The Syracuse University Department of Psychology will hold a public forum Monday to address the topic of mental health. 

Organizers of the forum, titled “The Psychology of School Violence: Beyond Newtown” hope to create a discussion on the topics of mental illness, stigmatization, ways to predict and reduce violence, and the importance of positive relationships.

The forum will take place at 7 p.m. in Watson Theater. The event is free and open to the public, and free parking will be provided in Booth Garage. Students are encouraged to attend.

The idea stemmed from a group of SU psychology professors, said Kevin Antshel, an associate professor of psychology at SU and one of the event’s main organizers, in an email.

The idea for the event came about after several faculty members began getting calls from members of the media, parents and teachers asking questions about school violence and what can be done to lessen the risk of violence occurring in Syracuse, Antshel said.

As a response to the vast interest in the subject, Antshel said he and other professors with relevant experience gathered to brainstorm key topics.

“We met several times as a group to plan a discussion that was broad enough to cover the relevant bases, but also specific enough to offer insights beyond what one might read in the newspaper or see online,” he said. 

The goal of the forum is to inform the community and get people to start talking about recent issues, said Len Newman, a social psychologist, associate professor of psychologyat SUand panelist for Monday’s forum.

“This is not an academic conference,” Newman said. “We are purposely gearing our messages toward the public. It should be clear and accessible to everybody.”

Kate Bunch, a sophomore neuroscience and biology major, said she hopes myths will be replaced with scientific discussion.

There is sometimes a stigma involving mental illness because it’s often associated with violence, Bunch said. In order to lessen the risk of violence, Bunch said more resources should be put toward mental health research and treatment.

Tanya Eckert, a school psychologist, associate professor of psychology at SU and panelist, said in an email this forum will be informative for the student body.

“It is a unique and timely opportunity for students to learn more about the topic,” Eckert said. “It is my hope that a number of commonly-held misconceptions associated with school violence will be dispelled.” 

Published on February 10, 2013 at 11:43 pm

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