SEED FUND RECIPIENTS 2014

May 4th, 2014
in Spotlight

SCOPE fellow Adriane Sheffield, a graduate student in Educational Psychology, describes her research at the 2014 CCBP research poster display. Sheffield also was recognized as a Seed Funds recipient to conduct further research.

Dr. Laurie Bonnici, School of Library and Information Studies, described the Seed Funds Program and introduced the 2014 fund recipients at the luncheon.

Principal Investigator: Adriane Sheffield(SCOPE Fellow),Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methods and Counseling

Project Title: Developing S.T.A.R.S. (Strengths, Talents, and Resources in Students)

Community Partners: University Place Elementary School, University Place Middle School, Westlawn Middle School, and Stillman College

Project Summary: This project will provide additional support to two elementary schools and one middle school by providing human reso urces and expertise to address the needs of students not meeting their potential in school, including those with mild behavioral issues that hinder them from being successful both academically and socially. The goal is to identify and focus on students’ strengths and facilitate their use of these strengths to enhance their engagement with school, set and accomplish goals, and expand their beliefs about their future. This project will also create a space for college students who have a desire to connect with students through individual and small group interactions, providing a valuable resource to the schools, while giving UA students practical, hands-on experience.

Principal Investigator: Calia A. Torres, (SCOPE Fellow), graduate student in psychology, supervised by Dr. Beverly Thorn, professor and chair

Project Title: Toward a Cultural Adaptation of Pain Management Treatments for Hispanics with Chronic Pain

Community Partners: Whatley Health Services (Maude L. Whatley Health Center)

Project Summary: Research shows Hispanics are more likely to report pain but less likely to receive appropriate pain management compared to other ethnic minorities. Hispanic patients face additional medical barriers due to language and cultural differences. The Department of Psychology, in partnership with Whatley Health Services (WHS), seeks to improve our understanding of the pain needs of Hispanic patients. WHS serves medically underserved residents with a mission of increasing the breadth of services and improving the care of chronic pain patients. In our efforts to examine cultural differences in pain management among Spanish-speaking patients, our research group has been conducting focus groups and key informative interviews to assess the pain needs and likelihood of incorporating pain management as a treatment option among this population. Our preliminary findings provide evidence to continue our collaboration with WHS and start working toward ensuring that cultural adaptations are part of the established pain management treatment of Spanish-speaking patients.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michele Montgomery and Dr. Paige Johnson, Capstone College of Nursing

Project Title: Assessing Community Readiness for and Attitudes to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Pickens County

Community Partners: Belinda Craig, Pickens County

Project Summary: Success of health promotion and disease prevention programs relies on the collaborative efforts of partner organizations, communities, and individuals. Feedback from Belinda Craig indicates there is a need for health promotion programs. However, there is limited understanding of community members’ readiness for or attitudes toward specific health promotion interventions. The purpose of this project is to determine Pickens County’s attitudes toward health promotion campaigns and stage of readiness to prevent obesity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this type of research has been undertaken in the Black Belt region of Alabama. The project will contribute to the scholarship of engagement in the following ways: 1) data collection for the project will provide senior UA nursing students with a service-learning opportunity designed to gain a better understanding of the importance of community engagement for health promotion; 2) data will serve as a foundation for a longitudinal program of community-based participatory research in Pickens County; and 3) results will enable the investigators to develop tailored interventions to improve the health of the community.