The Graduate Stricto Sensu Program in Psychology currently has six laboratories, two for each of the research lines already installed. Every year there are more investments in equipment, with research grants funded by CNPq and FAPESP, as well as the number of students in laboratories, enabling the activities of the research lines are developed with more quality. Below is more details on each of the laboratories:
The LabAPE is a research laboratory connected to the graduate program in Psychological Assessment at USF-Itatiba. The program is a pioneer in Brazil in the area of concentration and received a score of 6 (on a scale of 1 to 7) in the evaluation of Higher Education Personnel Improvement Coordination (CAPES). The laboratory was established in 1999 and consolidated in 2001, based on financial support from the State of São Paulo’s Foundation for Research Support (FAPESP), Young Researchers in Emerging Centers Support program. Currently, the lab also receives support from the National Scientific and Technological Development Council (CNPq), the Higher Education Personnel Improvement Coordination (CAPES), and the Ayrton Senna Institute (IAS). LabAPE nucleates various research projects and services related to assessment and measures in psychology and education.
Website: http://www.labape.com.br/labape/
In late 2008, the Statistical Methods Laboratory in Psychology and Education (LabMEPE) was created, under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Claudette Maria Medeiros Vendramini, linked to the research area "Construction, Validation and Standardization of Measuring Instruments", as a result of financial assistance concession from CNPq to the research project "Development and Validation of an Attitude Scale towards Statistics", case no. 481177/2008-6-Claudette M. M. Vendramini. Since then, other funding contributed to the expansion of LabMEPE, with the acquisition of furniture and equipment, as well as the contributions of the research project "Application of Item Response Theory in the evaluation of academic skills", case no. 403826/2003-9-Claudette M. M. Vendramini. With funding from Obeduc/INEP/CAPES, new equipment was purchased at the end of 2014. LabMEPE relies on the participation of graduate professors and undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral students at PPGSS Psychology-USF. The objective of LabMEPE is to assess learning skills and competencies at different levels and in different educational contexts and, through their research, to provide scientific and technical support in statistical methods applied to Psychological Assessment and Education for the academic community of USF and beyond.
LAPSaM has been active since 1999, bringing together professors of Psychological Assessment in Mental Health contexts, and developing research aimed at seeking validity evidence for psychological assessment instruments in the context of health and mental health. Projects developed in the lab have received support from FAPESP, CAPES and CNPq through IC, master’s, doctoral, and Research Productivity grants, in addition to funding related to specific research. Some projects in progress:
• Studies focusing on projective techniques, especially Rorschach, Pfister and Zulliger;
• Therapeutic Evaluation and consequential validity of the instruments;
• Correlational study between quality of life and social support for cancer patients;
• Assessment of cognitive functions and symptoms of depression in patients with brain injury;
• Family Support Assessment in the elderly.
• Development of mood evaluation scales for different age groups.
• Construction and adaptation of psychopathy traits assessment instruments.
The Educational Psychology Laboratory (LAPE) is connected to the Educational Psychology Assessment research track. The lab groups studies evaluating cognitive and affective constructs in educational contexts related to learning, development, education and career development. Professors participating in this area are Ana Paula Porto Noronha and Rodolfo A. M. Ambiel. Laboratory projects include:
• Reading and writing assessment, perceptual-motor maturity and intelligence of children and adolescents;
• Vocational guidance and career development of young people and adults;
• Evaluation of positive psychology.
The Psychological Assessment of Work Laboratory is linked to the research area Psychological Assessment at Work, and the lab develops studies in the fields of organizational and work psychology, focusing on the construction and study of psychometric measurement instruments for different constructs, such as organizational climate, quality of work life, occupational health, and bullying, among others.