         |
 |
Boston hosts
annual APA convention
(July 2008
Issue)
By Phyllis Hanlon
Psychologists from around the world will convene this year in Boston
between August 14 and 17 for the annual American Psychological Association
(APA) convention.
Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author of "The Tipping Point" and
"Blink" will open the convention with a keynote address. Each day
will feature several symposiums, lectures, plenary sessions and
addresses. Topics will range from the nature of addiction, adolescent
depression and the latest treatment options for ADHD to a look inside
the mind of a voter, school violence, mental health issues in immigrants
and a host of other subjects. Each directorate (science, public
interest, education and practice) will offer themed presentations
in their areas. Noted psychologists from the United States and overseas
will deliver presentations in their field.
Pam Willenz, manager APA Public Affairs Office, says, "The association
is also looking at four task force reports and will probably adopt
recommendations from each." The topic areas include evidence-based
practice with children and adolescents; mental health and abortion;
resilience and strength in black children and appropriate therapeutic
responses regarding sexual orientation, she adds.
According to APA President Alan E. Kazdin, Ph.D., ABPP, the annual
event hopes to accomplish several goals. He says the convention
will "convey the enormous diversity of our field; present the latest
in basic scientific research, applications and clinical work; permit
active exchanges among individuals working in the field and foster
novel collaborations among individuals working in similar but also
quite discrepant areas."
Kazdin indicates that some key presidential topics and themes of
the convention include violence in interpersonal relationships;
psychological science's contributions to the great challenges of
society, e.g., climate change; posttraumatic stress disorder and
trauma in children and adolescents; hate crimes and clinical work
and research and how they are integrated to improve patient care.
Kazdin cites the richness and diversity of the field of psychology.
"We study thoughts, emotions, behaviors at multiple levels, e.g.,
molecules to culture, work in a vast array of settings, such as
hospitals, business and industry, with tasks from understanding
neurotransmitters and how they relate to child development, aging,
depression and more to designing instruments for new airplanes and
for the elderly to help them monitor health," he says. "The convention
allows our members and others to sample advances in many different
areas, to share their own and to ponder how we can make further
advances."
For more information and to register, visit the Web site at: www.apa.org/convention08/homepage.html
|
 |
