The University of Tulsa contains the Research Lab for the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. This lab completes psychological and interdisciplinary research on trauma on journalists, traumatic media and the public, and trauma reporting and victims. It consists of clinical psychology researchers from the TACTS lab and may involve industrial-organizational psychology researchers.

How do the Dart Center and clinical psychology fit together?

Journalists are a unique population often exposed to trauma as they cover stories about war, accidents, illness, and other situations. Clinical psychologists and clinical psychology students provide important information about how journalists cope with trauma and how PTSD symptoms can be avoided and reduced in this population. At the University of Tulsa, clinical psychologists work together with industrial-organizational psychologists to better understand, target, and provide information and aid to this occupational group. This aid can take many forms, including tools to help protect journalists, to help journalists sensitively interview victims of trauma, and help journalists thoughtfully portray traumatic events to consumers.

Expertise in trauma and psychology can also help address many of the current problems facing journalists. Dr. Newman was featured in a campaign by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for the Safety of Female Journalists Online.

How can a clinical psychology student benefit from working with Dart?

Dart provides a unique opportunity for clinical students to do pure psychology or interdisciplinary trauma research with respect to traumatic stress theory, methods, and unique journalist samples. All work done by the TACTS Lab is naturally of an interdisciplinary nature as students work at the intersection of media studies, clinical psychology, and industrial-organizational psychology. Dart’s mission includes educating and advocating, and students who work with Dart have the opportunity to produce original research while also creating material designed to educate journalist populations. Students also have the opportunity to serve as advocates for journalists and their sources.

Students working with the Dart Center learn to:
– hone research skills
– critical thinking
– translate psychology science by removing jargon

How can an industrial-organizational psychology student benefit from working with Dart?

The clinical psychology students in Dr. Newman’s lab work with I/O students advised by Dr. Bradley Brummel and Dr. Jen Rangsdale to better understand journalism and trauma. also provides an opportunity for I/O students to do pure psychology or interdisciplinary work with respect to management theory, occupational distress, and training. All work done by the Dart Lab is naturally of an interdisciplinary nature as students work at the intersection of communication, clinical psychology, and industrial-organizational psychology. Dart’s mission includes educating and advocating, and students who work with Dart have the opportunity to produce original research while also creating material designed to educate journalist populations. Students also have the opportunity to serve as advocates for journalists and their sources.

Research in partnership with the Dart Center: dartcenter.org