Join us for the 16th Annual Psychology Department Research Day!
In the morning, graduate students will be holding research talks, followed by poster sessions from Honours students!
📅 April 10th, 2026, starting at 9AM
📍 Health Sciences Building (H2815 & H2808)
We look forward to seeing you there!
Four photos of students next to their research posters
Four photos of students next to their research posters
Four photos of students next to their research posters
Four photos of students next to their research posters
Congratulations to the Psych and Beh. Neuro students who presented at the WISE Conference!
Many of our students took home awards. Congrats to Kaitlyn Miller, Madi LaSaga, Lucas Fowler, Ashlinn Pennell, Lauren Ringer, Tenika Grandy, Gillian Cook, and Arafa Hossain!
Career Night poster with stamp on it reading: “Postponed due to weather”
Career Night is cancelled due to forecasted weather conditions. Keep an eye out for a rescheduled date!
📢 Reminder! Nomination deadline is March 27th for the Rennie Gaulton Award for Excellence in Teaching! 📢 If you’ve had a professor who you think deserves this award, now is the time to nominate them! 🏆
Fill out the form and e-mail to psych@mun.ca w/ subject line: GAULTON AWARD NOMINATION.
Blue poster titled "Career Night Presented by PsyCentral". The event is taking place on March 23, 2026 from 7pm-9pm in CSF-1302 at MUN. This is an opportunity to connect with professionals who have leveraged their psychology or behavioural neuroscience undergraduate degrees into successful careers. Speakers include: clinical psychologists, a professor, a psychometrist, a lawyer, a medical doctor, an epidemiologist, a speech language pathologist, a research officer, a behaviour management specialist, a supportive housing worker, a research assistant, and more!
Join us for Career Night on March 23rd! This is a great opportunity to network and learn from professionals in the community about their education, jobs, and career trajectories. All are welcome!
The study, titled “Development of a Mobile App (iCANSleep) to Treat Insomnia in Cancer Survivors: User-Centered Design Study,” is authored by Dr. Sheila Garland, Samlau Kutana, Katherine-Ann Piedalue, Rachel Lee, Dr. Joshua Rash, and Gregory Cerallo.
Insomnia harms the health and quality of life of cancer survivors. Although CBT-I is effective, access is limited. This study examines how digital tools can enhance treatment delivery. Learn more here: shorturl.at/G9MEu
Screenshot of the article titled "Pain in dementia: A systematic review of the measurement properties of observational assessment tools"
Emily Winters and colleagues published a new systematic review evaluating the measurement properties and quality of evidence of observational pain assessment tools for older adults with dementia. They identified 30 tools and 5 met criteria for a strong recommendation.
shorturl.at/xgVQ0
Screenshot of the article titled: "Perinatal hyperandrogenization and immune activation in rodents model subtypes of autism"
New paper from the Swift-Gallant Lab in Translational Psychiatry! 🎉 Using rodent models, the team found that prenatal androgens and maternal immune activation both produce autism-relevant changes via distinct biological pathways.
Read here: nature.com/articles/s41398-026-03821-0
Screenshot of article.
A study by Dr. Sheila Garland + colleagues found that, for AYAs w/ cancer: representation in research is empowering, person-centred approaches foster trust, & systemic barriers still shape who gets heard. The study calls for inclusive, community-based research. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Screenshot of article.
Psychology researchers at MUN evaluated online training for mental health providers on stepped care 2.0 and one-at-a-time services. They found that the training was generally acceptable, affordable, and feasible. Providers also gave suggestions for improvement.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Poster depicting cartoon people playing in the snow. Above the scene, it says: Happy Winter Semester Break from the Psychology Department Social Media Committee.
Screenshot of article
A new study by Dr. Garland and colleagues examined how socially connected adolescent and young adult cancer survivors are, both on and offline. Check out the results below!
doi.org/10.3390/curr...
Screenshot of the article titled: "Surveillance of live birds for active and past infections reveals the impact of highly pathogenic H5N1 on seabird populations in Atlantic Canada"
Congrats to CABE’s Sydney Collins, Dr. Montevecchi & Dr. Bitton on their recent paper! 🐦🧫 Led by Ishraq Rahman, the study found avian flu active in NL seabirds in 2022 (but not 2023), with antibodies persisting into 2023. Findings offer critical insight into exposure trends!
doi.org/10.1139/cjm-...
Screenshot of the article titled "The prevalence and predictors of aggressive obsessions in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analytic review"
Congrats to Quinn Morris, Chelsea Lahey, Olivia Bishop, Concordia co-authors & Drs. Josh Rash, Jacqueline Carter, Jonathan Fawcett & Emily Fawcett on a new meta-analysis! They found that ~70% of people with OCD report aggressive obsessions in their lifetime. shorturl.at/tJS4n
Screenshot of the article titled "Gut microbiota composition is related to anxiety and aggression scores in companion dogs"
Congrats to Sarita Pellowe & the Canine Research Unit on their Scientific Reports publication linking gut microbiota (especially Blautia) to canine anxiety & aggression. Important insight into the gut–brain axis in canines! 🐶🧠
Read here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Screenshot of article titled "Dog Guardian Interpretation of Familiar Dog Aggression Questions in the C-BARQ: Do We Need to Redefine “Familiar”?"
Congrats to Sarita Pellowe & Dr. Carolyn Walsh on their new Animals publication! 🐕 They highlight a key validity issue in a canine aggression questionnaire used for familiar dog aggression. Kudos to the Canine Research Unit! 📝
Read here: doi.org/10.3390/ani1...
Congratulations to Ashlee Coles and colleagues on their recent publication highlighting important findings related to the prevalence of comorbid cannabis use disorder in veterans with PTSD and the adult general population with anxiety and related disorders.
Read more: shorturl.at/6e128
Picture of Jenna and Adam holding their awards.
Congrats to Jenna Perry and Adam Brown on their Dean's Awards recognitions!
Poster that reads: "Thinking about doing a psyc/bn honours degree? Hear from students! Join us for an informal session where current and former honours students share their experiences of the program. Hear about what they found rewarding, what they found challenging, and what they wish they had known before starting. This is a relaxed, student-only event with plenty of time for questions. WHEN: Feb 11th and March 4th at 1-1:50PM. WHERE: A1046. Questions? Contact the Honours Coordinator, Dr. Cheryll Fitzpatrick, cheryllf@mun.ca."
Calling prospective Honours students! Come hear from current and former psychology and behavioural neuroscience students at MUN about their experiences in the Honours program! This event will be student-led, and there will be opportunities to ask questions. We hope to see you there!
Screen shot of the article
Dr. Garland and colleagues' new study examines what helps and hinders setting up interventions for FCR. Facilitators: strong leadership, staff who value the intervention, and culture of support. Barriers: lack of training, limited resources (funding/staff), and uncertainty.
doi.org/10.1002/pon....
The study “The Role of Fathers in Adolescent Cannabis Use Disorder: Public Perceptions of Paternal Shame and Responsibility” is authored by Olivia C. Bishop, Jenna K. Perry, Bhavya Sehgal, Molly K. Downey, Ashlee R. L. Coles, and Dr. Nick Harris.
A new study by Dr. Nick Harris’ research team found that people often view fathers as responsible for their adolescent’s cannabis use disorder, which may deter families from seeking help. Challenging these harmful views is crucial to improve treatment outcomes for youth.
surl.li/yzwans
Screenshot of the article "Growing up in comfort: Enivronmental enrichment shapes maternal approach and sex differences in offspring neuroendocrine profiles in laboratory mice"
Congrats to Lucas Fowler & the Swift-Gallant Lab on their new Hormones and Behavior paper!. They show that larger cages & enrichment shape maternal approach and brain development in mice, with male pups showing greater benefits from enriched environments 🐭🧬🏠.
Read more: rb.gy/m94e6p
📢 Nominations Open for the Rennie Gaulton Award for Excellence in Teaching! 📢 If you’ve had a professor who you think deserves this award, now is the time to nominate them! 🏆
Fill out the form and e-mail to psych@mun.ca w/ subject line: GAULTON AWARD NOMINATION. 🗓 Nominations close Fri, Mar 27, 2026
Screen shot of article
Dr. Sheila Garland and colleagues compared acupuncture and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in a clinical trial.
Both treatments eased anxiety and improved sleep, and the benefits lasted for weeks after therapy ended.
Learn more here! doi.org/10.1016/j.im...
Poster outlining the date, time, and location for the MUN Psychology and Behavioural Neuroscience Honours Mixer. January 19th, 6-8PM in CSF-1302.
The Honours Mixer will be taking place in CSF-1302 on Monday, January 19th from 6-8PM. This is a great event for prospective honours students to network and hear from professors about the research they conduct!
Memorial University's Department of Psychology is hiring! Be a part of a vibrant and engaged academic community in beautiful St. John's, NL. 🌊 Details below!
www.mun.ca/academic-car...
Check out our Facebook page and follow along for the 12 days of MythMas! We will be posting and debunking one myth per day related to psychology.
www.facebook.com/mun.psychology
Happening tomorrow!
Next up in the Sex and Gender Science Speaker Series:
Dr. Ashley Balsom will examine the psychological burden of infertility through a sex- and gender-informed lens.
Tuesday November 25, 1 pm, CSF-1302
Screenshot of article titled "Mothers of Adolescents With Cannabis Use Disorder: Exploring Public Perceptions of Maternal Responsibility"
A new study by Molly Downey, Olivia Bishop, Taylor Anthony, Brooke Hiscock, Isobel McMahon, Ashlee Coles, and Dr. Nick Harris explores how the public perceives mothers of adolescents with cannabis use disorder.
Read more here:
tinyurl.com/54ywyy2e
Screenshot of the article
New research from Drs. Jonathan Fawcett and Kathleen Hourihan, alumni Hannah Willoughby and Jenny Tiller, and team found that reading aloud triggers larger pupil dilation than reading silently, suggesting that speaking aloud enhances attention and encoding.
See full article:
shorturl.at/MRQRA