Shreveport, LA—LSU Shreveport faculty and students participated in the 2021 Louisiana School Psychological Association (LSPA) Annual Conference in early November. With the highest turnout of five faculty and 16 current students in attendance, they presented seven research projects and two groups earned awards.
The conference’s Technology and School Psychology theme kicked off National School Psychology Week (NSPW) from November 8th through November 12th, 2021, a time designated to highlight the important work of school psychologists and all educators.
“Participating in the state LSPA conference this year was a great success for the Department of Psychology and our school psychology graduate program,” LSUS Associate Professor Dr. Kevin Jones said. “It provided a meaningful opportunity to showcase LSU Shreveport’s research and practice innovations.”
LSUS students shined in the research poster competition, a highly-anticipated part of the event.
Under Assistant Professor Dr. Steven Powell’s mentorship, Specialist in School Psychology majors Breiana Williams and Emilee Keuten earned the top prize for their presentation, “Function-Matched Intervention Planning: Implementation in a Secondary Education Setting.” Second place went to Specialist in School Psychology major Jasmyn Davenport and undergraduate Psychology majors Sierra Beall, Brooke Voorhies, Erika McDermotte, and Logan Kaliba for their presentation, “An Analysis of Treatment Trial Components That Evoke the Term Bribery Rather Than Reinforcement,” under Assistant Professor Dr. Seth Whiting’s mentorship.
Kaylee Dupree, Matthew Bynog, and April Tate, all Specialist in School Psychology majors, delivered student poster presentations.
LSUS Faculty also shared impactful research and aided in sessions and discussions.
Dr. Katherine Wickstrom, the Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Development and an Associate Professor of Psychology, and Dr. Lee Purvis, Assistant Professor of Psychology, contributed to several training sessions and roundtable discussions. These conversations specifically addressed the critical shortage of school psychologists and the impact of pandemic-related challenges on academic outcomes and the mental health of children.
Dr. Powell presented research on universal screenings for social-emotional concerns, and Dr. Whiting shared evidence-based interventions for teaching children self-control strategies. Dr. Jones discussed a study evaluating current training issues to university faculty and stakeholders from around the state.
To learn more about the Psychology department at LSUS, contact Dr. Dennis Wissing, Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, at dennis.wissing@lsus.edu.
LSU Shreveport was founded in 1967 and offers a wide array of nationally accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including a doctoral degree. The university’s mission is to educate a diverse population of graduate and undergraduate students; engage in regional and global thought leadership through community collaboration and service; and innovate to enhance the application of knowledge and intellectual discovery through faculty and student research and creative endeavors.
