- Department of Psychological Science
- University of Arkansas
- Fayetteville, AR 72701
- 479-575-7605
Diversity Research and Enhanced Access for Minorities (DREAM)
Dr. Ana Bridges had the APA Science Directorate's "tweet of the week" / September 2021
Linda Guzman co-wrote a moving recognition of psychology graduate student members of Division 45 who were unable to celebrate their doctoral degree conferments because of COVID-19. / June 2020
Christin Mujica is highlighting Latinx psychologists during National Hispanic Heritage Month. You can also follow her podcast here! / September 2020
The DREAM lab at the University of Arkansas, under the direction of Dr. Ana Bridges, conducts research related to understanding barriers historically excluded, exploited, underrepresented, and minoritized groups and other vulnerable and underserved populations face when trying to access care for mental health problems. Although much of the work done by lab members focuses on Latinx populations, especially immigrants and first generation Latinxs, work with other underserved populations such as incarcerated women or rural residents fits well within the scope of the lab.
The American Psychological Association and National Institutes of Health have noted that health disparities among Latinxs and other minoritized groups contribute to increased rates of morbidity and mortality, cost the US government and taxpayers money not only in paying for expensive services such as emergency room visits for uninsured and underinsured populations but also in the workplace by decreasing workers' productivity. Furthermore, health disparities negatively impact mental health.
Therefore, the DREAM lab focuses on discovering factors that can reduce health disparities by conducting research to understand:
We are fortunate to have established strong relationships with some outstanding community agencies that work hard to reduce barriers to accessing quality care for historically marginalized and underserved residents of Northwest Arkansas. Among these partners are:
Community Clinic, a local Federally Qualified Health Center. Community Clinic has four stand-alone primary medical clinics, seven school-based health clinics, and two dental clinics across the Northwest Arkansas area. A majority of the clinic's patients speak a primary language other than English and most patients are at 200% or below the Federal Poverty Level. In 2009, Community Clinic partnered with Dr. Bridges to bring behavioral health care to their primary care sites. Currently, the Clinical Psychology doctoral program places 1-3 clinical doctoral students at these sites for a year-long clerkship experience. In addition, Dr. Bridges and members of the DREAM lab conduct program evaluation of behavioral health care services and primary patient clinical outcome research at Community Clinic. Dr. Bridges and her students have been developing specific treatment protocols to be used in brief interventions in primary care, including parent management training for externalizing problems in children, behavioral interventions for insomnia, group treatment for emotional awareness and distress tolerance, and active approaches for managing patients with moderate levels of suicidality.
Northwest Arkansas Community Correction Center, a minimum security state residential corrections center for women. NWACCC houses approximately 100 female prisoners, all classed as low level risk. Residents typically stay for 1-2 years. NWACCC provides many vocational and therapeutic programs for residents, including GED and computer classes, work programs in partnership with local employers, yoga, alcohol and substance use treatment groups, and creative writing workships. In 2012, clinical psychology doctoral students, under the supervision of Dr. Bridges, began offering a brief exposure-based group treatment for NWACCC residents who had been victims of sexual abuse or assault. This treatment is called SHARE (Survivors Healing from Abuse: Recovery through Exposure). Dr. Bridges and her colleagues, many of whom are graduates of the UA clinical psychology program, and members of the DREAM lab have conducted research evaluating the effectiveness of SHARE. More recently, efforts have focused on dissemination and implementation of SHARE.
Copyright Dr. Ana Bridges
Updated: September 2021