4^th International Conference on Clinical Psychology and Depression December 06-07, 2021 Vienna, Austria

Biography:

Dina Naphor is a second year Psychology MA candidate at the New School. She received her BA from Lafayette College in 2018. Her research interests are in cultural variations of mental health in the Asian American community, with a focus on expression and resilience factors.

Abstract:

With the arrival of COVID-19 within the United States, there has been an increase in discrimination, bias, prejudice and even acts of violence towards Asian Americans. With this discrimination, psychological well being is being affected negatively. Resilience in the face of such discrimination may be affected by factors such as acculturation attitude or if the individual is a first or second generation Asian American. There have been studies that show first generation immigrants respond with more resilience (displayed via better psychological wellbeing scores) in the face of discrimination when compared to those who are second generation (Giuliani, Tagliabue & Regalia, 2018). There are also studies that show the the specific acculturation attitude one has can effect the psychological wellbeing of first or second generation immigrants, especially when faced with discrimination. Individuals with an integration acculturation attitude, often have better psychological well being than those with a separation or marginalization acculturation attitude (Berry & Sabtier, 2010). The aim of this study is to explore the differences in psychological wellbeing between immigrants and second generation Asian Americans during this novel period in American history (the COVID-19 era). The study will also explore if perceived discrimination and acculturation attitude play a role in potential psychological wellbeing differences between both groups. We predict that while perceived discrimination negatively affects psychological wellbeing for both groups, second generation Asian Americans will show greater impact on depression levels (lower psychological well being). We also hypothesize that for both groups, individuals who hold an integration acculturation attitude will have higher psychological wellbeing scores (lower depression scores) when compared to those who use separation or marginalization; even as COVID-19 related discrimination persists.

Biography:

Anya is a senior at the University of Utah, studying psychology and behavioral neuroscience, and is actively participating in research at Harvard Medical School, Duke University, and the Nobel Prize-winning Mario Capecchi Lab. She also co-founded the Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Educational Research Program with Dr. Patricia Henrie-Barrus to further psychedelic research, where she serves as Program Director. In addition, Anya completed molecular-based cardiovascular research at the Stavros Drakos Laboratory; was a Cardiothoracic Surgery Intern at Stanford University; and is a 6-time published author in the International Society of Heart & Lung Transplantation.

Abstract:

Subanesthetic ketamine — a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamatergic receptor antagonist — has come into psychiatric use as a groundbreaking intervention for major depressive disorder (MDD). Recently, studies have found ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) to be significantly more effective in reducing depression than ketamine alone, given the chronic, refractory nature of MDD. To date, neither treatment paradigm has explored the utility of grounding during a largely dissociative experience. Such ego-dissolving, out-of-body, and mind-wandering properties of ketamine can evoke both negative affect and disintegration in and of itself, attenuating therapeutic benefit for treatment-seekers. Here, we plan on testing whether a low-force, sensory-based technique for psychophysiological regulation, Affective Tactile Grounding (ATG), can promote emotional stability and nondual awareness during serial KAP to increase treatment efficacy for major depression. Twenty-four patients with MDD will be randomly assigned to receive six sessions of KAP plus ATG or KAP alone (sessions will include preparatory psychotherapy (30 minutes) and intravenous KAP (0.5 mg/kg + psychotherapy over 40 minutes)), in addition to one pre-treatment counseling session (60 minutes). A patient-centered, non-directive approach to psychotherapy will be applied throughout each session based on patients’ previously discussed needs, self-concept (perception, beliefs), and goals for treatment. Using this approach, psychotherapists will guide the therapeutic process without introducing personal bias or interfering with a patient’s course for self-discovery. KAP will be scheduled on a weekly interval (two sessions per week over 21 days), with patients completing self-report measures at baseline, immediately following each session, and one-week post-intervention. It is anticipated that adjunctive ATG will be associated with increased emotional stability and nonduality during treatment to mediate KAP’s therapeutic effects. This randomized experiment, if demonstrated efficacious, will provide the first clinical evidence that affective touch can improve psychedelic-induced states and overall treatment outcomes among adults with MDD who participate in ATG plus KAP.

Biography:

H.Farahani has completed his PhD at the age of 29 years from Isfahan University and postdoctoral studies from Victoria University in Australia. He is an assistant professor of Psychometrics. He has published more than 90 papers in reputed journals and his research directions include advanced statistics, methodology, and fuzzy psychology.

Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to introduce a new method for a deep interpretation of a result in a psychological therapy assessment. This method is to link subjective and objective effect sizes based on the fuzzy set theory. This paper is to describe a method in which two effects are integrated.Traditionally, doing a statistical test leads to a P-value. This index is obtained from classical statistical tests when a null hypothesis is being tested. The P-value is the main statistic for deciding a null hypothesis. The P-value is being criticized from many years ago. For another method is the clinical significance (effect size), this is to overcome some limitations of the P-value. In this paper, we introduce a method for integrating clinical significance (Therapist’s effect size) to the impact which is perceived by receivers of that effect (client’s effect size). This method helps psychological researchers to access a deep and broad interpretation of the results. This result can be of more reasonability and fitness with reality. The steps which should be taken for obtaining Fuzzy Perceived Effect size (FPE) will be discussed using a numerical example.

Keyword: fuzzy set theory, statistics, P-value, methodology, psychological research, significance, effect