “for outstanding research on the relationship between emotion and cognition in both laboratory and classroom studies of self-control; and for integrating his findings into undergraduate courses, public lectures, mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students, and seminars for parents.”

Nicole McNeil, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, studies cognitive development.  McNeil’s work focuses on the mechanisms that propel and constrain the development of problem solving, quantitative reasoning, and symbolic understanding.  Her research addresses two main questions: Why are some domains of knowledge, such as mathematics, so difficult for children (and adults) to learn? And how do domain experience and practice affect learning and problem solving? She is interested in theoretical issues related to the construction and organization of knowledge, as well as practical issues related to learning and instruction. McNeil was nominated for her PECASE by the U.S. Department of Education.

Gregory Fabiano, of the University of Buffalo’s Graduate School of Education and Center for Children and Families, specializes in research with children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He is an Assistant Professor of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology. Currently, Fabiano's research interests focus on evidence-based treatments in home, school, and recreational settings. He is principal investigator on a grant from the Institute of Educational Sciences that investigates procedures for enhancing the outcomes of children with ADHD in special education. He is also principal investigator on an NIMH grant supporting the development of parenting programs for fathers of children with ADHD.  Fabiano was nominated for his PECASE by the U.S. Department of Education.

Research Funding Opportunities from NSF, NIH, CDC, and DOD

Funding announcements for interdisciplinary research and training that are appropriate for psychological scientists have recently been issued by the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Department of Defense (DOD):

National Science Foundation

Research on Gender in Science and Engineering (GSE)  (NSF 09-511)

Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP)  (NSF 09-512)

Alliances for Broadening Participation in STEM (ABP)  (NSF 09-515)

Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (IGERT) (NSF 09-519)

Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)  (NSF 09-529)

National STEM Education Distributed Learning (NSDL)  (NSF 09-531)

National Institutes of Health

Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (RFA-RM-09-004)
(NIH Roadmap)

Fogarty International Research Collaboration – Behavioral and Social Sciences (FIRCA-BSS) Research Award (R03)  (PAR-08-223)
(multiple institutes)

Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) (RFA-AG-10-003)
(NIA)

Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award (K05) (PA-09-076)
(NIAAA, NIDA)

Cancer Prevention, Control, Behavioral, and Population Sciences Career Development Award (K07) (PAR-09-078)
(NCI)

Established Investigator Award in Cancer Prevention & Control (K05) (PAR-09-088)
(NCI)

The NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22) (PAR-09-089)
(NCI)

Translational Tools for Clinical Studies of CAM Interventions (R01) (RFA-AT-09-002)
(NCCAM)

NCMHD Research Infrastructure in Minority Institutions (P20) (RFA-MD-09-003)
(NCMHD)

The NEI Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program Award (K12) (PAR-09-083)
(NEI)

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research Consortium (U01) (RFA-HL-10-004)
(NHLBI, NICHD)

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research Coordinating Unit (U01) (RFA-HL-10-005)
(NHLBI, NICHD)

Imaging - Science Track Award for Research Transition (I/START) (PAR-09-073)
(NIDA)

Notice of Intent to Publish a Request for Applications for Trauma, Stress and Substance Use and Abuse among U.S. Military Personnel, Veterans and their Families (NOT-DA-09-004)
(NIDA)

Medication Discovery Using Rat Models of Relapse  (NOT-DA-09-024)
(NIDA)

The Bernard Osher Foundation/NCCAM CAM Practitioner Research Career Development Award (PAR-09-072)
(NCCAM)

Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) (PAR-09-079)
(NCRR)

Centers (P50) and Exploratory Grants for Centers (P20) for Excellence in Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research (CEERs) (RFA-HG-09-003)
(NHGRI)

Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (P01)  (RFA-ES-08-002)
(NIEHS, Environmental Protection Agency)

Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers: Formative Centers (P20)  (RFA-ES-08-004)
(NIEHS, Environmental Protection Agency)

Environmental Health Sciences Core Center Grants (P30)  (RFA-ES-09-002)
(NIEHS)

Collaborative Study of Suicidality and Mental Health in the U.S. Army (RFA-MH-09-140)
(NIMH, US Army)

Collaborative R34s for Pilot Studies of Innovative Treatments in Mental Disorders (PA-09-075)
(NIMH, NCCAM)

Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) (PAR-09-085)
(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

Independent Scientist Award (K02) (PAR-09-086)
(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Screening Targeted Populations to Interrupt On-going Chains of Transmission with Enhanced Partner Notification - The STOP Study (CDC-RFA- PS09-004)

Evaluation of New Technology to Improve Delivery of Immunizations (U01) (RFA-IP-09-005)

Development, Implementation and Evaluation of Strategies to Increase Vaccination of Adolescents Affiliated with a Medical Home (U01) (RFA-IP-09-006)

Department of Defense

Research in Prevention and Treatment of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) (ONR BAA 09-006)
(Navy)

Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR-BAA-2008-1)
(Air Force)

Army Research Laboratory and Army Research Office Broad Agency Announcement For Basic And Applied Scientific Research (W911NF-07-R-0001-02)
(Army)

Personnel Security Thesis, Dissertation and Institutional Research Awards Program (W911NF-06-R-0009-ARL)
(Army)

Announcements

Graduate Students – Apply Now for an APA Convention Student Travel Award

The APA Science Directorate is pleased to sponsor its annual travel award competition for graduate students of psychology who will present research at the APA Convention. This year’s Convention will be held August 6-9, 2009, in Toronto, Canada.

Graduate students who are the first author of a poster or talk are eligible to apply for one of this year’s grants of $300 each. Applicants should submit an application form, cover letter, research summary, CV, letter from advisor, and paper/poster acceptance notice.

The deadline for applications to arrive at APA is April 1, 2009. Applications must be mailed. Up to three students from each department of psychology in the U.S. and Canada may submit applications. If more than three students from a department wish to apply for travel awards, the department must perform an initial screening and forward only three applications. Students enrolled at universities outside of the U.S. or Canada who will travel to the APA Convention are eligible to apply for grants from the APA International Office.

For more information about the APA Convention Student Travel Awards, please visit the website or email the Science Directorate.

Call for Nominations: APA Meritorious Research Service Commendation

The APA Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) is soliciting nominations for the Meritorious Research Service Commendation. This commendation recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to psychological science through their service as employees of the federal government or other organizations. Contributions are defined according to service to the field that directly or indirectly advances opportunities and resources for psychological science. This may include staff at federal or non-federal research funding, regulatory or other agencies. Nominees may be active or retired but ordinarily will have a minimum of 10 years of such service. The individual's personal scholarly achievements (i.e., research, teaching, and writing) are not considered in the selection process independent of their service contributions.

To submit a nomination provide the following:

• A letter of nomination that describes and supports the individual's contributions (e.g., nature of the individual's service to psychological science, positions held, program development activities). The nomination letters should be no more than two pages long.
• A curriculum vita
• Three letters of support from scientists, at least two from outside the nominee's organization

The deadline for submitting 2009 nominations is March 9, 2009. Please email nominations to Suzanne Wandersman.

2008 Meritorious Research Service Commendation recipients (front row L to R) Robert Ruskin and Robert Huebner with (back row L to R) APA President Alan Kazdin, Executive Director for Science Steve Breckler, and APA CEO Norman Anderson.

Call for Nominations: APA Departmental Award for Culture of Service in the Psychological Sciences

The APA Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) is soliciting nominations for the Departmental Award for Culture of Service in the Psychological Sciences. This Award recognizes departments that demonstrate a commitment to service in the psychological sciences. Departments selected for this award will show a pattern of support for service from faculty at all levels, including a demonstration that service to the discipline is rewarded in faculty tenure and promotion. Successful Departments will also demonstrate that service to the profession is an integral part of training and mentoring.

Service to the discipline includes such activities as departmental release time for serving on boards and committees of psychological associations; editing journals; serving on a review panel; or chairing an IRB. Other culture of service activities that a department would encourage include mentoring students and colleagues; advocating for psychological science’s best interests with state and federal lawmakers; and promoting the value of psychological science in the public eye. The focus of this award is a department’s faculty service to the discipline and not their scholarly achievements.

Both Undergraduate and Graduate Departments of Psychology are eligible. Self-nominations are encouraged.

To submit a nomination the following is required:

• A letter that describes and illustrates the department’s commitment to a culture of service (e.g., nature of the department’s commitment, effect on tenure and promotion, mentoring, effect on current and/or former students’ activities as a result of the department’s focus on service, etc.). The letter should be no more than three pages long.
• Three letters of support from individuals familiar with the department’s support for a culture of service. (These letters can be from current or past faculty members; a Dean familiar with the department’s service program; etc.)

Each Department selected will receive an award of $5,000 to be used for departmental activities. Nominations will be accepted only as electronic submissions to cultureofservice@apa.org. Please be sure to submit the nomination as a package that includes all the required letters.

The deadline for 2009 submissions is April 1, 2009. For more information, contact Suzanne Wandersman.

Call for Nominations: APA Award for Distinguished Service to Psychological Sciences

The APA Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) is soliciting nominations for the Award for Distinguished Service to Psychological Science. This Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to psychological science through their commitment to a culture of service. Nominees will have demonstrated their service to the discipline by aiding in association governance; serving on boards, committees and various psychological associations; editing journals; reviewing grant proposals; mentoring students and colleagues; advocating for psychological science’s best interests with state and federal lawmakers; and promoting the value of psychological science in the public eye. Nominees may be involved in one service area, many of the areas, or all of the service areas noted above. An individual’s service to the discipline and not a person’s scholarly achievements are the focus of this award.

To submit a nomination, provide the following:

• A letter of nomination that describes and supports the individual’s contributions (e.g., nature of the individual’s service to psychological science, positions held, etc.). The nomination letter should be no more than two pages long.
• A curriculum vita
• Three letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee’s service to the discipline (These letters can be from colleagues who have served with the nominee; a Dean familiar with the nominee’s service; former students; Association/Society presidents, etc.)

Award recipients will receive an honorarium of $1,000.

The deadline for nominations is April 1, 2009. Nominations will be accepted only as electronic submissions to cultureofservice@apa.org. Please be sure to submit the nomination materials as a single complete package. For more information, contact Suzanne Wandersman.

The Elderhostel K. Patricia Cross Doctoral Research Grant

The Elderhostel K. Patricia Cross Doctoral Research Grant is a $5,000 award presented annually to a student researching later-life learning in any of various disciplines, including but not limited to psychology, education, gerontology, cognitive studies, neuroscience, leisure studies, aging and social work. The grant can be used in any way that furthers the student’s doctoral research, including presentation and publication costs of a completed dissertation.

The application deadline is March 31, 2009.

The Elderhostel K. Patricia Cross Doctoral Research Grant recipient will be determined by a selection committee consisting of professors, practitioners and other leaders in the field of later-life learning.

For more information, including requirements and the online application, visit: www.elderhostel.org/grants. Should you have any questions about the Elderhostel K. Patricia Cross Doctoral Grant, please email.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards Available

The Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is designed to support scholars from a range of fields who have broad projects that can enhance policy to improve health or health care in the U.S. Unlike most NIH or NSF funding opportunities, the program, which provides grants of up to $335,000, is not intended to support a discrete research project but rather to allow a scholar to devote considerable time to a project of greater scope than the usual RO1 grant. The program also offers an unusual opportunity to meet, interact, and often collaborate with outstanding scholars in fields including medicine, economics, political science, sociology, law, epidemiology, history, public health, and journalism among others.

The Call for Applications is posted on the Foundation website at www.investigatorawards.org. The next deadline for receipt of 4-page letters of intent is March 25, 2009. Contact the Foundation for additional information.