Monitor on Psychology - April 2012 - (Page 4)

Letters Why address treatment guidelines for obesity? We are writing this letter in response to the letters on treatment guidelines in the February Monitor. There is no question that obesity is a major public health problem. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, including one-third who are obese. Obesity is the No. 2 killer in the United States (and is expected to become No. 1). Because of obesity, children born in 2000 will live shorter lives than we will — and among children born in 2000, 33 percent of boys, 39 percent of girls and 50 percent of African-American girls will develop diabetes in their lives. Obesity also becomes a personal health problem when the individual self-identifies as such and seeks help. Psychologists — both researchers and clinicians — are uniquely prepared to help. There is excellent scientific evidence that obesity can be treated successfully. Prominent psychologists, such as Drs. Kelly Brownell, Leonard Epstein and Rena Wing, have contributed enormously to our understanding of biopsychosocial factors that contribute to obesity, and this knowledge has been instrumental in developing evidencebased treatments that effectively promote and maintain weight loss. For example, the Diabetes Prevention Trial — an NIH-supported RCT — was terminated early because lifestyle behavior change was more effective than medication or placebo in the prevention of diabetes. The lifestyle behavior change intervention was developed by Dr. Wing. The future of psychology will involve an expanded role in integrated health care. Given the economic and personal costs associated with chronic physical 4 conditions, and the overwhelming evidence in support of a biopsychosocial approach to health promotion and illness prevention, psychologists need to be fully informed about the most effective ways to help support the nation’s health. Accordingly, APA Divs. 38 (Health), 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology) and 54 (Society of Pediatric Psychology) all strongly support APA’s efforts to identify the evidence bases and best practices for the treatment of obesity. On behalf Of Div. 38 Elizabeth A. Klonoff, PhD, president Christopher R. France, PhD, past president Annette L. Stanton, PhD, president-elect On behalf Of Div. 12 J. Gayle Beck, PhD, president Danny Wedding, PhD, past president Mark Sobell, PhD, president-elect On behalf Of Div. 54 Tonya M. Palermo, PhD, president Gerald P. Koocher, PhD, past resident Mike Rapoff, PhD, president-elect principles, sustainability deals with the maintenance of behavior, a property specialized in experimental research of B.F. Skinner (1957) as illustrated in his classic text “Schedules of Reinforcement” co-authored with C.B. Ferster. The task of “sustainability” of concerted effort aimed at the mitigation of global climate change and its damaging consequences should not overlook basic laboratory principles of behavior. That is, Skinner showed that under varied environmental conditions, intermittent reinforcement leads to greater “resistance to extinction” (e.g., sustainability) of operant behavior compared to behavior following continuous reinforcement. To the degree that global climate change is a profound problem for the survival of a wide range of species, including humans, over immediate and distant time frames — we should not neglect any tools, whether from applied or laboratory research, that may solve effective behavior change. William f. vitulli, PhD University of South Alabama Sustainability and b.f. Skinner Kudos to Tori DeAngelis for her article “Going green” in the February Monitor. As shown in the article, APA demonstrates it can “talk the talk and walk the walk” regarding environmental stability. Interestingly, the frequency of use of the term “sustainability” was approximately 12 in the article. One of Webster’s meanings of “sustainability” is “the ability to keep going, as an action or process.” Recall that in operant conditioning Correction Due to a staff error, the President’s column on the topic “Increasing psychology’s role in integrated care” did not run in the March Monitor as scheduled. Click here to read the column. The column will also appear in the May print issue. Please send letters to smartin@apa.org or Sara Martin, Monitor editor. Letters should be no more than 250 words and may be edited for space and clarity. Monitor on psychology • April 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - April 2012

Monitor on Psychology - April 2010
Letters
President’s Column
Contents
From the CEO
Internship Shortage Continues
Mental Health Services Remain Scarce at Community Colleges
Apa Weighs in on the Constitutionality of Life Without Parole for Juvenile Offenders
Apa Praises Court’s Support for Equality
New Mobile App Answers Psychologists’ Clinical Questions
Nih Offers Free Web Resources for Psychologist Researchers
New and Improved Psyclink
In Brief
Government Relations Update
Time Capsule
Questionnaire
Random Sample
Judicial Notebook
Early Career Psychology
Psychologist Profile
Coal Miners’ Dilemma
The Science of Political Advertising
Science Watch
Science Directions
More Support Needed for Trauma Interventions
The Case Against Spanking
Innovative Psychology at the High School Level
Speaking of Education
Apa Divisions Reach Out to New Psychologists
New Journal Editors
A Home Base for Multiple Fields
Division Spotlight
American Psychological Foundation
Awards and Funding Opportunities
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - April 2012