Psychology Department Is in Nation's Top 10 in R&D Funding
For release: July 2, 2003
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey

The Psychology Department at the University of Memphis is among the top 10 universities in the nation in terms of research and development funding. According to the National Science Foundation, the U of M received $9.37 million in grants for psychology projects in 2000 (the last year for which the NSF has final figures). That places the university sixth in the nation, ahead of other prestigious institutions in the top ten, including UCLA and the universities of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota.

Some of the currently funded research projects being conducted by faculty and students in the Psychology Department include:

Obesity prevention for children and adolescents: The prevalence of obesity among children in the United States has more than doubled since 1970 and is now reaching epidemic proportions. Obesity contributes to high rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

One project targeting this serious health problem works with dentists and dental hygienists to reduce consumption of sweetened beverages and sugary snacks by young patients. The researchers also hope to reduce the risk of dental cavities.

A second project seeks to prevent weight gain, specifically among African-American girls. The intervention group participates through community centers in a program to help them eat better, exercise more and limit the weight gain often seen in this population.

A third large project is studying a number of techniques to improve physical activity in adolescent girls.

Improving student retention and learning: One project in this area is working to develop a computerized tutoring system that is completely automated. The system, which is designed to cover the full range of material in a college class, simulates normal dialogue between a student and tutor by means of an "animated conversational agent" that actually talks with the student and answers the student's questions.

A second project recognizes that students often have difficulty understanding their textbooks. This project is developing a computer program designed to measure the readability of textbooks and the quality of the information they contain. The system takes into account individual differences of readers such as reading skill and knowledge, and it will assess which type of text is best for a particular type of student, thereby maximizing learning gains.

Another project is developing and testing the effectiveness of various reading strategies designed to improve high school students' comprehension of their science texts. This project is also working to develop a computer program that can be used in the classroom to train students in the use of strategies that facilitate text comprehension.

Smoking cessation programs: Cigarette smoking, although it claims the lives of more than 430,000 Americans each year, is the most preventable cause of death in the United States. One project targeting this problem began in 1994 with some 7,000 students enrolled in Memphis City Schools. These students, now young adults, have been surveyed annually since that time. The purpose of this project is to understand the pattern of cigarette smoking in young adults, with the ultimate goal of developing effective programs to discourage smoking.

A second project is identifying the components of smoking cessation programs that might be effective in helping high school smokers to quit. This project involves students from both the Memphis and Shelby County school systems.

A third project is working to develop, implement and evaluate a smoking cessation intervention program tailored for low-income African-American adults attending vocational school.

Traffic safety programs: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Several projects are under way to help Tennessee agencies deal with this problem. One project maintains comprehensive records of nearly two million crashes throughout Tennessee and provides cities and counties with detailed analyses of crashes in their area.

A second project is providing Tennessee law enforcement agencies with immediate and organized access to their own crash reports, with the goal of moving from paper toward electronic transmission and submission of crash data at all levels.

A third project is working with officials in all seven counties of the 13th Judicial District in middle Tennessee to develop a system for tracking the driving records of people with a history of impaired driving. The goal is to increase the conviction rate of DUI offenders.

Treatment of insomnia: Insomnia is a widespread problem that often has a debilitating effect on its victims, many of whom are elderly. Two projects in this area are being conducted in collaboration with the Sleep Disorders Center at Methodist Hospital to evaluate interventions that gradually withdraw adults from their sleep medication and treat their insomnia behaviorally.

One project focuses on older adults, while the second project addresses addiction to prescription sleep medication in middle-aged adults. In both cases, participants are followed for a full year following treatment to assess sleep quality, use of medications and daytime functioning.

For more information on the Psychology Department or its projects, contact Dr. Frank Leeming at 901-678-2146.

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