Psychology

New Books Network recently interviewed Carlo DiClemente, presidential research professor and professor of psychology, about his co-authored book Substance Abuse Treatment and the Stages of Change: Selecting and Planning Interventions (Guilford Press, 2013). The network, a consortium of author-interview podcasts designed to enhance public conversation on given topics, interviewed DiClemente as part of its “New Books in Alcohol, Drugs and Intoxicants” series. In a comprehensive interview, DiClemente discussed the stages of change model as it relates to substance abuse and drug addiction treatment, as well the need for careful consideration of stage status and the complexities surrounding substance abuse. “The message in the book is… Continue Reading Carlo DiClemente, Psychology, on New Books Network

An article published February 9 in The Daily Beast titled “What Military Base Shootings Reveal about the Mental Health Debate” examines if better mental health screening can prevent future tragedies from occurring. Psychology Associate Professor Jason Schiffman was interviewed for the story and is currently a staff member at Maryland’s Center for Excellence on Early Intervention for Serious Mental Illness. In the article, he argues early treatment for people experiencing symptoms of psychosis and schizophrenia can help prevent them from causing harm to themselves or others. “Studies show one in 5 people in their early phases of psychosis will have a suicide attempt, which… Continue Reading Jason Schiffman, Psychology, in The Daily Beast

As part of its February 2014 Monitor on Psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA) published a feature titled “Why we cry.” The article examines recent research that helps answer what human tears mean through psychological, social and neuroscientific perspectives. Psychology Professor Robert Provine is quoted in the article when the author references a study he conducted with other UMBC researchers. “Tears add valence and nuance to the perception of faces,” Provine says. He also notes tears are a type of social lubricant and help people communicate. Provine is also quoted in the article when the author analyzes recent insights by… Continue Reading Robert Provine, Psychology, in American Psychological Association Monitor

Psychology professor Robert Provine participated in this year’s annual question on Edge.org, which features a collection of online essays that is later published as part of a high-profile and top-selling series of books for a general audience. Contributors each year are leading scientists, philosophers and artists and the event draws global news coverage. This year’s question was “What scientific idea is ready for retirement?” In his response titled “Common Sense,” Provine writes about behavioral and brain science: “We fancy ourselves intelligent, conscious and alert, and thinking our way through life. This is an illusion. We are deluded by our brain’s generation of a… Continue Reading Robert Provine, Psychology, to be Featured in New Book

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of medicine,” says Psychology Associate Professor Jason Schiffman when describing treatment of psychosis. Schiffman is a staff member at the new “Center for Excellence on Early Intervention for Serious Mental Illness.” The center’s mission is to identify young people with psychosis or at risk for the specific symptom that makes violence more likely. The program aims to get them into immediate treatment and to provide support. In an interview Monday on WYPR’s Maryland Morning, Schiffman outlined how early treatment of people with psychosis or showing signs of developing it is critical in getting those individuals on… Continue Reading Jason Schiffman, Psychology, on WYPR’s Maryland Morning

Professor of Psychology Robert Provine is one of more than sixty speakers who will participate in next month’s “City of Ideas” festival in Puebla, Mexico. The event brings together scientists and scholars to celebrate and discuss creativity and curiosity. The festival takes place from November 7-9. The program will include artistic and cultural short films and presentations from individual speakers. Provine was also recently cited in an “io9” article with an excerpt from his book, “Curious Behavior: Yawning, Laughing, Hiccupping, and Beyond.” The article examines the emotion behind crying. “Several lines of evidence suggest that the NGF [nerve growth factor] in… Continue Reading Robert Provine, Psychology, to speak at “City of Ideas” event in Mexico

Psychology Associate Professor Jason Schiffman is in the news again for his role in Maryland’s new Center for Excellence on Early Intervention for Serious Mental Illness. The center aims to identify young people with psychosis, specifically between age 12-22, or people who are showing early symptoms and to provide treatment and support as quickly as possible. A major focus of the center is its Clinical High-Risk Program, an initiative Schiffman is working on with Gloria Reeves, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. The goal is to provide education and spread awareness about… Continue Reading Jason Schiffman, Psychology, in The Baltimore Sun

The Maryland General Assembly approved funding this year to establish a “Center for Excellence on Early Intervention for Serious Mental Illness” to identify young people with psychosis or at risk for the specific symptom that makes violence more likely. The program aims to get them into immediate treatment. Psychology Associate Professor Jason Schiffman is a member of the new center’s staff and is quoted in a USA Today/The Pew Charitable Trusts article. He describes how early treatment for people with psychosis can be pivotal. “There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that the sooner a person with psychosis gets into… Continue Reading Jason Schiffman, Psychology, in USA Today/The Pew Charitable Trusts