APSU Department of Psychological Science and Counseling

06/18/2026

Most Americans agree hazing is harmful. But new research co-authored by APSU psychologist Dr. Caitlin Shaw suggests preventing it requires more than holding students accountable.

Published in the journal Public Health, the study found that Americans generally view hazing as a public health issue, one that calls for prevention, education, community involvement, and cultural change. Researchers also found that adults who had personally experienced hazing were more likely to view it as less harmful than those who had not.

The findings highlight an important message: parents, coaches, educators, alumni, and community members all play a role in creating environments where young people can build relationships and earn respect without humiliation, degradation, or risk.

Read more: https://www.apsu.edu/news/caitlin-shaw-hazing-public-health-study.php

01/29/2026

Save the dates for our first two brown bag presentations of 2026! 📅🗨️🧠
On Friday, February 20, Dr. Rong Huang from the APSU Department of Psychological Science and Counseling will present 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮: 𝘼 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝-𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚.
On Friday, March 20, Dr. Misty Ring-Ramirez from the APSU Department of Sociology will present 𝙇𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨, 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩: 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨, 𝙎𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡-𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙣-𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝘼𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨.
Both presentations will be held from noon to 1:00 p.m. in room 104 of the Health Professions Building.
All APSU faculty and staff are encouraged to bring their lunch and join us for these engaging discussions.

01/29/2026

To truly support children facing adversity, we have to look beyond labels.
New research from our own Dr. Rong Huang, explores how early childhood outcomes are shaped not by one experience alone, but by the environments and conditions families navigate every day.
The work encourages a deeper, more thoughtful conversation about how we support children and families... and where intervention matters most.
Read the full story: https://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-research-rethinks-childhood-adversity.php?fbclid=IwY2xjawPoWdVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFTd21oYTJ5REZJdTQ2RVgyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHquSq7oXZL99k9gLWcV2C5kzUrDIiYSV4cSNBK8FHaDktfLLwqBtz-oQ71-H_aem_zN4IkmKTcE92qxJck1fOzw

New research from Austin Peay State University challenges assumptions about childhood adversity, finding that children's developmental outcomes are shaped more by broader environmental factors and sustained family support than by single experiences like parental incarceration.