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Second Annual SUU Child Behavioral Health Conference

The second annual Southern Utah University Child Behavioral Health Conference is happening this week, May 17-18, 2018. Representing expertise across the field of child and pediatric behavioral health, the invited presenters include Gregory Snyder, Lindsey Ricciardi, Julia Thompson, and Kelsie Hendrickson. Dr. Michelle Grimes, Assistant Professor of Child Clinical Psychology at Southern Utah University and founder of the Child Behavioral Health Conference, wanted to create an opportunity for the professional community by bringing a continuing education event focused on evidence-based behavioral healthcare to southern Utah. “So often, behavioral health providers in rural areas have to invest a significant amount of time and financial resources travelling to conferences to receive continuing education. This ongoing training is necessary to stay current in the field, and also to maintain professional licensure. My goal for the SUU Child Behavioral Health Conference is to match the high quality you would find at a national event, while increasing the accessibility to healthcare providers in our community and surrounding areas.” Last year’s conference focused on common behavioral health disorders of childhood and adolescence. This year the conference will include a variety of topics relevant to adolescents, children, and parenting; broadly focusing on addressing complex cases in an outpatient setting. “We are focusing on complex clinical cases and added a seminar on ethical issues that arise when working with youth. The seminar will emphasize ethics related to adolescents and risk behavior, eating disorders, and trauma.” The conference welcomes all healthcare professionals from psychologists and pediatricians to social workers and treatment center staff. “We have attendees from Idaho, Utah, and Nevada and various behavioral health and medical disciplines are represented. This also serves as a professional development opportunity for students; we are pleased that students from SUU and other universities throughout Utah have registered. We hope to continue to build a regional interdisciplinary focus. We look forward to holding this event annually.” Dr. Grimes is a licensed psychologist with specialized training in clinical child psychology. Her clinical and research interests focus on behavior disorders of childhood, sibling conflict, and pediatric sleep disorders. She is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit her profile. Source:

Intermittent fasting is not for everyone

Intermittent fasting is a popular trend that is not without risk. The goal of intermittent fasting is to put your body in a state of ketosis where fats and ketones will be utilized, instead of carbohydrates. However, the process that occurs within your body when food is restricted is complicated. There is no set length of time that is needed in order for intermittent fasting to be successful, which may be confusing if you are not sure how long to fast or when to stop. It is important to listen to your body during this time as intermittent fasting is not for everyone. During the time of fasting, individuals may be prone to dehydration and hypoglycemia, or experience other adverse effects if trying to fast while on prescription or other medications. It isn’t just the medically fragile individuals who shouldn’t fast. Teenagers or those with altered metabolic rates (such as hypo and hyperthyroidism) may be putting more stress on the body than it can handle, resulting in a wide variety of symptoms: inability to concentrate, nausea, vomiting, headache, irritability, fatigue, fainting. Also, it is never a good idea to restrict calories during a time when your body is trying to grow or trying to heal. Anyone who gets irritable and symptomatic when skipping meals should not attempt to fast for prolonged periods of time. There are many different ways to fast and many different ways to eat during fasting. Prior to restricting calories for any reason, make sure that your body can handle the stress of not eating or limiting calories. I suggest consulting with a nutritionist who can work with you to help create a fasting plan that is best for your body and for your unique health history. A nutritionist can individualize an eating plan to make sure that you are maximizing your caloric intake with high density foods during the times when food is being restricted. Most importantly: Listen to your body! If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it or stop what you are doing. Source:

Are You Sure More Than Half of LGBTQ Youth Have an Eating Disorder? Because Science Says Otherwise

Each day, thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth wake up to a world filled with homonegativity, violence, gender shaming, bathroom bills that attempt to legislate the most private daily experiences, and family and peer rejection. Research has consistently found violent experiences to be prevalent for this group of young people. For example, gay and lesbian teenagers are respectively eight and 10 times more likely to be victimized at school than their heterosexual peers (D’Augelli), and national meta-studies find similar results (Friedman et al). It’s true that these victimization experiences have resulted in some pretty negative outcomes for LGBTQ young people over time. Studies have estimated that LGBTQ youth are three to four times more likely to report an internalizing disorder (e.g., anxiety, depression), and two to five times more likely to report externalizing disorders (e.g., substance use) than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Nationally representative studies, like Monitoring the Future and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, also find similar disparities, with higher rates of substance use, depression and suicidality among nearly all sexual and gender minority groups tracked. With this knowledge in mind, I was shocked to wake up and read headlines purporting “more than half of LGBTQ youth have an eating disorder” on articles published by Teen Vogue and the Huffington Post. At first, I was saddened to think this statement could be true -- that is, until the reality of how ostentatious this claim was set in. More at https://dworakpeck.usc.edu/news/are-you-sure-more-half-of-lgbtq-youth-have-eating-disorder-because-science-says-otherwise Source:

Prevention entails more than security measures and begins long before a gunman comes to school. We need a comprehensive public health approach to gun violence that is informed by scientific evidence and free from partisan politics.

School shootings and widespread community gun violence are far greater in the United States than other nations. America cannot be great and realize its promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness if our children are not safe from gun violence. Although security measures are important, a focus on simply preparing for shootings is insufficient. We need a change in mindset and policy from reaction to prevention. Prevention entails more than security measures and begins long before a gunman comes to school. We need a comprehensive public health approach to gun violence that is informed by scientific evidence and free from partisan politics. A public health approach to protecting children as well as adults from gun violence involves three levels of prevention: (1) universal approaches promoting safety and well-being for everyone; (2) practices for reducing risk and promoting protective factors for persons experiencing difficulties; and (3) interventions for individuals where violence is present or appears imminent. Source:

Professor Available to Comment on Cryptocurrency-Backed Securities

Professor Prabhudev Konana is available to discuss cryptocurrency-backed securities and coin offerings. Konana is a professor in the Information, Risk, and Operations Management department at the McCombs School of Business. Contact: Samantha Harris, Samantha.Harris@mccombs.utexas.edu or 512-471-6746 Related experts: Professor Andrew Whinston (Bitcoin and Cyber Security), Associate Professor Cesare Fracassi (FinTech). Source:

Baylor Experts Share New "Phone Snubbing" Research. This time it's "Boss Phubbing!"

Baylor University marketing professors and smartphone use experts James A. Roberts, Ph.D., and Meredith David, Ph.D., published their latest study – “Put Down Your Phone and Listen to Me: How Boss Phubbing Undermines the Psychological Conditions Necessary for Employee Engagement” – in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. Roberts and David are known nationally and internationally for researching the affects of smartphone use on relationships. “Phubbing (phone snubbing) is a harmful behavior,” Roberts said. “It undermines any corporate culture based on respect for others. Thus, it is crucial that corporations create a culture embodied by care for one another.” Their newest study examines “boss phubbing” (boss phone snubbing), which the researchers define as “an employee’s perception that his or her supervisor is distracted by his or her smartphone when they are talking or in close proximity to each other” and how that activity affects the supervisor-employee relationship. “Our research reveals how a behavior as simple as using a cellphone in the workplace can ultimately undermine an employee’s success,” the researchers wrote. “We present evidence that boss phubbing lowers employees’ trust in their supervisors and ultimately leads to lower employee engagement.” The study found: * 76 percent of those surveyed showed a lack of trust in a supervisor who phubbed them * 75 percent showed decreases in psychological meaningfulness, psychological availability and psychological safety * The lack of trust and decreases in those key areas led to a 5 percent decrease in employee engagement Roberts and David suggest several steps that managers could take to change the culture and mitigate the negative effects of smartphone use. * Create a culture in which supervisors do not feel pressure to immediately respond to emails and messages from their superiors while meeting with their employees. * Structure performance criteria in a manner which motivates bosses to build healthy superior-subordinate relationships. This might include annual ratings by their subordinates. * Train supervisors and employees on the importance of face-to-face interactions and sensitize them to the potentially negative consequences of phubbing on employee attitudes and engagement. * Set formal smartphone policies by setting clear rules for smartphone use, access and security – and detail specific consequences for violating those rules. Source:

Presidential Rhetoric Expert Shares Thoughts on Bush's Speech

Presidential rhetoric expert Martin J. Medhurst, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Rhetoric and Communication and professor of political science in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences, is quoted in this article about speeches given last week by two former U.S. presidents and a former presidential candidate that warned of the dangers to the nation and the world if divisive politics continues to cleave the American electorate into thoughtlessly hostile warring camps. “They ... talk about American ideals, they ... talk about the story of America, the American creed and the need to reinvigorate democracy and continue to be the exemplar to the world of democratic values,” Medhurst said. Source:

World Heart Day: Do You Have an Exercise Regime to Protect Your Heart?

Sept. 29 is World Heart Day. It’s a day researchers, practitioners and health officials around the globe are taking part in to spread awareness about heart disease and stroke prevention. According to the World Heart Federation (WHF), heart disease and strokes kill more than 17 million people every year. It’s the leading cause of death on the planet, edging out cancer. One way to achieving better heart health is maintaining a healthy lifestyle by making physical fitness a key component of everyday life. But what makes an effective exercise program and what types of exercises are right for you? How do you start if you’re not used to being active? Missouri State University’s Dr. Barbara Bushman, an expert in health, wellness and exercise, can answer these questions and provide insight on reducing the risk of heart disease. She is editor of the first and second editions of American College of Sports Medicine’s Complete Guide to Fitness & Health. She has been quoted in news outlets and magazines, such as USA Today, The Boston Globe, Huffington Post and Reader's Digest. Click on her icon to contact her. Source:

Another Big Short or Better Off? 10 Years Later – Is there Another Financial Crisis Looming?

It was 10 years ago Wednesday that the world changed for just about everyone. It was on that afternoon when BNP Paribas announced it was ceasing activity in three hedge funds that specialized in U.S. mortgage debt. BNP Paribas was the first major bank to acknowledge the risk of exposure to the sub-prime mortgage market, and many look back at those days as the start of the worst financial crisis in American history since the stock market crashed in 1929. For a decade, America has been in a state of recovery. It took trillions of dollars in stimulus and bail outs. The real estate market almost collapsed on itself and millions were left unemployed. Some are still incapable of finding work and income that matched what they made back then. On the outside, America seems to be in complete recovery. Housing prices have bounced back, the DOW is soaring and unemployment rests at just 5.1 percent. However, some are skeptical. Americans are borrowing again at record rates. Credit is once again being offered abundantly and as people spend again – risk is climbing. Add in China’s shaky economy and there’s also talk of a double-bubble bursting. Understanding finance and economics is no easy task. It takes global understanding, a keen eye on micro and macroeconomics and sometimes a crystal ball. But on Wednesday, many people will remember exactly what they were doing when America’s economy tanked. So where are we now? Have we learned our lesson or are we doomed to repeat ourselves? Have the reforms on Wall Street worked or can the actions of a few big banks still derail one of the strongest financial engines in the world? None of these are easy questions to answer or explain. But experts from Missouri State University can help. Dr. David Mitchell is a Professor of Economics and Director of the Bureau of Economic Research at Missouri State. He is also an expert at economic forecasting and understanding market trends and direction. Dr. Mitchell can speak to the anniversary of the financial crisis and what may lie ahead for America’s economy. Click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source: