Hi everyone,

You are invited to attend the next seminar from the Psychology Seminar Series on Wednesday 14 May 2025, 11:00-12:00pm on Microsoft Teams.

To join the seminar remotely on the day, please click here: Join the meeting.

Attendance will be collated at the end of the seminar and RISE points will be allocated accordingly. 

This seminar will feature two short talks, followed by discussion and Q&A. Please see below for details: 

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Kate Whittenbury, PhD Candidate, School of Psychology

The Effect of Audio-visual Information and Situational Stress on Psychological Responses to Indirect Exposure to Trauma (IET)

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) poses a risk to professionals working with trauma survivors. While individual risk factors for STS have been studied, the influence of acute stress prior to secondary trauma exposure and the mode of exposure (e.g., in-person narrative vs. written testimony) remain under-explored. This study investigated the impact of acute stress and trauma stimulus type on immediate stress and mood changes, and the subsequent development of intrusive thoughts over seven days. Utilising a 2×2 factorial design, 83 participants (62.7% female, mean age 30.89) were randomised into four conditions. Results indicated that participants exposed to a psychosocial stressor exhibited significantly higher stress levels compared to a relaxation control group. However, stress levels post-indirect trauma exposure (IET), immediately following the stressor, did not differ between conditions, regardless of whether the IET was presented via video or text. Interestingly, the relaxation group showed a significant anxiety increase post-IET, reaching similar levels to the stressor group, irrespective of IET medium. This pattern was mirrored in anger scores. No significant differences in intrusive thoughts were observed across groups during the seven-day follow-up period. These findings contribute to understanding the complex interplay of acute stress and exposure type in the immediate aftermath of secondary trauma exposure, informing strategies to mitigate STS in helping professionals.

Dr. Kalum Bodfield, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology

“The Academic Self-Concept and Why it Matters”?

The academic self-concept is an individuals’ perception of themselves and their abilities in relation to an educational context. It has been linked to better academic outcomes, engagement and happiness in education. It has been known to be influenced by wider factors however ranging from school culture, teacher feedback, neurodiverse traits and attachment experiences. In this talk, I will outline the structure and formation of the academic self-concept and the implications a positive or negative academic self-concept has for students before proceeding to present my own research on the subject and key discussions and areas of contention around the concept.

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Any questions, please contact Danielle Labhardt (d.labhardt@mmu.ac.uk) or Matt Brooks (m.brooks@mmu.ac.uk).

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