News & Updates
Clinical Science graduate students provide free psych evaluations for Immigration Law Clinic
Psychological evaluations can cost thousands of dollars in the United States - a cost that many people seeking asylum cannot afford. To help address this need, clinical science graduate students in the Department of Psychology have partnered with the MSU Immigration Law clinic to provide psychological evaluations for free.
Learn more about this pro bono service here.
Amplifying community voices to improve mental health therapy for autistic youth
Graduate student Jessica Tschida is spearheading a project that, with the help of the community, is adapting therapy for marginalized and minoritized autistic youth who are experiencing anxiety and receiving their services in community-based settings.
Learn more about this community informed project.
MSU study pinpoints the impact of prenatal stress across 27 weeks of pregnancy
A team of researchers at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan found new insights on the timing of prenatal stress and its effect on infant stress reactivity and temperament including — differences between genders.
"Prenatal stress has a well-established link to negative health, including mental health, outcomes in children and adults, but most studies conclude that the biggest effects are on girls. Our study found that not to be the case. It's in fact, just different timing," said Alytia Levendosky, lead investigator on the study and professor in MSU's Department of Psychology.
Learn more about the effects of prenatal stress during pregnancy.
Psychology's Henry Cowan awarded for work with people living with schizophrenia in Michigan
Dr. Henry Cowan received a 2024 Young Investigator Award from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and was chosen to be the Frederick & Alice Coles and Thomas & Nancy Coles Investigator through their Research Partners Program. This program offers donors the opportunity to personally select and support scientists based on various criteria, including illness speciality areas or specific institutions.
This award will fund Dr. Cowan's research study examining the sense of personal agency in people with schizophrenia.
Learn more about Dr. Cowan's work here.
3 misconceptions about the psychological readiness of athletes after a concussion
Reid Davis is a dual doctoral student in MSU's Department of Psychology and Department of Kinesiology. Reid is studying psychological implications of returning to play following sport-related concussions alongside her advisors Dr. Jason Moser and Dr. Tracey Covassin.
In this Ask the Expert article, Reid shares three commonly believed misconceptions about concussions and the psychological readiness of athletes returning to sport.
Learn more here.
MSU Twin Registry Receives Inaugural Shared Research Infrastructure Award
Congratulations to the Michigan State University Twin Registry for receiving one of the inaugural Shared Research Infrastructure Program Awards from the Office of Research and Innovation at MSU. These awards support investments in specialized research infrastructure that support and advance cutting-edge research at MSU.
Learn more here.
Anna Benedict & Dr. Henry Cowan on Cincinnati Edition
MSU Psychology graduate student, Anna Benedict, is the founder of the Our Stories Project, a memoir-writing partnership between university students and support communities for folks with serious mental illness.
Anna and her mentor, Dr. Henry Cowan, were invited on Cincinnati Edition where they shared about the importance of storytelling in the recovery process from serious mental illness.
Listen to the episode here.
Study examines the power of play for children showing early signs of autism
A new study from the MSU Autism Lab analyzes the effectiveness of training early-intervention providers to use play-based interventions called Reciprocal Imitation Teaching, or RIT, when working with young children showing signs of autism.
Read the full article about this research here.
Access Spotlight: Dr. Lauren Wiklund
Dr. Lauren Wiklund was named the College of Social Science's Access Spotlight for the month of October. Dr. Wiklund is a 2024 graduate of the MSU Department of Psychology's Clinical Science program. Her dissertation and research was centered around the sexual health and wellbeing of individuals from marginalized communities, in particular queer women of color.
Read the full story here.
Access Torch: Kalei Glozier
Kalei Glozier was named the College of Social Science's Access Torch for the month of October. Kalei is a fifth-year clinical science doctoral student in the Department of Psychology. His research interests include sexual behavior, drug and alcohol use, and protective/resilience factors in the trans and gender diverse community. Through his program, he is a graduate student clinician at the MSU Psychological Clinic and receives specialized training supervised by MSU faculty who are licensed psychologists.
Read the full story here.
New Clinical Science Faculty: Dr. Henry (Raffles) Cowan
The MSU Psychology Department welcomes Henry (Raffles) Cowan, Ph.D., as a new assistant professor in the Clinical Science research area. Dr. Cowan's research lies at the intersection of clinical science and personality psychology. His focus includes a person-centered approach to understanding risk, resilience, and recovery from serious mental illnesses. He also has a special interest in narrative identity.
Read more about Dr. Cowan here.
MSU study finds non-deceptive placebos reduce stress, anxiety, and depression—even when administered remotely
The study, co-authored by Dr. Jason Moser, found a significant decrease in stress, anxiety and depression in just two weeks compared to the no-treatment control group. Participants also reported that the non-deceptive placebos were easy to use, not burdensome and appropriate for the situation.
Learn more about the findings.
Ask the Expert: Disadvantaged Neighborhoods and Mental Health
Can parents counteract a violent neighborhood? Does green space have an impact on brain development? Dr. S. Alexandra Burt shares about her research on under-resourced neighborhoods and its impact on mental health and brain development.
Read the full Q&A here.
Dr. Kelly Klump on Big Ideas in Eating Disorders Podcast
Check out Dr. Kelly Klump on the Big Ideas in Eating Disorders podcast! Dr. Klump shares about her groundbreaking research that has reshaped our understanding of the complex interplay between genetics, hormones, and environmental factors in the development of eating disorders.
Translating her findings to clinical practice has the potential to inform more effective prevention strategies and personalized interventions for individuals at risk of developing eating disorders.
Listen to Dr. Klump's podcast episode here.
College of Social Science Names Dr. Lee June Diversity Champion
Dr. Lee June is an award-winning scholar administrator who has dedicated his career to uplifting and improving access and support services for underserved students. The College of Social Science recognizes his work to create a better future or world for all.Read more about Dr. June here.
MSU welcomes inaugural 1855 Professorship recipients including Dr. Blair Brunette
The first cohort of Spartan professors, including Dr. Blair Burnette from MSU Psychology, dedicated to advancing MSU's diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives were welcomed and celebrated. The 1855 Professorships were created under the leadership of then Provost Woodruff and are named for the year the university was founded.Read more about Dr. Burnette and the 1855 Professorship here.
MSU Twin Registry partners with Pistons for first-ever twin theme night
The MSU Twin Registry and the Detroit Pistons are partnering for the first-ever "Twin Night" On Friday, January 12th and you're invited!Learn more here.
New Clinical Science Faculty: Dr. Blair Burnette
The MSU Psychology Department welcomes Blair Burnette, Ph.D., as a new assistant professor in the Clinical Science program. Dr. Burnette’s research explores the forces that shape how people feel about eating and their bodies, weight bias in healthcare settings, and intuitive eating. Read more about Dr. Burnette here.
Dr. Brooke Ingersoll Named the 2023 Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor of the Year
This student-driven award is presented annually and recognizes faculty who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to mentoring undergraduate researchers.
"I feel so incredibly honored to receive this," said Dr. Ingersoll. "I really do enjoy mentoring students and watching them grow as students and as researchers. I feel very lucky to have been nominated.
Read more about the award and Dr. Ingersoll's research here.
Dr. Alexandra Burt selected as the inaugural SSC Diamond Distinguished Professor in the College of Social Science.
The College of Social Science established the Diamond Professorships this year in honor of its 60th anniversary, traditionally referred to as the diamond anniversary, to assist MSU in the retention of outstanding faculty who are widely recognized for their inclusive excellence in teaching, research, and service, and who have demonstrated scholarly impact.
"I am deeply honored and excited to receive this professorship from the College of Social Science," said Dr. Burt. "It means the world to me, as does the College's unwavering support over the last 15+ years. Most of all though, I am full of immense gratitude for my brilliant collaborators, trainees, and colleagues in the Department of Psychology, without whom none of this work would have been possible."
Dr. Alytia Levendosky won the 2022 Linda Saltzman Memorial Intimate Partner Violence Researcher Award from The Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT).
As noted by IVAT:
“This award is given in memory of Linda Saltzman, who dedicated her life to ending intimate partner violence through research. This award encourages continued research in this field by recognizing either new or established researchers who have made substantial contributions to the field of intimate partner violence in the past 5 years.”
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