Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology Dissertation Award
Deadline: December 4
Description
Purpose: The Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology (FRP) sponsors a competition for dissertation research funding. The purpose of the FRP Dissertation Award is to assist doctoral students in Psychology with research costs to promote research in the field of Rehabilitation Psychology.
One of the Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology (FRP) plans to award is the Leonard Diller Dissertation Award in Neurorehabilitation. At the request of the Diller family, FRP created the Leonard Diller Fund that will support this award. Dr. Diller is widely credited with being a founder of American neurorehabilitation. He was a leader among clinicians who did not accept the belief that impairments following acquired brain injuries were permanent and irremediable. A dissertation deserving of this award will reflect the principles of neurorehabilitation as advanced by Dr. Diller.
Funding Level: FRP recognizes that there are many costs associated with dissertation research, including data collection, data analyses, publication costs, books, travel, and the student’s time. Research using archival data collection will be considered. Applicants who have dissertation costs more than $2,000 may submit a budget for additional needs-based funding of $1,000 (see instructions for details). Submission of a budget is not required for the $2,000 award. Applicants who present their dissertation research at a future Division 22/ABRP mid-year conference will also receive a $500 travel stipend.
Eligibility
1. Applicants must be doctoral students (PhD or PsyD) of psychology (rehabilitation, clinical, counseling, health, developmental, neuropsychology and other related programs) or disability studies in good standing with their university at an accredited program located in the United States or Canada. Applicants must be enrolled full-time or working on their dissertation research for an equivalent of full-time enrollment regardless of actual registration status.
2. The dissertation research must be in an area of psychology relevant to rehabilitation psychology and/or disability. If you are unsure of whether your topic meets this criterion, please contact Dr. Dawn Ehde (ehde@uw.edu) for guidance. For a definition of rehabilitation psychology, see this page.
3. Applicants must have their dissertation proposals approved by their dissertation committee prior to application.
4. Applicants are encouraged to be student members of Division 22. To learn how to join and the benefits of membership, see the Trainee information on the Division 22 website.
5. A student in a graduate department other than psychology or disability studies is eligible to apply for the award if they demonstrate that they are writing a psychological science dissertation relevant to rehabilitation psychology or disability studies and that their graduate course of study has been primarily psychological in nature. In order to be eligible to apply for the award, the student in graduate departments other than psychology must justify this eligibility for the award by providing the FRP with the following materials:
a. dissertation title and brief abstract
b. transcript of graduate coursework (unofficial copes are fine);
c. written explanation of how these materials show that the graduate course of study has been primarily psychological in nature. This request for award eligibility may be submitted either separately from the application or at the time of application submission.
How to Apply
1. All application materials must be in electronic format (PDF or MS Word preferred). Please submit your application materials (described in this section) in one email to Dr. Dawn Ehde on or before December 5. Please use a font of 10 points or greater, and 1-inch margins. Materials can be single or double spaced. Please include each of the following:
a. An application form that is typed or neatly printed, signed by the applicant and approved by the chair or head of the department (as described on the form).
b. 1-page maximum typed cover letter describing your research interests and experience, as well as your career plans.
c. Three-page maximum summary of the dissertation research, including project background and rationale, an explanation of research design (methods, procedure, analysis plan, etc.), and other important aspects of the project. Please include a section describing how this project relates to and advances the field of Rehabilitation Psychology. One additional page listing references may be included (citations should be included in the text). Please Note: Figures and/or tables may be included only if they can be incorporated into the 3-page research summary. The research summary must not exceed the 3-page limit including any figures or tables.
d. Two-page maximum Curriculum Vitae including scientific publications, presentations, research and teaching experience (the Curriculum Vitae may contain only highlights and does not need to be a complete version).
e. Two-page maximum letter of recommendation from your academic advisor or professor. Please Note: The maximum length of the recommendation letter is two (2) pages. Please communicate to the faculty member who will write your recommendation letter the importance of adhering to this maximum page limit. In addition, please do not submit more than one letter of recommendation; only one will be forwarded for review.
f. Optional: Applicants who have dissertation costs more than $2,000 may submit a budget for additional needs-based funding of $1,000. If you are requesting more than $2,000, please provide a one-page maximum budget explaining your proposed use of funds and rationale for requesting consideration for $1,000 additional funds. If you have institutional or other award funds for the project, please indicate this and justify the need for the additional funds.
2. All application materials must arrive via e-mail attachments in one single e-mail on or before December 4 to the FRP Research Funding Liaison, Dr. Dawn Ehde (ehde@uw.edu).
3. You will receive an email after the application deadline confirming that your application has been received.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FRP Dissertation Award recipients will be notified in late December. All applicants are notified of funding decisions via e-mail.
By the end of the award year, each award recipient must submit a one-page final report letter specifying how the funds were used, which must be signed by the chair or head of the department or the student's faculty advisor. More details will be provided to each award recipient about this final documentation.
Award conditions: Recipients will be strongly encouraged to present their study results at a Division 22 mid-year meeting. Publications and presentations should reflect support by The Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology. The award funds may be dispersed to the student’s university or to the student directly.
Deadlines:
Deadline: December 4, 2023
Notification of awards will be on or before December 29, 2023
Number of awards: We will give out three to four awards, depending on number of meritorious applications.
For questions about eligibility, applications, or awards, contact the FRP Research Funding Liaison, Dr. Dawn Ehde, at ehde@uw.edu.
Past recipients
2019-2020 Academic Year
Jillian Tessier, Clinical Psychology, Drexel University
Functional Outcomes in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury: Goal Attainment in Rehabilitation
Advisor: Maria Schultheis, PhD
Andrew D. May, Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
The Nature and Prevalence of Anxiety in an Intensive Care Unit: Risk Factors, Patient
Outcomes, and Trends in Psychological Care
Advisor: Brian Sharpless, PhD
Amanda Parker, Clinical Psychology, Yeshiva University
Injustice, Quality of Life, and Psychiatric Symptoms in People with Migraine
Advisor: Elizabeth Seng, PhD
2018-2019 Academic Year
Dana Bakula, MS
Clinical Psychology
Oklahoma State University
Dissertation title: Parent Uncertainty, Self-Care, and Adjustment in the Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting
Advisor’s name: Larry Mullins, PhD
Rosie Shrout, MA
Interdisciplinary Social Psychology
University of Nevada, Reno
Dissertation title: Couples and Nonvisible Chronic Illness: An Integrated Model of Dyadic Coping
Advisor: Daniel Weigel, PhD
Jamie Tingey, MS
Clinical Psychology
Seattle Pacific University
Dissertation title: Self-efficacy Trajectories in Newly Diagnosed Individuals
with Multiple Sclerosis
Academic Advisor: Jacob Bentley, PhD
Mercedes Zapata, MA
School Psychology
Graduate School of Education
University of California, Berkeley
Dissertation advisor: Frank C. Worrell, PhD
Title: Personal Disability Identity Measurement: Self-Worth and Personal Meaning
2017-2018 Academic Year
Lakeya McGill, University of Maryland
Dissertation Title: Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease: The Role of Illness Intrusiveness and Perceived Control.
Mentor: Shawn Bediako, PhD
2016-2017 Academic Year
Andrea Wojtowicz, Rosalind Franklin University
Dissertation Title: Participation and life satisfaction in individuals with pediatric onset SCI
Mentor: Rachel Neff Greenley, PhD
Jessica Dietch, University of North Texas
Dissertation Title: Accuracy of three assessments of sleep timing, duration and efficiency compared to a single-channel EEG device
Mentor: Daniel Taylor, PhD
Kayci L. Vickers, Drexel University
Dissertation Title: The impact of compensatory recommendations on consistency in adherence to behavioral regimens after TBI
Mentor: Maria Schultheis, PhD
Samantha DeDios, Illinois Institute of Technology
Dissertation Title: Cognitive assistive technology use among adults with multiple sclerosis: Application of self-determination theory
Mentor: Eun-Jeong Lee, PhD
2015-2016 Academic Year
Jilian O'Neill is a doctoral student in Medical/Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama. Her dissertation advisor is Division 22 member Laura E. Dreer, Ph.D. Her project involves examining neuropsychological predictors of returning to school among adolescents with concussion.
Cassie Ross is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, San Francisco. Her dissertation advisors are Megan Carlos, PhD, Jenise Wong, MD, and Ron Valle, PhD. Her dissertation involves the neuropsychological assessment and phenomenological investigation of cognitive problems in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes.
Natasha S. DePesa, is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Central Florida University. Her dissertation concerns the assessment of the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an interdisciplinary chronic pain group for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Her dissertation advisor is Dr. Jeffery Cassisi.
2014-2015 Academic Year
Preeti Sunderaraman is a doctoral student at Drexel University. Her dissertation research is focused on financial capacity and neuropsychological performance in acquired brain injury. Her mentor is Division 22 member, Dr. Maria Schultheis.
Victoria Bangieva is a student at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). Her dissertation concerns coping, optimism, and physiological outcomes in cardiac rehabilitation. Her dissertation chair is Dr. Lawrence Perlmuter.
Stephanie Leung, also a student of Dr. Perlmuter and in the clinical psychology program at RFUMS, is conducting a dissertation on intergenerational psychosocial factors and healthcare utilization in cardiac rehabilitation.
2013-2014 Academic Year
Kaitlin Blackstone is from the San Diego State University/University of California San Diego joint doctoral program where her mentors are David Moore, PhD, and Robert Heaton, PhD. Her dissertation will evaluate the efficacy of a brief metacognitive training module for neurocognitive rehabilitation in individuals with executive dysfunction in the context of comorbid methamphetamine dependence and HIV infection.
Michael Williams is a doctoral student at Wayne State University under the mentorship of Lisa Rapport, PhD, and Robin Hanks, PhD. His dissertation research is focused on neuropsychological predictors of engagement in rehabilitation therapy and functional independence in individuals with acquired brain injury.
2012-2013 Academic Year
Abbey J. Hughes is a doctoral student working at Kansas University Medical Center under the direction of Monica Kurylo. Her dissertation is focused on neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neuropsychological markers of multiple sclerosis.
Chelsea Morse is a Drexel University student working under the direction of Maria T. Schultheis, PhD. Her dissertation title is “Using ecologically valid measures of neuropsychological function to predict vocational functioning in persons with multiple sclerosis”.