Keynote Speakers
Keynote Speakers
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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – A Psychometrics Story
Professor Frank Doyle
Abstract
Psychometric assessment is an integral part of social and clinical sciences, with multiple sophisticated statistical techniques developed to evaluate psychometric scales, including factor analysis, item response theory and network analysis. This talk will use Dima’s (2018) six-step protocol for psychometric evaluation as a framework to tell a (non-technical) story about the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, drawing on findings from our own and others’ work, and how a discussion about this framework ultimately led to the fundamental question: Does applying advanced psychometric techniques actually matter? I will then reveal the findings of an Irish Research Council COALESCE Award which supported a mixed methods evaluation into this question, using secondary data from antidepressant trials and interviews with key stakeholders, before outlining key recommendations for (health) psychologists.
Psychology, Ageing, Frailty and the Immune System – can Physical Activity help?
Professor Anna Whittaker
Abstract
The past few decades of psychoneuroimmunology research have shown increasingly complex associations between psychosocial factors, such as stress and social support, and physical health via effects on the immune system. Ageing can accelerate some of these impacts, acting as a type of stressor to the immune system while, conversely, stress can also accelerate some of the immunological and physiological declines associated with ageing. This keynote presentation will present and discuss research evidence for these mechanisms then pose the question of whether Physical Activity as an intervention can have beneficial effects on the ageing person through impacts on both psychosocial and immune outcomes. Recent evidence, particularly in frail older adults, will be discussed to illustrate that it is never too late to see benefits from increased physical activity.