New York University’s Applied Psychology Online Publication of Undergraduate Studies, also known as OPUS, was established in 2009. OPUS provides Applied Psychology undergraduate students with a forum for sharing their independent work. This publication is entirely written, edited, and designed by Applied Psychology undergraduates, and is one of the only undergraduate psychology journals in the United States.
We are thrilled to present our Fall 2019 issue. 2019 marks the 10-year anniversary of OPUS. The themes of the Fall 2019 issue reflect the clinical and research interests of our contributing writers and demonstrate a desire to understand the nuances of psychological phenomena in order to improve the lives of a range of groups, thus embodying the ethos of Applied Psychology.
Our issue this semester contains explorations of psychological theories with real-world applications, with Tiffany Wong exploring how stigma associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder impacts perceptions of parents and parental self-esteem. On the other hand, Mikell Burksy’s literature review focuses on an issue most – if not all – New Yorkers can relate to: commuter stress. His literature review examines the impact physical and psychological toll commuter stress has on the body and how mindfulness can be used as an effective tool to modulate these effects. Mikell closes his piece with helpful recommendations that can be utilized everyday.
Sanjidah proposes a research study that explores the potential benefits that a self-defense empowerment program can have to alleviate discrimination stress experienced by Muslim American women, a topic that has been understudied. We are also pleased to be publishing an original qualitative study conducted by Applied Psychology student Yilin Lee, whose piece examines how academic programs can foster the home-school connection, with important implications for low-income, minority middle school students who might require extra support and collaboration from teachers and families.
Thank you so much to our enthusiastic and talented writers for their scholarly contributions, as well as Sydney Liang, Grace Park, and Freya Chen, the OPUS administrative staff for their hard work and commitment to the journal. Special thanks to Rachel Lim, a former OPUS editor who served as a peer mentor as we transitioned into our role. We are also grateful to Emilie Ricco, the OPUS advisor and Dr. Gigliana Melzi, the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Applied Psychology. Finally, we would like to thank Dr. Adina Schick, our faculty mentor, for her guidance, wit, and dedication to OPUS, without which this issue would not be possible.
Best,
Oana Groza and Andrew Han
Click here to return to the Fall 2019 Issue Contents page.