2015 Association for Women in Psychology Conference

Cognitive flexibility is conceptualized as the ability to perceive options and alternatives in a given situation (Martin & Rubin, 1995). While linked with a variety of positive outcomes, including mental health and life satisfaction (Konik & Smith, 2011), there has been no published research regarding the relationship between cognitive flexibility and attitudes toward gender and sexuality. This present study uses the conceptualization of ambivalent sexism proposed by Glick and Fiske (1996), who view sexism as consisting of both hostile sexism (i.e., “traditional” views of women as inferior to men) and benevolent sexism (i.e., viewing women in a constricted gender role that ostensibly seems positive). Our research proposes that cognitive flexibility promotes favorable attitudes toward both women and sexual minorities. Perhaps individuals who imagine many options for themselves and the world in general are less constrained by traditional ideologies concerning gender and sexuality. This hypothesis was tested with a sample of 75 women and 20 men recruited through an online survey. Their mean age was 36 and they were predominantly Euro-American (92%) and heterosexual (89%). Standard measures of cognitive flexibility (Martin & Rubin, 1995), sexism (Glick and Fiske, 1996), and homophobia (Wright, Adams, & Bernat, 1999) were administered. Using regression, our hypothesis was largely supported. Women who reported greater levels of cognitive flexibility scored lower on measures of both hostile (b=-.36, p

Attendees interested in developing and evaluating culturally and contextually mindful programming (CCMP) for youth will gain from this interactive presentation. The theory, process, results, and examples of youth work produced in an efficacious resilience-raising intervention will be used as a framework to help attendees conceptualize their own CCMP.

One of the most devastating and often persistent challenges facing breast cancer survivors involves coping with changes to their functioning and appearance. These challenges are more pronounced in younger breast cancer survivors who are at an increased risk of poor quality of life (QOL). The illness can disrupt the connection between survivors’ pre-illness identities and post treatment self-perceptions, and challenge survivors who feel unable to live up to their pre-illness ideals. To date, no studies have investigated identity as a predictor of psychosocial adjustment. The aim of this investigation is to examine whether identity integration, defined as the reformation of post-illness identities in a way that integrates the illness experience and allows for constructive shifts in one’s identity, especially in relation to traditional gender roles, is a significant predictor of psychosocial adjustment among young breast cancer survivors. As a first step, a pilot qualitative study explored survivors’ self experiences in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer with ten young women. An ongoing study, using a mixed methods design has further assessed identity integration as a predictor of psychosocial adjustment. To date, the findings reveal that women who are supported, and able to develop a critical gender perspective on societal beliefs surrounding gender role and appearance “norms”, have greater opportunities to engage with the world adaptively after a mastectomy. By exploring innovative research on identity integration as a predictor of adjustment, this research can aid health practitioners in providing counselling and educational services that empowers young women to learn to maximize their health, QOL, and longevity. In turn, these services may support and foster self-nurturing appraisals for young women that build self-worth, increase acceptance of past trauma, and grieve for aspects of a former self to make room for a reintegrated self.

The topic of culture and depressive experience has attracted a large number of theoretical and clinical publications (e.g., Chentsova-Dutton & Tsai, 2009). Although depression has been found cross-culturally, the symptoms of major depression that are described by the DSM and measured by clinicians may not be equally culturally sensitive to depressive experience in all populations in the U.S. (Kalibatseva & Leong, 2011). Somatization refers to “complaints about, or the appearance of, physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach pains, inability to concentrate, chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties, loss of sensory functioning, and so on that have a strong psychological basis” (p. 348, Chun, Enomoto, & Sue, 1996). A common pattern that has been proposed in cross-cultural psychopathology is that people of Asian descent somatize psychological distress, and depression, in particular. This proposition has been mostly researched with Chinese, Chinese Americans, and Chinese Canadians. The current study investigated the relationship between culturally relevant factors, such as independence, interdependence, loss of face, and emotion regulation, and depression and physical symptoms among Chinese American and European American students. The study examined whether Chinese Americans report more somatic and depressive symptoms than European Americans and the role of gender as a moderator. The sample consisted of 521 participants from two large Midwestern universities. There were 205 (39.3%) participants who self-identified as Chinese American and 316 participants (60.7%) who self-identified as White or European American. An independent t-test revealed that European Americans reported higher scores than Chinese Americans in physical symptoms but not in depressive symptoms. A 2x2 ANOVA with gender and ethnicity as independent variables and somatic symptoms as a dependent variable revealed main effects for gender and ethnicity and an interaction. Post-hoc analyses showed that European American women reported the highest level of somatic symptoms. The importance of examining gender in cross-cultural phenomena is discussed.