LECTUTE NOTE

Psychology Graduate Students

21th of March 2022

SHANNON B. MYERS earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from La Salle

University. She is currently completing a postdoctoral fellowship at UMDNJ-The Cancer
Institute of New Jersey. Her research interests include psycho-oncology, interventions to
improve quality of life in cancer, and issues related to graduate training. ALISON C. SWEENEY
earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from La Salle University. She is currently completing a
postdoctoral fellowship specializing in women’s mental health and trauma at the San Francisco
VA Medical Center/University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Sweeney's research interests include postpartum depression and women's health
issues in general. VICTORIA POPICK Brady completed her MA in Clinical Psychology at La
Salle University in 2009 and anticipates her PsyD in Clinical Psychology in 2012. His main
research areas of interest include the correlation of stress and well-being in psychology graduate
students as well as understanding how mindfulness-based constructs affect changes in treatment.
KIMBERLY WESLEY earned her MA in Clinical Psychology from La Salle University. She is
currently pursuing a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from La Salle University. His research areas
include graduate student self-care and psycho-oncology.

AMANDA BORDFELD is currently in her fourth year at La Salle University in pursuit

of a PsyD in Clinical Psychology and has obtained her MA in route. Her research interests
include anxiety disorders, women’s health, and psychosocial risk factors related to stress in
various populations. RANDY FINGERHUT is an Associate Professor of Psychology at La Salle
University, where he also serves as Director of Clinical Training for their PsyD Program. He
received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from The University of Miami. Dr. Fingerhut’s areas of
research include postpartum depression and self-care for graduate students.

It is known that stress among psychology graduate students can negatively impact
academic performance, clinical skills, and personal well-being. However, little is known about
factors related to stress management among psychology graduate students. The current study
examined self-care practices and perceived stress among psychology graduate students. Four
hundred and eighty-eight psychology graduate students from across the United States completed
an anonymous survey about self-care practices and stress. Multiple regression analysis showed
that sleep hygiene, social support, emotion regulation, and acceptance within the framework of
mindfulness were significantly associated with perceived stress. Results suggest that educating
students about self-care practices can be integral in helping students manage stress associated
with clinical training.

As research on the physiological effects of alcohol has progressed, it has become clear
that such useful effects are divided into two categories, being the result of acute or chronic
alcohol consumption. Chronic alcohol consumption has systemic effects that can lead to changes
in sexual function that persist even after alcohol is completely withdrawn from the system. In
cases of extreme alcohol abuse, almost every aspect of life is negatively affected, and it is even
more difficult than usual to determine whether alcohol is a direct or indirect contributor to the
intended effect. There seems to be general agreement among a number of animal and human
researchers that prolonged alcohol use by men has detrimental effects on testosterone production

Erectile dysfunction has been widely noted in male alcoholics, apart from liver damage.
Snyder and Karacan (1981) found that in a sample of chronic male alcoholics in a detoxification
program, nocturnal erections were significantly fewer, slower, and less rigid than an age-adjusted
nonalcoholic control group. Nocturnal erectile failure is widely used as an indicator of organic
erectile dysfunction. Mandell and Miller (1983) interviewed outpatient alcoholics, 59% of whom
reported having erectile dysfunction and nearly half also reported difficulties in ejaculation.

The study was limited by the use of self-reports, but the results were consistent with the
results of other objective measurements. Patterns of parallel sexual dysfunction have been
reported in female alcoholics, although far fewer studies have been conducted with female
subjects. Carpenter and Armenti (1971) concluded from their review of the available literature
that researchers seem to feel that "only men drink and have sexual interest" (p. 251), and this
situation has not been much improved to date. Although physiological research on the effects of
chronic alcohol consumption on women seems almost non-existent, few studies in female
animals have been conducted.