Janet R. Matthews
Professor
Office: Monroe Hall, Room 431, Box 194
E-mail
Phone: 504-865-3128
Curriculum Vitae
Personal Sketch
Janet R. Matthews joined the Department of Psychology in 1984. (Previously she was a tenured member of the faculty at Creighton University in Omaha, NE). She received her BA degree with honors in sociology from the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida, her MS in clinical psychology from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. She completed her clinical predoctoral internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and did her postdoctoral fellowship in clinical and neuropsychological assessment at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She has held numerous professional offices including serving as chair of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, president of the Southwestern Psychological Association, president of the teaching division of the American Psychological Association, and member of the Board of Directors of both the American Psychological Association and the American Board of Assessment Psychology. She is a licensed and board certified clinical psychologist.
Teaching/Learning
In the department, Dr. Matthews teaches Abnormal Psychology, Studies in the Psychology of Women, Clinical Psychology, Theories of Personality, and Practicum in Applied Psychology. Currently, she is working with students interested in the relationship of spirituality to psychotherapy outcome and women’s issues. She emphasizes the following topics in her teaching.
Application of Psychology to Real Life
Dr. Matthews believes that when students apply the concepts and theories from their classes to real world experiences they are more likely to remember the information. They are also able to see the applicability of their major beyond the content of a specific course. By using such media as film and television programs, students learn to apply the material while maintaining the privacy of their own lives.
Communication Skills
Unless students can communicate to others what they have learned, that information will have minimal applicability to their careers or their life. Both oral and written communication skills require not only knowledge but also the ability to communicate that information in a logical and succinct fashion. Communication is a skill and thus continued practice followed by rapid feedback helps the students to hone these skills. By having assignments that require students to engage in these activities and then giving them rapid critiques of their performance, students are able to improve their communication skills.
Cultural Diversity and Sensitivity
Dr. Matthews believes strongly in the importance of not only knowing academic material about diverse groups but also in appreciation of the value of each of those groups. Through her presentation of both research done in various countries and subcultures within the United States combined with discussion of the variability among various groups, she helps students see the world through a less idiosyncratic lens.
Research interests
Dr. Matthews’ research interests focus on the pedagogy of teaching, women’s issues, and mentoring. She has published 3 books with a 4th due in July, 2007 plus numerous book chapters and journal articles. She recently published in the Journal of Personality Assessment. She has also published numerous book reviews in PsycCritiques, a psychology online journal. She regularly presents at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association.
Publications
Your Practicum in Psychology: A Guide for Maximizing Knowledge and Competence (2006). Publications scheduled for 2007 release include a chapter on the ethics of therapists in The Handbook of 21st Century Psychology and a textbook, Introduction to Clinical Psychology.