I joined American Psychological Association as a high school student in my junior year. I am so glad I did because it has been valuable experience for me to be in a community that shares the same passion as me.
APA regularly develops resources specifically to support high school students in their psychology education and in applying psychology to everyday life and school. My free access to APA online content and two main journals, American Psychologist and Monitor on Psychology has broadened my knowledge of psychology on the hottest topics in the field.
It was very exciting for me to attend APA annual convention that was held in Denver, Colorado, August 7-9, 2025. APA 2025 on demand was released in early September, so I was able to review some of talks and posters that I could not attend during the conference. This was very helpful for someone like me who wanted to learn as much as possible from the conference.
After a few days of careful preparation, I wanted to post a few highlights from the meeting that were the most interesting to me.
Firstly, Youth Mental Health was covered on August 7th as one of the main stage headline events. A panel of six psychologists reviewed the current challenges young people, and their families are facing in an increasingly overwhelming world. They reviewed the new research and practical strategies that will empower young people as well as the adults that care about them to build resilience.
Secondly, Artificial intelligence (AI) and technology in Psychology were covered extensively at APA convention this year. The main stage on August 9th was taken by AI topics, including topics such as the use of AI in clinical training, the use of AI in support of the therapeutic alliance, potential liability risks when using AI among mental health professionals. The most relevant and interesting talk to me was about the influence of social media on adolescent and young adult mental health on feature stage.
Thirdly, Addiction, recovery and harm reduction is a topic of my passion. It was also the most covered subject at the meeting. The presidential panel focused on the challenges psychologists are facing, particularly, students and early career professionals. It was fun to learn that there was a poster session dedicated to early career investigators, among which many are addiction psychologists.
Lastly, Autism Spectrum disorder was another highlight at the conference. I came across several posters presenting research investigating new methods and tools for early detection and intervention.
Overall, this was one of the most rewarding activities I did in the summer break. If you are a high school or college student thinking about going into a career in psychology, this is a great opportunity to gain knowledge and connect with a wide range of psychology professionals.
See you there next year!
Inside the Mind 