New Zealand Psychological Society Annual Conference

New Zealand Psychological Society Annual Conference

The New Zealand Psychological Society, (NZPsS) is holding its annual conference at the Rydges Lakeside Resort in Queenstown. The Society is the largest professional association for psychologists in New Zealand with over 1000 members and subscribers.

The conference begins at 9.00am on Sunday 21 August with a Mihi Whakatau and opening address from the Mayor of Queenstown, Vanessa Van Uden. The Conference ends at 4.00pm Tuesday 23 August.

The theme of the conference is Peoples, Places, Paradigms: Growing and Changing and over 300 delegates are expected to attend.

The Conference is being sponsored by the Joint Centre for Disaster Research- Massey University, ACC, New Zealand Psychologists Board.

Presentation of Awards On Sunday 21 August at 6.30pm at the Rydges Lakeside Resort Hotel the Society will host the conference welcome ceremony and present the NZPsS Awards.

These awards are

The Dame Marie Clay Award. This award recognises valuable contributions to educational and developmental psychology in NZPsS members through original research (researcher) the dissemination of research (teacher) or best practice (exemplary practitioner)

The Goddard Award This award recognizes early career achievement and excellence in research and scholarship in basic psychological science.

The Ballin Award This award recognises a notably significant contribution to the development or enhancement of clinical psychology in the Aotearoa/New Zealand context,

Karahipi Tumuaki- President’s Scholarship The 2011 recipient of the Karahipi Tumuaki (the President’s Scholarship) will also be announced. This postgraduate scholarship recognizes excellence in Māori-centered postgraduate research undertaken by Māori psychology students enrolled in a Masters or higher postgraduate course of study.

Highlights of the conference include Some of the keynote, guest speaker, symposia and workshop highlights of the conference are noted below. For more information about the conference go Earthquake response and recovery issues –contributions of psychology

Issues addressed in this symposium include

Immediate post-disaster work with children and families “Shakes and the City”-lived experiences and learnings of psychosocial recovery New Zealand Defence Force psychological response to the Canterbury earthquakes Judgements of earthquake risk before and after the Canterbury earthquakes-do they relate to preparedness? Positive and negative life changes and psychological distress – the role of attachment and social support Post-earthquake psychological resilience and micronutrients The communication of uncertain scientific advice during national hazard events Lubricating civic reconstruction and reducing losses due to inter-organisational friction Treating post-disaster trauma. (Associate Professor Bob Montgomery and Dr Laurel Morris)

Secrets of the human face – detecting emotion and lies. (Dr Stephen Porter)

How to intervene with young people who are doing less well developmentally than they should. (Dr Sarah Calvert)

Can poverty drive you mad? Schizophrenia, socio-economic status and prevention. (Professor John Read)

The importance of self-control in childhood for how life turns out as an adult. (Professor Richie Poulton)

Therapy approaches when working with Māori clients. (Lisa Cherrington)

The adopted children from Eastern Europe grow up- a pilot study of adjustment in early adulthood. (Rhoda Scherman)

Intervention in whānau violence: What works? (Erana Cooper)

Psychological wellbeing in New Zealand soldiers returning from operational deployments. (Emma Davis and Karen Brouneus)

There are a range of other interesting presentations which are likely to be of interest to the media- see www.psychology.org.nz/conf2011for more information.

Ends

© Scoop Media