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August 08 2016

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: Effects of Multitasking

Many business leaders think of multitasking as a great asset and they envision employees who can get more work accomplished. People also believe that the Millennial generation (ages 18 to 34) is better equipped to juggle multiple tasks. For the most part this is true. Millennials are known for being adept with all forms of technology and moving from one job to another, shifting between priorities with relative ease. Most employers post “The ability to multitask” as a skill on several job openings. Unfortunately, the latest research conducted in psychology and business productivity suggests we have gotten it all wrong.

The average Millennial switches their attention among media platforms 27 times per hour. Research shows that performing a mental task while multitasking yields similar results to performing the same task if you got no sleep the previous night. Additionally, prolonged multitasking will actually damage your brain. Regular multitaskers have less brain density in areas controlling cognitive and emotional functions. Alternating between tasks will lower your emotional intelligence. If you are switching your gaze from your laptop to your smartphone to a TV screen and back again, you stand to miss a lot of subtle nonverbal signals from the person you are talking with simultaneously. Researchers revealed that the brain cannot effectively handle more than two complex related activities at once.

Multitasking doesn’t always live up to the dream. Instead, it tends to mean a lack of focus and an increase in impulsivity. Experts predicted that the impact of networked living on youth today will increase their desire for instant gratification, cause them to settle for quick choices, and cause them to lack patience. Researchers at Stanford University conducted a famous experiment 50 years ago where children were given the chance to eat a single marshmallow immediately, or wait until someone returned later, at which point they would receive a second marshmallow. The kids were tracked later in life and it turns out those who waited for that second marshmallow fared much better than those who chose instant gratification. The participants who did not wait were more likely to have behavioral problems, be obese, use drugs and spend time in jail.

There’s a financial cost, too. Lack of productivity due to multitasking equates to global losses of $450 million per year and Millennial job-hopping costs the U.S. economy more than $30 million per year. Nearly nine out of ten Millennials plan to stay in a job less than three years and 21 percent say they have changed jobs in the past year. While the average job tenure for all workers 25 and older is 5.5 years, it is only three years for Millennials. The cost of job-hopping to employers is not marginal, either. The loss of one Millennial employee runs between $15,000 to $25,000, for most companies.

In terms of the turnover issue, employers can discourage Millennials from leaving too soon by offering finite terms of employment from the get-go. Giving Millennials a sense of purpose through meaningful work and projects that require a variety of skills has been shown to deter job-hopping. To help reduce the effects of multitasking, you should schedule blocks of uninterrupted time. There is time management method called the Pomodoro Technique that allows you to work for 25-minute chunks of time and then take a five-minute break. During this time you focus all your attention on a single task and take short breaks as a way to increase focus and productivity. Lastly, you can increase the ability to focus, concentrate, and reduce stress throughout the day by practicing either (or better yet, both) yoga or meditation. However you choose to do it, cutting back on or eliminating multitasking is well worth the effort. You will work more productively and finish tasks more quickly.

References:
Clapp, W., Rubens, M., Sabharwal, J., Gazzaley, A. (2011). Deficit in switching between functions underlies the impact of multitasking memory in older adults. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 108(17), 7212-7217.

Sanbonmatsu, D., Strayer, D., Medeiros-Ward, N., Watson, J. (2013). Who multi-tasks and why? Multi-tasking ability, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. PLOSOne. 8(1), e54402.

Zetlin, M. (2016, July 30). Constant Multitasking Is Damaging Millennial Brains, Research Shows. Retrieved from: http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/constant-multitasking-is-damaging-millennial-brains-research-shows.html

Jonathan Torres, M.S.
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

August 08 2016

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: What Exactly Does Psychosomatic Mean?

When patients who are presenting to physicians for treatment hear the word “psychosomatic” they usually feel immediately discredited. This term is often followed by a referral to see a psychologist, which patients often do not choose to do.

First, the term psychosomatic means something different to physicians and most patients than it does to psychologists and mental health professionals. When physicians resort to telling patients they feel their condition is psychosomatic, it is often after much frustration and perceived treatment failures. Physicians note that these patients report very high levels of symptomatology, but testing and evaluations cannot identify concrete pathology. Physicians may also notice that patients seem to be reporting higher levels of symptoms than what seems to make sense in light of physical findings. The model that many physicians were trained in (Cartesian Model) creates a mindset that all medical conditions can be diagnosed with a methodical and logical approach. If this approach yields no solid support to reported symptoms, the problem is determined to be psychosomatic—or essentially not real. Laypeople (patients) typically identify the term psychosomatic in the same context. It can be a painful word for patients to hear and understand, and they often feel insulted by the resultant referral to see a psychologist.

Psychologists do not identify the term psychosomatic the same way as physicians and patients may define it. Many psychologists conceptualize health problems from a multi-faceted approach in which physical and biological conditions interact with their environment. “Somatic” research generally approaches physical conditions as inseparable from the mind. This under no circumstances means that psychologists think “every problem” is in the mind. In fact, it means that all systems in which a person functions interact with each other. Chronic pain is an example of a problem in which many systems interact. Emotions have been identified as one factor in decreasing pain tolerance, and biological changes can result from emotional state. So, feelings can make pain worse, and worsening pain increases emotional issues—and the problems can spiral.

Explaining to patients that seeing a psychologist is a part of treatment for medical conditions and not a result of practitioners deciding that patients are “faking” or “just emotional,” may help facilitate following up with recommendations. Patients who experience chronic illnesses often feel very misunderstood and disrespected, and more could be done to help patients understand that psychologists may be an instrumental part of their healthcare. This simple step could result in significant improvements in overall outcome for many conditions.

Rain Smith, MS
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

August 08 2016

Article Review: The role of psychological symptoms and social group memberships in the development of post-traumatic stress after traumatic injury [Jones et. al. British Journal of Health Psychology(2012) 17, 798-811]

Jones et. al (2012) points out that traumatic injury can be linked with later development of PTSD. It does not seem surprising that PTSD is common after a major physical trauma resulting in orthopedic injuries (OI) or acquired brain injury (ABI). Unknown variables included which factors might mitigate or limit the development of PTSD after traumatic injury.

Jones et.al. discussed the social identity model. The social identity approach looks at how one’s social group memberships contribute to health outcomes. Jones et. al. evaluated two injury groups (OI and ABI) at 2 weeks and again at three months after discharge. The participants were given The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) to assess somatic symptoms. The Exeter Identity Transition Scales (EXITS) were utilized to assess sense of belonging, connection and support. Finally the Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ) was given to assess post traumatic symptomatology.

The researchers found that group memberships seemed to effect OI and ABI differently. Injuries that caused long term life changes seemed to have reduced trauma symptoms when new group membership after the injury was developed. An example of “new group membership” would be joining an ABI support group. The authors theorized that membership in a group that facilitated the changes involved allowed patients to better adjust to their new life circumstances.

Jones et. al suggested that for injuries with higher levels of long term disabilities, trauma symptoms may be reduced by health care personnel making appropriate referrals to community services and groups.

References
Jones et. al (2012). The role of psychological symptoms and social group memberships in the development of post-traumatic stress after traumatic injury. British Journal of Health Psychology, 17, 798-811

Rain Smith, MS
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

August 08 2016

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: The Cursed Dissertation Defense

I recently traveled back to California in order to complete my final dissertation defense. I decided that I would fly to California a day early so that I did not have to feel rushed. I was already nervous enough without having to worry about more travel logistics. I boarded my flight in Nashville on schedule and was on my way, or so I thought. One passenger started getting up and down using the bathroom. This isn’t necessarily unique, but after the fourth time myself and the passenger sitting next to me were curious. The flight attendants were opening and closing the lavatory door checking on the ill passenger. The Captain then announces that we will be making an emergency landing. The ill passenger apparently had some form of gastrointestinal illness and Norovirus was suspected. We landed in Kansas City to switch planes. I have never been in the Kansas City airport before but I can only describe it as a bunker. If there were a nuclear event while I was in Kansas City I knew I would survive.

Our new plane arrived, there were no nuclear events and we were underway again. As we were taking off another passenger started grabbing her chest and left arm. She was yelling at the flight attendant that she was “dying.” As a soon to be psychologist, I am usually very sympathetic to a person who is panicking but NOT today. Over the years in my previous work as a respiratory therapist I have seen many people actively having heart attacks. While you cannot necessarily tell if someone is actively having a heart attack without a proper evaluation, I was pretty convinced this lady was having a panic attack. The flight attendants were able to calm her for a bit and her distress decreased. As the flight proceeded she again started complaining of chest pain so we made emergency landing number two. Thankfully an ambulance was waiting on the runway and we were quickly up in the air again.

Several hours delayed, I arrived in Los Angeles at around 1 am and boarded my shuttle to the rental cars. Apparently circadian rhythm disorders are frequent in Los Angeles because the airport traffic was gridlocked. I doubled checked the time and wondered where all these people were going. A part of why I left Southern California was already quite evident. I did eventually make it to the rental car counter where I met the most dedicated rental car employee. Ever. She raised her voice when I declined the extra insurance, she told me (of course) about the “special” that would allow me to upgrade the car I was renting. I am normally quite patient but I stopped her and said, “I just want the car, nothing else.” She then proceeded to give me a lecture about how I had an out of state driver’s licence and needed the extra insurance and some other plan in case I got a flat tire. My response, “The car please.”

I traveled from Los Angeles to my room in Orange County near Disneyland. I was relieved to finally be at my destination and sorely in need of sleep. I checked in and the key to my room didn’t work. I returned to the desk, and the desk person tried to open the door and no luck. At this point I really would have slept in my hard won rental car. The front desk person informed me that there was only one room left, on the third floor, no elevator. I shrugged because after coming across the county three flights of stairs seemed a small obstacle. I quickly found out that there was a very good reason my first room was booked on the first floor. I managed to drag my suitcase up one flight of stairs and then proceeded to ask the front desk person to help me. I have some physical issues that limit my ability to gracefully carry a suitcase full of books up three flights of stairs. Finally, I was able to enter this room and collapse on the bed. It was around 4:30 am.

I spent the next day mostly sleeping. I was able to prepare a bit more that evening and I felt ready to make my final defense in the morning. I slept well and was going to leave an hour and a half early, again so that I didn’t have to feel pressured. I came out to the parking lot and did not see my rental car in the spot I was quite sure I parked it. I knew I had gotten in late and was generally disoriented after my flight so I proceeded to check the whole parking lot and no car. I started laughing like this situation was the most hilarious thing to ever happen. I’m not all together sure that it was a “good” laugh. One could argue that I had become out of touch with reality. I go into the hotel lobby and explain to the desk staff what is going on. I hear “Oh that was your car? The towing company accidentally towed it.” I took a deep breath in because we all need to breathe and count to ten sometimes. I explained that I was going to defend my dissertation and I needed to go now. The desk staff seemed to be able to read the angry, nervous state I was in. They called a cab for me and even had him wait for me. Good thing I started out early.

I made it to the classroom I was assigned to and began to attempt to set up my PowerPoint presentation. I had expected technical difficulties and that was why I allowed myself extra time but that time was cut in half by my missing car. I.T. was called because apparently I am putting off some form of energy into the universe that is not compatible with planes, cars, or computers. It is never good when I.T. says “wow, I’ve never seen this before,” when you are attempting to load your defense presentation. Thankfully my chair came into the room and was able to fix what was going wrong with the technology. I then successfully defended my dissertation. Now nothing else mattered, and my attitude about the travel glitches was cured by the statement: “My dissertation is defended.”

Little did I know that in my absence there was a plumbing problem that basically destroyed the kitchen and downstairs area of my house. My husband had wisely waited until after my dissertation was defended to tell me that we had no kitchen, laundry, downstairs bathroom. Nothing. He sent pictures and all I could say was, “My dissertation is defended.” I almost didn’t care that my house was in a state of demolition. I felt great! My car was returned and I was ready to go home (or whatever was left of home) victorious. I boarded my flight and we had a scheduled lay over in Kansas City, a.k.a the bunker port. All seemed to be going well, which at this point in the trip was a bit strange. It very well could have been that pandemonium was breaking out and I was just repeating, “My dissertation is done.”

I arrived at Nashville airport to be greeted by my family with flowers and balloons. I went to get my luggage while struggling to keep my very active 10 year old son from creating a public disturbance by riding on the luggage carousel. I was informed that the suitcases are “just like a horse,” meaning there is no good reason why one cannot ride on a suitcase spinning on the baggage carousel. I almost joined in until a security officer walked our way. I didn’t think he would buy my answer of “my dissertations done” as explanation for riding the baggage carousel. Well, as fun as the baggage claims area of the airport had become there was something crucial missing: my suitcases. Yep. Nothing like ending a trip with lost baggage, but you guessed it, I answered with, “My dissertation’s done!”

I was receiving supportive texts from my colleagues at WKPIC. Many times supporting one another involves continuing to point out the humor in almost any situation. I am now infamous among my colleagues for plane crashes (yep- see my interview story), emergency landings and other travel mishaps.

Rain Smith, MS
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

(Director’s Note: We offer these stories so interns will know they are not alone. Cursed times appear to include internship interviews, Match Day, Dissertation Defense, and Licensing Exams/Orals. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.)

August 08 2016

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: You Aren’t “One of Them”: Stories and Themes of People Who Felt Treatment Wasn’t Effective

Mental health treatment “failure” is a subject, which is overlooked by many. I have been approached by acquaintances who have asked some interesting, and at times difficult questions about mental health treatment. I listened to some of their stories, views, and opinions regarding their treatment experiences. They consider me a friend or family member more than a psychologist, so I feel that some of this more candid insight could be helpful.

The statement “you aren’t one of them,” meaning that I am not like the mental health providers with whom the person had interacted, has been said to me frequently at the beginning of one of these discussions. My first thought was that I am not a treating psychologist during these conversations, so I am glad I am not “one of them” to my family and friends. However, there were other considerations when I thought about the “not one of them” statement. I began asking more questions about what “one of them” meant. Mental health treatment providers were then described to me in an adversarial manner. The individuals sharing their stories were essentially impoverished and residing in rural and critically underserved areas of the U.S. In the view of these service-seekers, clinicians were seen as “rich people” who could never understand what life was like for people who had fewer resources. Treatment providers were identified as holding such a high position that they had the ability to “remove all the rights a person has.”

Most of these folks, understandably, did not seek treatment until they were in a state of utter despair. They discussed feeling judged by the clinicians they saw. While my own experience is that treatment providers are non-judgmental, it was concerning that the perception of many of the people in most need, those seeking treatment in crisis in areas where services are marginally available, was the opposite. Many disclosed that they were not truthful with clinicians because they feared what the clinicians’ responses might be. Often times, people seeking psychotropic medications indicated that waiting lists were unbearably long, which in turn contributed to their perceptions that providers did not understand the suffering they experienced. Much of their perception of the mental health service system as adversarial seemed to be rooted in misunderstandings and miscommunication. Mental health treatment for those I spoke with was relegated for those who “hear and see things.”

As a clinician I feel there is sometimes a lack of time to develop a deep understanding of the patient for whom you want to provide care. It may be that in the precious time we have with a patient, our mannerisms, clothing, or signs of status like jewelry communicate the divide–immediately, at first sight. The person presenting for treatment in some areas of the country has been suffering for a long time, possibly left on a waiting list, and then they must face a person they think cannot relate to their suffering (or any suffering). While this may or may not be true, it is an important variable in how supported some rural, low-income service-seekers feel. Those sharing their stories had a lack of education about many facets of mental health treatment, and more importantly, they were afraid to ask questions.

In my opinion, treatment providers could do more to be attuned to the challenges their patients face, and we could listen more closely to those who are telling us we failed to help them.

Rain Smith, MS
WKPIC Doctoral Intern

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Friday Factoids Catch-Up: Effects of Multitasking

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: What Exactly Does Psychosomatic Mean?

Article Review: The role of psychological symptoms and social group memberships in the development of post-traumatic stress after traumatic injury [Jones et. al. British Journal of Health Psychology(2012) 17, 798-811]

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: The Cursed Dissertation Defense

Friday Factoids Catch-Up: You Aren’t “One of Them”: Stories and Themes of People Who Felt Treatment Wasn’t Effective

Phone: 270-889-2741

Phone: 270-889-2811