CHASE Lab at SBM 2024

The Society of Behavioral Medicine is our primary professional network and its annual meeting and scientific sessions is a highlight of each year. (If you’re not familiar, learn all about SBM and the field of behavioral medicine in this video series! Trainees welcome!)

It was wonderful to see everyone in Philadelphia March 13th-16th! Here is a full list of our presentations and events at the conference. See below for our team’s reflections on this experience.

@RowanCHASELab @DrDaniArigo		drarigo.wordpress. com
Title	Authors	Type/Location	Date / Time
SBM New Member and First-Time Attendee Meet and Greet	Arigo, D. (Host)	Salon D	Wednesday, March 13, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
Physical Activity Research Participation Effects: A 2-Part Experimental Study to Isolate the Role of Researcher Observation	Pasko, K., Baga, K., Harsora, R., Gular, S., Edwards, K., König, L., & Arigo, D.	Poster Session A, Poster Number: A154	Wednesday, March 13, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
Associations between Social Media Use, Mindfulness, and Social Comparison Orientation among College Students	Gular, S., Danielle. P., Harsora. R., Salvatore G.M., Fizur, P., & Arigo, D.	Poster Session B, Poster Number: B175	Thursday, March 14, 11:00 AM-11:50 AM
Theories and Techniques of Behavior Change Interventions SIG Mid-Career Award, for “an impressive trajectory of publication, funding, and research with real-world impacts” in this area	Arigo, D. (Recipient)	Franklin C	Thursday, March 14, 3:00 AM-3:50 PM
Meet the SBM Councils	Arigo, D. (Board of Directors Member as Outgoing Chair of the Membership Council)	Room 401	Thursday, March 14, 3:00 AM-3:50 PM
Tracy Orleans Distinguished Service Award, “in recognition of dedication and vast contributions to SBM as a member of the Board of Directors”	Arigo, D. (Recipient)	Presidential Keynote and Awards Ceremony, Salon G-H	Thursday, March 14, 4:00 PM-4:50 PM
Interaction Effects of Amotivation for Physical Activity and Fitness Social Media Exposure on Physical Activity Intentions	Berteletti, J., Arigo, D., & Nuss, K.	Poster Session B, Poster Number: B148	Thursday, March 14, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
Personalized, Adaptive, Physical Activity-Based Social Comparisons: A Real-Time Test of the Identification/Contrast Model	Arigo, D., Lapitan, E. (presenter), Bercovitz, I., Satish, A., & Lobo, A.F.	Poster Session C, Poster Number: C55	Thursday March 14, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
Perceived impact of the menstrual cycle on the exercise experience: Qualitative analysis among menstruating women	Salvatore, G.M., Hutchinson, J., & Arigo, D.	Poster Session C, Poster Number: C198	Thursday, March 14, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
Cardiovascular Disease SIG Founders Award, “granted in recognition of dedication to advancing research in cardiovascular behavioral medicine and reducing the public health burden of CVD through research, mentorship, leadership, and/or service”	Arigo, D. (Recipient)	Salon I-J	Friday, March 15, 8:00 AM-8:50 AM
Understanding multilevel social and environmental influences on health behavior using mHealth/ technology-based approaches	Rehorst, C. (chair), Liao, Y., Maher, J.P., & Arigo, D. (discussant)	Symposium 20, Salon K-L	Friday, March 15, 9:00 AM-9:50 AM
Physical Activity Measurement Reactivity in an At-Risk Group: Coordinated Analysis across Two Studies	Baga, K., DeMeo, N.N., Mogle, J.A., & Arigo, D.	Live Research Spotlight (flash talk), Franklin 3	Friday, March 15th, 11:00 PM-11:50 PM
Pain Variability Over 10 Years among Midlife and Older Adults	Bercovitz, I., DeMeo, N., Travers, L., Gular, S., & Arigo, D.	Poster Session D; Poster Number: D2	Friday March 15, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
User-Centered Design of a Web App for Naloxone Use among Supporters of Adults with Opioid Prescriptions: A Mixed Methods Study	Bercovitz, I., Baga, K., Travers, L., Rivera, A., Harsora, R. (presenter), Lobo, A.F., Ainsworth, C., Zhou, J., Jermyn, R., & Arigo, D.	Poster Session D, Poster Number: D86	Friday March 15, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
Associations Between Exposure to Fitspiration, Body Positive, & Body Neutral Social Media and Physical Activity Engagement	Berteletti, J., Arigo, D., & Nuss, K.	Poster Session D, Poster Number: D148	Friday, March 15, 5:00 PM-5:50 PM
Ecological Momentary Assessment of Sleep Quality, Stress, and Pain Experiences among Women in Midlife with Risk for CVD. In Gaffey, A.E. (chair), Sleep Health: An Essential Component of Cardiovascular Disease Risk	Arigo, D., Salvatore, G.M. (presenter), Bercovitz, I., & Gular, S.	Symposium 28, Room 411-412	Saturday, March 16, 9:00 AM-9:50 AM
Subjective Memory Problems, Individual Characteristics, and Social Comparison Tendencies among Midlife and Older Adults	Jackson, D.A., Jeong, M., Salvatore, G.M., Arigo, D., & Mogle, J.	Poster Session E, Poster Number: E4	Saturday, March 16, 11:00 AM-11:50 AM
Understanding the selection of external support partners in a behavioral weight loss program	Crane, N. T., Miller, N. A., Arigo, D., & Butryn, M. L.	Poster Session E, Poster Number: E124	Saturday, March 16, 11:00 AM-11:50 AM

Dr. Gabrielle Salvatore, Postdoctoral Research Fellow: “In addition to presenting a poster (as I have in the past), this year I had the exciting opportunity to give my first oral presentation at a national conference. The presentation was part of a larger symposium hosted by the SBM Cardiovascular Disease and Sleep Special Interest Groups (SIGs). I enjoyed presenting the results of secondary analyses from an ecological momentary assessment study, which I led with support from Dr. Arigo, Iris, and Sofia, as well as meeting the other presenters and learning about their areas of expertise. I also attended networking events and SIG business meetings, where I learned more about what service to this organization entails, as well as what relevant programming and opportunities align with my career goals. I look forward to getting more involved as a trainee member!”

Emmanuel Lapitan, First-Year Clinical Ph.D. Student: “I enjoyed my first time attending SBM and its various multidisciplinary sessions. It was very exciting to hear about the innovative research occurring in the behavioral medicine field. It was also a great pleasure to present my poster to the scientific community, support my lab mates during their presentations, spend time getting to know them as colleagues and friends. I also got to catch up with former colleagues and mentors from my old lab before Rowan.”

Kristen Pasko, Sixth-Year Clinical Ph.D. Student (on clinical internship at Geisinger Medical Center): “I was thrilled to return to SBM, particularly as I am wrapping up my internship year and finishing my doctoral program. In addition to presenting updated findings on a measurement reactivity project I was involved in with the lab across several years, I was also able to return with a new perspective after working full time across multiple specialty areas of behavioral medicine (I.e., primary care, weight and eating, cancer care, chronic pain). With the innovative, interdisciplinary focus across research presentations this year, I felt inspired to further explore my budding interests intersecting eating pathology and chronic pain. Additionally, I was immensely grateful to spend one final SBM as a doctoral student with the CHASE Lab.”

Raj Harsora, Postbacc Research Assistant: “As a first-time attendee to SBM this year, I found it really interesting to see the breadth and depth of research the field of behavioral medicine has to offer. Exploring the diverse set of topics shown in the conference exposed me to the complexities and the reach that behavioral medicine has on different communities. I also had the opportunity to present a poster about barriers to naloxone carrying and administration among primary supporters of adults who have opioid prescriptions. I found the experience very rewarding and enjoyable, as I got to have some very interesting conversations with different people in the field! I look forward to attending SBM again in the future and learning how I can be more involved in the goals of the organization in the coming years.”

Kiri Baga, Third-Year Clinical Ph.D. Student: “This year I had the opportunity to give a ‘flash talk’ about one of the major research projects in our lab. It was really exciting to share initial findings from our study on physical activity measurement reactivity and discuss the results with our collaborators at the conference. I also enjoyed spending time with our team, which has grown so much this past year. It was fun to catch up with everyone in person and celebrate our accomplishments as a group.”

Iris Bercovitz, Second-Year Clinical Ph.D. Student: “I had the wonderful experience of presenting a poster at SBM for the second time. I enjoyed sharing information about pain experiences among midlife and older adults as well as learning from experts in the field. I especially enjoyed the keynotes which highlighted the need for greater collaboration between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ sciences. I look forward to attending SBM again in the future.”

Sofia Gular, Postbacc Lab Manager/Research Coordinator: “This was my first time attending SBM and presenting a poster at a national conference. Overall, I enjoyed the multidisciplinary nature of the conference and the opportunity to see the interaction of many different areas of research, such as physical activity, digital health, mental health, etc. I particularly enjoyed learning about the topic of health equity and how it’s addressed in many areas of research, and this has shaped the way I think about what it means to become a researcher. I am looking forward to attending next year and continuing to learn in order to make meaningful contributions to behavioral medicine.”

Daija Jackson, Psy.D. Research Assistant (on clinical internship at the Brooke Army Medical Center): “This was my first time attending SBM, and definitely won’t be my last! I was able to present a research poster highlighting one of my specific research and clinical interests (subjective cognitive complaints), and I was able to attend many symposia and panel discussions on research that is pushing behavioral medicine forward for many patient populations. It was also exciting to see a large military presence at this conference and hear about the amazing work my Department of Defense colleagues are doing to improve clinical care and outcomes for our service members and veterans. SBM provided a very inviting and inspirational environment to me as a new member and soon-to-be early career psychologist, and I look forward to being more involved with the organization in the future.”

Dr. Dani Arigo, CHASE Lab Director: “I’ve been a member of SBM and an attendee at the conference for about 15 years now, and I just finished my three-year term as a member of the Board of Directors. As great as all of these years have been, this year’s conference was really special. This is the largest group we’ve had representing the lab (9 team members attended), with presentations across as many projects. It was incredible to see the scope of the work we’re doing and its potential impact – both on the field and on team members’ professional development. I’m also grateful that our research received recognition from both the Cardiovascular Disease SIG and the Theories and Techniques of Behavior Change Interventions SIG, and that my service was recognized by SBM’s Board. I could not be more proud of what we’ve accomplished and I’m so glad we got to celebrate together at the conference.”

#HealthyFinalsWeek Fall 2023: Tips for Making it a Good Week

Finals week is stressful, and it may seem like there is no way to avoid collapsing at the end. But behavioral science is here to help! Below are some evidence-based tips from Rowan CHASE Lab to help you stay healthy, manage stress, and finish the semester strong. Updated for Fall 2023 🙂

DO these things:

• Make a plan for the weeks leading up to exams so that you can prioritize studying effectively and break down tasks into smaller, more manageable parts. Take into consideration that some finals will be earlier in the week than others, and some will require you to devote more time.
• Go over previous tests, quizzes, etc. Chances are the questions on the final will be similar to those that showed up during the semester. Also, doing this can help identify your areas that need improvement.
• Test what you know and recall what you have learned. During study sessions, test yourself to make sure you understand the material. consider real-world examples and how to apply concepts in new situations. This will be more useful than attempting to memorize all of the course material, and you’re more likely to remember it long after the class is over.
• Form a study group. Meet up with your classmates and study material together. You can help each other stay accountable, quiz each other, and figure out difficult concepts together.
• Space out repetition. Spaced repetition could be super helpful in hammering down those details and specific points that may show up during finals. Research has shown that spacing out content and occasionally reviewing it is better than cramming!
• Pomodoro study method. Break up your study time into smaller 25-minute intervals, with 5 minutes of break time in between. Then, take a longer break after 4 work sessions. Modify the intervals so it works for you! This method can help increase productivity and limit procrastination.
• Take advantage of study rooms. There are some located in almost every building on campus, including student housing. They are a great place to get studying or work done in a quiet environment.
• Use online resources. Take advantage of online study resources, educational videos, and forums related to your coursework. Sometimes different perspectives can help clarify challenging concepts. Productivity apps are another useful tool for studying. 
• Create your own study guides. Research shows that generating your own study guide instead of using your professors’ allows you to engage with the material more effectively.
• Take breaks. Studying or writing papers for hours straight only increases your stress and reduces your productivity. Take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour in between to relax and breathe. This could also be a good time to get ahead on packing for break!
• Stay hydrated. This will reduce discomfort and distraction. One of our team members goes without coffee for the whole week! He swears that he feels just as energized with water.
• Get extra sleep. Research shows that memories are consolidated and integrated during sleep, and fewer hours lead to worse academic performance. If needed, also consider short power naps during breaks to refresh your mind. Keep them around 20 minutes to avoid entering deep sleep and feeling groggy.
• Plan healthy meals and snacks ahead of time. Stock your room/apartment/house with healthy food, bring meals and snacks (like nuts, fruits, or granola bars) with you when you study, or have a plan for where to access healthy options near your study location.
• Practice self-care and mindfulness. In your free time between finals or assignments, take a hot bath, watch a movie, or partake in your favorite hobby. Take off from work if you can! Incorporate mindfulness or meditation into your routine to help manage stress. Apps like Headspace or Calm can guide you through short sessions.
• Plan a way to reward yourself for your hard work. An evening of video chatting with friends, ordering a big item you’ve been waiting to splurge on, dive into that new show you’ve been waiting to watch (but AFTER you finish your work)!

DON’T do these things:

• Delay asking questions about the final – they’re not likely to be able to get back to you in time. Ask earlier so you have plenty of time to prepare!
• Forget about professors’ office hours. Make a list of questions for review, and set up a meeting with your professor.
• Procrastinate excessively. Waiting until the last minute to complete assignments can lead to increased stress, sleep deprivation, and reduced productivity. Planning and creating timelines can help to prevent procrastination. 
• Leave studying for the night before a final. You’ll perform better if you review a little bit each day for a few days before. 
• Leave take-home finals until the last minute. If one or more of your finals are take-home or online, don’t leave them until the day they’re due. Try to get them done before their deadline so you don’t have to rush yourself to finish.
• Neglect self-care or sleep. Don’t neglect your well-being. Take breaks, practice self-care, and listen to your body’s signals for rest and relaxation. And although it may seem easier to stay up all night studying, sleeping is essential for cognitive function, memory, and overall health. You’ll do better with a good night’s sleep.
• Skip physical activity. Exercise not only helps to relieve stress, but it also can help improve concentration. Avoid sitting for long periods by incorporating short bursts of physical activity (or even just stretching) throughout your studying. 
• Ignore signs of stress and burnout. If you encounter any common signs of stress such as headaches, fatigue, or irritability, do not ignore them – this can negatively impact your overall health. Plan a break that allows you to recover.
• Neglect your personal hygiene. Taking care of yourself is just as important as acing your exams! And you’ll feel much better if you keep up with your regular routine.
• Binge without breaks. Taking short breaks during study sessions is essential for improving focus and preventing burnout. Avoid the temptation to power through without breaks, as it can lead to diminishing returns in terms of productivity.
• Consume too much caffeine. While moderate amounts of caffeine can be safe, excessive amounts can lead to increased anxiety, jitteriness, and disrupted sleep. Consider switching to decaffeinated options later in the day. 
• Isolate yourself. It’s very important to focus on your studies, but being completely isolated can lead to feelings of loneliness and increased stress. Take short breaks to socialize with friends or family.  
• Plan on studying during breaks between exams. Something always comes up, and you may simply be too exhausted to study during short breaks.
• Study in your bed. It is WAY too tempting to lie down, which makes it easy to fall asleep and lose valuable study time. Make your bed and study sitting up (if you have to study in bed) to limit the temptation. (This will also make it easier to fall asleep in bed at night.)
• Be late to your finals. Missing part or all of your final will cause you more stress than you need. Try to get to your class early so you have enough time to prepare and get your final done.
• Drink alcohol the night before a final. Enough said. 

Best wishes for a great week!

Reflection: Rowan CHASE Lab Hosts International Scholars (Part 2)

This spring, we were incredibly fortunate to host two international scholars who visited our group at Rowan University. Both are long-term collaborators with our team and attended our lab and/or project meetings during their stays. We got to share progress on these collaborative efforts, make additional progress during working meetings, and plan for next steps on multiple fronts. Read on for more about these scholars and team members’ experiences of their visits! (See here for a post on our first visitor, Dr. Jacqueline Mogle.)

Dr. Laura König (The University of Bayreuth; Kulmbach, Germany)

Dr. König is Junior Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. She earned her Ph.D. in Health Psychology from the University of Konstanz, Germany. Before joining the University of Bayreuth in 2020, she was postdoctoral fellow at the University of Cambridge, U.K. Her research interests include psychological determinants of health behaviors including eating and physical activity, the design of health behavior interventions including digital and choice architecture interventions, research participation effects, and effective science communication. Her work has been funded by the German Research Foundation and the Bavarian Ministry of Health and Care and she is the recipient of the 2022 Early Career Award from the European Health Psychology Society.

Dr. König gave a Dean’s Distinguished Speaker lecture for the College of Science and Mathematics at Rowan on April 11, 2023: Using Mobile Technology to Understand and Improve Eating Behaviors. Watch her talk here.

CHASE Lab Members Reflect on Dr. König’s Talk (and Visit)

This international collaboration started on Twitter! The Humboldt Centre for International Excellence at Dr. König’s institution offers short- and long-term fellowships to bring researchers to Germany, to facilitate collaborative research projects and workshops. She advertised this opportunity on Twitter in 2020 – during the initial height of the COVID-19 pandemic – and I contacted her to express my interest. We discussed our shared interests in digital health tools and potential measurement reactivity; our proposal to examine measurement reactivity effects in studies that measure physical activity behavior with digital tools was selected for funding, and I spent three weeks in Germany in 2021. This time in residence led to two published papers (see here and here), an NIH grant proposal (which was funded), the design of a new study (currently in data collection), and reciprocal mentoring of Ph.D. students. While she was with us in New Jersey, we made progress on three projects about physical activity measurement reactivity, including our funded NIH grant (description here). We also got to spend time in Philadelphia, at the Jersey shore, and at our research space in Camden. It’s been a wonderful, supportive partnership and I’m so glad Dr. König was able to visit us at Rowan. 

— Dr. Dani Arigo, CHASE Lab Director

Dr. König’s work is very relevant to what we do in the CHASE Lab, including both our research and clinical work. I was struck by the number of people who begin using dietary tracking tools but do not continue long term, and am so glad that we have scientists focusing on developing more accurate and sustainable methods of tracking using smartphones. Accurate measurement of these behaviors is so important to support scientific research, in terms of quantifying dietary intake, and to help individuals meet their health goals in daily life. 

— Kiri Baga, 2nd year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D.  program 

I enjoyed the discussion and visualization of the vast differences in eating behavior and dietary options between the United States and other countries, especially from the perspective of a professional from Germany. 

— Kristen Edwards, post-baccalaureate research assistant

Dr. König’s talk inspired a variety of questions. For example, she discussed the multiple assessment options for dietary intake and their respective strengths and limitations. Given that I have been working in an eating-focused clinic providing behavioral weight loss treatment this year, I couldn’t help but think about this in the context of helping patients to track their intake for weight loss or quality of life improvements. It has been my experience thus far that tracking diet to the fullest and most accurate extent is important for weight and health outcomes, but often becomes unsustainable long term; this may lead to weight regain or return to previous eating behaviors. However, this talk also reminded me that ultimately, we still have much to learn about optimal methods for certain populations and under certain circumstances. Whatever the method chosen, it is important to balance accuracy with burden to find something sustainable. I thoroughly enjoyed welcoming Dr. König to our CHASE Lab meetings, and in particular, collaborating with her on a project about perceptions of physical activity self-monitoring. It was really refreshing to hear her perspectives on our recent poster presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine Conference at the end of April as well as her ideas for upcoming manuscripts!

— Kristen Pasko, 5th year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program and CHASE lab manager

I found it interesting that current technology is not able to accurately identify different types of food and dishes as well as portion amount. 

— Iris Bercovitz, 1st year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program 

It was wonderful to hear how far technology has come in supporting and analyzing eating behaviors, but surprising in how much further it still has to go (e.g., apps using a camera feature mixing up two different foods based on texture/color, not being able to estimate portion). It’s an exciting field and interesting how American and German portions, nutrition information, and food options may vary, yet technology presents an opportunity for research methods to span both cultures. And I won a Rowan College of Science and Math shirt! (Photo above.)

— Laura Travers, 4th year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D.  program

I found it interesting that AI was being used to detect the types of food people were eating, however it was inaccurate at times and the researchers had to detect the food themselves. I wonder if one day AI will be used for further dietary research. 

— Danielle Parthesius, undergraduate research assistant 

I loved the way the talk was presented through details, colors, visuals of how technology has further advanced to where cultural differences in food options and nutrition information can be bridged through technology. Hearing about the variations in eating habits and dietary alternatives between the United States and Germany was really interesting to hear from Dr. König. 

— Ria Singh, undergraduate research assistant 

I enjoyed her use of visuals, diagrams and pictures and how she tied it into the idea of bridging the gap between different cultures and the “digital divide.” It was interesting to also get a different perspective from someone who has done her research in Germany, but has also collaborated with those in the United States.

–– Julia Lowman, undergraduate research assistant

As a coach-interventionist on a behavioral weight loss intervention, Dr. König’s talk was particularly salient. I have been reflecting on participant experiences using digital technology for daily food recording and believe that some of the methods Dr. König discussed (e.g., taking a picture of a plate of food, focusing on the composition of the plate vs. calories) could be great strategies for those who want to make lifestyle changes but find daily dietary tracking to be burdensome. I also learned about the “digital divide” and hope to investigate this more in the future.

— Dr. Gabrielle Salvatore, Postdoctoral Research Fellow

CHASE Lab with Dr. Laura König at her talk on 4/11.

We’ve been fortunate to host two outstanding scholars this semester, and we hope to continue this trend (and have Drs. König and Mogle back very soon). As always, stay tuned for the next steps in our collaborative research with them, including published papers and a presentation at the annual meeting of the European Health Psychology Society (September 2023).

Reflection: Rowan CHASE Lab Hosts International Scholars (Part 1)

This spring, we were incredibly fortunate to host two international scholars who visited our group at Rowan University. Both are long-term collaborators with our team and attended our lab and/or project meetings during their stays. We got to share progress on these collaborative efforts, make additional progress during working meetings, and plan for next steps on multiple fronts. Read on for more about these scholars and team members’ experiences of their visits! 

First, Dr. Jacqueline Mogle (Clemson University, SC; USA)

Dr. Mogle is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Clemson University. She received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Syracuse University and worked as an Assistant Research Professor at Penn State University, where she supported a variety of NIH funded projects focused on assessment of daily processes (including stress, cognitive functioning, and health). Dr. Mogle is an expert in the use of momentary assessment approaches, where individuals complete multiple surveys each day for several days to help us understand their real-world experiences of health and well-being. Using sophisticated statistical models, she has examined how daily stress processes relate to longer-term physiological and psychological health conditions. More recently she has focused on the assessment of daily cognitive problems as an early indicator of cognitive decline that is consistent with non-normative, age-related cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Her measures of the daily experience of memory and attentional lapses are now incorporated into a dozen intensive assessments studies of cognitive aging, to determine their predictive utility for detecting early signs of cognitive decline before impairments impact independent living. Her work was recently featured by the National Institute on Aging and the Methods Matter dementia podcast. 

CHASE Lab Members Reflect on Dr. Mogle’s Talk (and Visit More Broadly)

Dr. Mogle gave a wonderful presentation! One thing that stuck with me is how quickly the assessment technology changed during the course of studies (e.g., starting with Palm Pilots and moving to text messages), and how that advancement continues to shed light on the nuances of individual experiences. 

— Laura Travers, 4th year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D.  program

I really enjoyed learning about the application of ecological momentary assessment (probing participants about their experiences in real time during daily life) for cognitive performance and  decline. This is a method we use in the CHASE lab to understand health and social experiences, but it can be exciting to learn about a variety of applications across research topics. Further, this talk spurred questions about the use of technology to support cognitive functioning. I was curious about how social media and technology use may turn into over-reliance on external methods of maintaining cognitive functioning, but Dr. Mogle framed technology use for this purpose as mostly positive and adaptive. 

— Kristen Pasko, 5th year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology PhD  program and lab manager

It was great to learn about the importance of subjective cognitive experiences for detecting clinical outcomes: asking about subjective experiences may help us intervene earlier (rather than relying on cognitive testing to tell us about someone’s functioning) 

— Kiri Baga, 2nd year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program

Something I found interesting was the differences between self-reported perceived cognitive decline versus results from standard cognitive questions. This made me curious about future implications for research about confounding variables in perceived cognitive decline. 

— Kristen Edwards, post-baccalaureate research assistant 

I was very interested in the finding that improvement in cognitive functioning lasted three days after a positive social experience that resulted in positive affect. This finding underlines the importance and lasting impact of social interactions for older adults. 

— Iris Bercovitz, 1st year student in Rowan University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program 

I was intrigued by the thought that ambulatory tests may provide valuable insights into memory lapses. Lapses can occur in as many as 20-40% of days, depending on the sample. This is a significant finding because it shows us that ambulatory examinations can differentiate individuals who may be suffering cognitive issues, and times when they experience difficulties. (And I won a Rowan College of Science and Math hat! –> )

— Ria Singh, undergraduate research assistant 

Something I found interesting was the focus on social support surrounding yourself with people in life (trying not to isolate). I did not realize the importance that had on people with cognitive decline. I used to think only medical intervention would help – it’s great to know that there are additional options. 

— Julia Lowman, undergraduate research assistant

It was interesting to find out that Aducanumab, the medication that was previously thought to help dementia, was actually not effective at all. It makes me wonder what other medications we use will turn out to be ineffective in the long-run. 

— Danielle Parthesius, undergraduate research assistant 

Dr. Mogle was a wonderful presenter and it was very invigorating to listen to someone share the work they are passionate about. I paid particular attention to the methodology she was discussing, as ecological momentary assessment methods are often used in the CHASE Lab. I am particularly interested in affective valence, and learned that positive or pleasant experiences, as well as doing something you find to be enjoyable, are ways to improve or maintain cognitive functioning. 

— Dr. Gabrielle Salvatore, Postdoctoral Research Fellow

The CHASE Lab with Dr. Mogle after her lecture (3/21)

Dr. Mogle and I have worked together for years, and having her visit was such a boost (for me individually and for the CHASE Lab). She’s an incredibly accomplished scholar who enjoys her work, and her energy is inspiring. In addition to her lecture (which was very well received), we were able to make progress on two distinct lines of work while she was here: our funded measurement reactivity project and a side project that combines both of our primary interests. Since her visit, we have continued to make progress on both, and we look forward to sharing the results with you.

— Dr. Dani Arigo, CHASE Lab Director

Stay tuned for the details of our second visit, from Dr. Laura König!

Rowan CHASE Lab at #SBM2023

Spring 2023 was a long and productive semester, and we’re still reflecting! At the end of April, CHASE lab attended the Society of Behavioral Medicine conference in Phoenix, Arizona to present our work. Over the course of the week, our team presented findings across a variety of topics, including: digital intervention tools to promote women’s health and midlife health, social media use among adults with chronic illness, effects of psychosocial and physical processes on physical activity, and associations between social processes and sleep disturbance. Our work was also recognized by the Women’s Health Special Interest Group and we hosted events on behalf of the Membership Council.

See the graphic below for the full list of our events, and here for copies of our posters. And scroll down to read our firsthand accounts.

So, How Was It?

Iris Bercovitz, 5th-year student in Rowan’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program: I had an amazing time at my first SBM conference. It was an exciting experience to hear from so many different behavioral medicine disciplines, from clinical psychologists to pediatricians. I was impressed by the keynote speakers and their focus on health equity. I also greatly enjoyed my poster session where I was able to meet many interesting researchers from across the world. I’m already looking forward to the SBM conference next year! 

Dr. Gabrielle Salvatore, Postdoctoral Research Fellow: As a first-time SBM attendee, I was impressed by the incredible energy of other attendees/presenters and the wide range of behavioral medicine disciplines represented in conference programming. I attended talks that were aligned with my research interests of physical activity and women’s health, was able to network with other SBM members who have overlapping interests, and had wonderful conversations about the future directions of my research line with professionals in the field. I really enjoyed presenting my work during two poster sessions, and had the opportunity to accept an outstanding abstract award from the Women’s Health Special Interest Group (SIG). I look forward to harnessing the connections that I have made and getting more involved with SBM in the future!

Laura Travers, 5th-year student in Rowan’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program: The conference was wonderful! Not only did I have the opportunity to present a research poster, but being able to attend different panels and hear from multiple keynote speakers was fascinating. It was also exciting to hear from so many other researchers who were passionate about their own topics and findings. I’m looking forward to reviewing all of the notes I took throughout the conference and how some new information helps shape my current projects.  

Kristen Pasko, 5th-year student in Rowan’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program and CHASE Lab Manager: As always, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the annual SBM conference. I found myself gravitating toward presentations about weight and eating this year, which is unsurprising given my practicum experience for the past year in a weight and eating clinic. One of the presentations that stuck with me the most was a symposium on addressing weight stigma in healthcare and opportunities for intervention. The question and answer portion provoked an interesting topic that has been on my mind frequently this year: whether or not there is and should be a paradigm shift in behavioral weight loss treatment to de-center the focus on weight (vs. other quality of life improvements, and including body neutrality/acceptance). Similar to my personal sentiments, one takeaway was that although potentially initially conflicting to research participants or patients, we can hold both that “I accept my body” and “I have motivation to engage in lifestyle behavior change in line with my health goals and values.” I also had a wonderful time presenting a poster on reactivity to researcher observation in physical research. I already have many new research questions after discussing the poster with many conference attendees! 

Kiri Baga, 2nd-year Ph.D. student in Rowan’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program: SBM was a very fun, motivating, and energizing experience this year! It was extremely helpful for both my research and clinical work to learn about the latest science in behavior change and digital health. The speakers and posters were thought-provoking, and I’m excited to have a new list of interesting topics and research questions to focus on. I particularly enjoyed presenting a poster and getting comments/feedback from other attendees interested in similar topics! 

Dr. Dani Arigo, CHASE Lab Director: SBM was a very different experience for me this year. As Chair of the Membership Council and a member of the Board of Directors, my primary role was representing SBM and its leadership group to our members, donors, first-time conference attendees, and attendees from underrepresented backgrounds. I attended and/or chaired many meetings and special events throughout the conference; I also led social media efforts for the Behavioral Informatics and Technology Special Interest Group (BIT SIG) and supported our group during their presentations and awards. All of this left much less time for absorbing the latest science than usual! Though it was truly fun and engaging, and it challenged me in new ways. It’s a lot of work to serve in these roles but it’s a privilege to have these opportunities as I transition to a new stage of my career. And I did make it to a few sessions, including a symposium where I presented on our latest findings from Project WHADE. Luckily I was prepared for anything, because I was last out of 4 presenters and I ended up with about 3 minutes to give a 10-minute talk! (Pro tip: if you’re presenting at a conference, be considerate of your colleagues and make sure you don’t exceed your time allowance.) This was yet another new challenge – and honestly, kind-of exciting in the moment – and the audience was great about it. I look forward to welcoming the SBM annual conference to Philadelphia in 2024.

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Our Latest Paper: The Roles of Social Comparison Orientation and Regulatory Focus in College Students’ Responses to Fitspiration Posts on Social Media

Our most recent paper can be found in a 2021 special theme issue of JMIR Mental Health: Voices in Adolescent Technology Use and Mental Wellness. As described in some of our previous posts (see here for a general overview and here for a previous study), #fitspiration is a trend on social media that displays images of healthy food or people appearing to exercise, in an effort to inspire healthy behaviors. Past research has suggested that fitspiration may have positive and negative consequences for wellbeing, including body image and engagement in healthy behaviors. But whether certain individuals may be more likely to experience positive versus negative consequences has been unclear – particularly among college students, who often rely on social media for health information. 

Understanding individual differences in responses to these posts could be useful for informing college student wellness promotion on social media. For this reason, we wanted to understand whether two characteristics are related to responses to fitspiration posts: 

• Regulatory focus: the tendency to either avoid failure (prevention focus) or approach desired outcomes (promotion focus)
• Social comparison orientation: the tendency to make comparisons with others (of appearance, intelligence, etc.) and value the resulting information

What Did We Do?

We collected online survey responses from 344 college students, about their social media use, their exposure to fitspiration posts, their perceived emotional responses to those posts, and their motivation to be physically active after viewing posts. They also completed established measures of regulatory focus and social comparison orientation. We looked for associations between fitspiration-related experiences, and in particular, whether these associations depended on scores for regulatory focus or social comparison orientation.

What Did We Find?

Students reported viewing fitspiration posts frequently, and indicated that they experience negative feelings about themselves more commonly than positive feelings after viewing these posts. However, the students who reported more negative feelings about themselves after viewing fitspiration also reported greater motivation to be physically active after viewing.

The association between how students felt about themselves after viewing fitspiration posts and their motivation to be physically active did not differ based on their regulatory focus or social comparison orientation. But the association between how frequently students looked for fitspiration posts and their motivation to be physically active did differ based on their social comparison orientation. Students who searched for fitspiration posts more frequently experienced greater motivation to be physically active than those who searched less frequently, and this association was strongest for students with low social comparison orientation.

What Does This Mean?

Regulatory focus and social comparison orientation may not be primary influences on how college students respond to fitspiration posts on social media, but they may still play a role in the effects of this trend. It is possible that students who frequently seek out fitspiration posts experience some motivation to be physically active, but that those who care least about how they are doing compared to others (low social comparison orientation) are most likely to be motivated.  

Negative feelings about the self after fitspiration may be most motivating for physical activity for those with low social comparison orientation. This could be because these students feel less threatened by comparisons with the people featured in fitspiration posts than students with high social comparison orientation, and may see the posts as representing achievable outcomes for them (leading to greater motivation). However, negative feelings about the self after viewing fitspiration may not be motivating for students who are more prevention-focused, as fitspiration posts do not provide a negative model to avoid (or prevent experiencing similar outcomes).

What Was It Like to Work on This Study?

Working on this study has been a rewarding journey. This was one of my first independent experiences collecting data in which I was able to lead a study from start to finish. Specifically, I learned how to translate my developing research interests into questions that could be answered by an ongoing project, write a research article independently, and interact with the iterative publication process for the first time. I learned that a researcher needs to justify every aspect of their study, and that it is important to anticipate setbacks such as rejected manuscripts, but to persevere with a project despite these setbacks. There are all things my mentor (Dr. Arigo) has always emphasized throughout my training.

— Kristen Pasko, CHASE Lab 4th-year clinical Ph.D. student

We collected these data a while back, to learn more about how college students use and respond to information on social media. We spent quite a long time sorting through this information to clarify what key insights we could share. Kristen’s consistent interest in the topic of fitspiration led to a range of questions that we narrowed down and then revised for the JMIR Mental Health special issue, which was a perfect match for this work. Special thanks to the Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness (TAM) Program at the University of Wisconsin for sponsoring this special issue!

— Dr. Dani Arigo, CHASE Lab Director

What Comes Next?

Our ultimate goal is to understand how best to use the fitspiration trend to promote healthy behavior among college students, without prompting excessive increases in negative feelings or self-image. To do this, our next steps are (1) to examine the complex associations between tendencies such as social comparison orientation, reactions to fitspiration images, motivation, and behavior, and (2) to test methods for promoting motivation, healthy behaviors, and healthy self-image in response to fitspiration. As always, stay tuned for more!

SBM 2021 Is Here! (Virtually)

Our primary professional organization, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, holds an annual meeting each year to share news, findings, and insight in the field of behavioral medicine. At this week-long virtual event, our team will be presenting findings from a variety of projects. Topics include women’s health, midlife health, physical activity, COVID-19, ecological momentary assessment methods, social comparison, chronic pain, cancer, and mental health.

See below for where you can find us!

Close-Up on Our Latest Paper: Experimental Effects of #Fitspiration Messaging on Body Satisfaction, Exercise Motivation, and Exercise Behavior among College Women and Men

Our newest publication is now available in Translational Behavioral Medicine! You may remember from one of our previous posts that we’re interested in the #fitspiration trend on social media. This hashtag indicates content that is intended to inspire fitness behaviors and a healthy lifestyle. Posts typically use images of very fit people exercising, with an associated message. The traditional messages included with fitspiration posts focus on exercise for physical gain and emphasize toughness. For example, “Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going.” But recently, some users have tried to shift the focus of fitspiration messages to self-compassion, communicating that exercise is self-care and self-love. For example, “You gotta do this for you. Love you. Honor you.” Recent research has investigated the potential effects of traditional versus self-compassion messages, though these studies have used small samples of only women and have included only self-reported outcomes such as body satisfaction.

Given that fitspiration is meant to inspire exercise behavior, and as we know very little about gender differences in response to traditional versus self-compassionate fitspiration messages, we set out to conduct a large study that enrolled both women and men and included an objective measure of exercise. Our new paper describes a randomized, experimental study to test the short-term effects of different types of fitspiration posts among college women and men. We used self-reported body satisfaction and exercise motivation, as well as objectively recorded visits to campus fitness centers over the following week, as our outcomes. Our hypotheses were pre-registered with the Open Science Framework.

What did we do?

This study had several stages, starting before we moved our team to Rowan University. The first stage was to develop and pre-test our fitspiration messages and images; the second was to run a small version of the study to confirm that we were on the right track (sample size = 142). When we came to Rowan, we set up the procedures again and coordinated with Campus Recreation to access students’ ID card swipes into university fitness centers (as our measure of exercise behavior). We wanted a large sample to ensure that we would be able to test our hypotheses effectively, and we ended up with a sample size of 655. Students who participated in the study completed a brief set of questionnaires and then opened a link to one of three feeds on Instagram: one with 10 fitspiration images that had traditional messages attached, one with 10 images that had self-compassion messages attached, and one with just 10 images (no message, as a control). Women were assigned to see images of women and men were assigned to see images of men, for a total of six experimental conditions. All images were the same in each gender-specific arm.

After they viewed the Instagram feeds, students completed an attention check and then answered questions about their current body satisfaction and motivation to exercise. We accessed these students’ swipes into university fitness centers over the following 7 days and counted the number of times they went to these locations. In general, we expected women to respond more positively to self-compassion messages than men, and men to respond more positively to traditional messages than women. These hypotheses were based on existing data that show gender differences in preference and response to the tone of health messages.

What did we find?

Although our pre-specified hypotheses were not supported, we did find differences in all three of our outcomes, by message type and gender. Men’s body satisfaction and exercise behavior were greatest for those who saw fitspiration images without any message, though their exercise motivation was highest for those who saw images paired with traditional messages. In contrast, women’s body satisfaction was highest for those who saw either type of message (relative to just an image), and their exercise behavior was most frequent for those who saw self-compassion messages. There were no differences in women’s exercise motivation by message type.

What does this tell us?

We concluded that self-compassion messaging may be optimal for promoting positive outcomes among women, whereas images without associated text may be optimal for promoting positive outcomes among men. This information could be extremely helpful for informing the use of #fitspiration (and other social media trends) to support healthy self-image and behaviors among college students, by tailoring messages that are most likely to have positive effects for women versus men.

What was it like to work on this study?

This is the second in a series of studies that was inspired by an assignment in my undergraduate research methods course. I couldn’t have imagined then that a series of studies would be conducted as a result one idea. We’ve also seen the #fitspiration trend grow into a social media industry since that time. I’m grateful to the CHASE team for continuing this project and conducting it on a larger scale, and I’m optimistic about this line of research and look forward to future studies to examine how “viral” trends influence of health behaviors across social media platforms.

– Sabrina DiBisceglie, former CHASE Lab Member (University of Scranton)

I really enjoyed being a part of this process, which began as a pilot at the University of Scranton and evolved into an experimental study at Rowan University. At the beginning of the experimental study, I was starting as a research coordinator in the CHASE Lab at Rowan, so I was able to help oversee data collection and coding, as well as contribute to conference presentations and manuscript preparation, which was a great learning experience. I am really happy that I was able to collaborate with Sabrina and Dr. Arigo on this project and see the experimental portion all the way through. Given how popular fitspiration is on different social media platforms, this work can help to encourage users to be more aware of the information that they are taking away from fitspiration posts.

-Megan Brown, CHASE Lab Member

This study was a first for our team in several ways. Although we’ve used experimental designs before, this is our first published experiment as a team, and it was our first collaboration with Rowan’s Campus Recreation department – the staff there were so supportive and helpful, which smoothed the way. And although we’ve preregistered our scoping review methods with the Open Science Framework before, this was our first time pre-registering hypotheses. Plus, it took more than a year and a half to collect the data, and COVID interrupted us right at the end. I’m so impressed with our team for bringing together so many different elements to produce this paper and we’re proud of the end result! We’re grateful to Sabrina for getting this started and for staying so closely involved throughout the process.

-Dr. Dani Arigo, CHASE Lab Director

Next Steps

We’re continuing to work on understanding the #fitspiration trend by examining individual differences associated with positive (vs. negative) outcomes. This includes additional, exploratory analyses on our experimental dataset (described in this post) and using data from our previous cross-sectional surveys. For example, we want to understand how social comparison processes play a role in response to viewing fitspiration posts. We hope to share more information about this work very soon!

“Productivity” In Year 2 of the Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic and remote work continue into a second year, our team has been thinking more deeply about “productivity.”. What has changed about our work challenges, and what works to overcome them? How do we stay focused and energized after all this time at home? Our lab members share their thoughts in this post.

Images via canva.com.

Laura (2nd-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student): I’ve found working remotely has been both challenging and rewarding. I definitely appreciate the opportunity to spend more time with family now, so remote work has definitely been rewarding in that sense. However, there is no longer a strict boundary (such as a commute) between work and home. I’ve found that this allows me to work much longer hours than I originally anticipate. Some tricks I use to manage this challenge are switching chairs or rooms when moving on to a new task (e.g., courses vs. lab work) and setting a strict stopping point at the end of the day. 

Emily (1st-year school psychology Masters student): With working from home, I have come to realize how easily distracted I can be, even by the smallest things. To help improve my productivity I have found it best to try and eliminate my biggest distraction: my phone. Turning my phone on silent and keeping it out of sight so I don’t see notifications popping up has helped me to stay focused. Another trick I have found to be helpful is scheduling my most important tasks to be done while my daughter naps. Giving myself that time restriction, and creating a goal to finish it before she wakes up, has really helped me to stay motivated and be productive. 

Kristen E (2nd-year undergraduate RA): On certain days, the pandemic has made me feel as though I have all the time in the world, and that I can push things off until tomorrow. Giving myself deadlines for projects, assignments, and homework has helped me keep more of a schedule to hold myself accountable for completing work. Sticking to a schedule of action for each day has really helped me not only to stay productive throughout the day, but also to assure myself that I am staying on track with all my work. I have found that assigning a day of the week for specific kinds of tasks has made it much easier to keep track of what is done and helps create a general sense of how much more work is required by the end of the week so I can plan accordingly. 

Megan (1st-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student): I have realized while working from home that I have not been getting as much movement/activity in as I would if I were on campus, which has resulted in feeling fatigued after sitting at my table all day doing work. Lately I have been making it a point to set time during the evening to workout, and I added a setting on my Fitbit that reminds me to get up a move around during the day. I found that by getting in small bursts of movement throughout the day and setting time aside for exercise, I have felt more energized, which has helped me become more productive with research/coursework. 

Heather (4th-year undergraduate RA): I love working from home, but I do find that I am sitting more and not breaking up my day with other activities as much as I used to. I have a timer on my Apple Watch that I work with now to remind myself to get up, stretch, and do breathing exercises. This helps keep my muscles from stiffening up, especially my hips. Plus it helps with correcting my posture. It has been nice to reset and refresh. When the weather permits I also make sure I have the windows open a bit for air circulation. However, it has been quite cold lately so I will change rooms in the house to sit in the sun while I work.  Being in the sun has helped me with my mood, which helps me stay on track with my projects and classes.  I would say the biggest challenge I have from working at home is that I feel like I have more time and have actually given myself more projects and work to do.  It is definitely challenging my time management skills.  Breaking my day up with sun, fresh air, and physical activity keeps positive and constructive.

Bernard (4th-year undergraduate RA): Working from home is great, but there are a lot of downsides to it. The biggest roadblock in my productivity are all the little distractions that occur, such as people checking in on me during work or any notifications I get through my phone/computer. Before all this, it was easy to focus on work and stay productive because there was a transition from home to work, but now not so much. So what I’ve been doing to help this is bring that transition back. Before I go focus on work I make sure to move my laptop from my room to my workstation, dress nice, and silence my phone as well as put it in an inconvenient spot to get to; for example, in another room. This helps me to minimize distractions as well as focus on work.

Kristen P (3rd-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student): One of the most significant barriers for my productivity thus far during the pandemic restrictions has been maintaining structure for the various work responsibilities and those in my personal life. Before COVID-19, I trained myself to associate certain environmental cues with the tasks I should be doing. For example, the majority of research was done in the lab, all treatment notes and planning were done in the clinic. Tasks were compartmentalized, and above all I required social stimuli to keep myself accountable. Since the beginning of working from home, I have to put much more effort into maintaining structure and social accountability. This initially looked like trial and error, but have found a few core things to work: using my calendar more intentionally (adding activities including exercise, cooking, sending emails), setting certain places of my home as work areas, and planning Zoom work sessions to keep socially accountable. 

Samuel (4th-year undergraduate RA): Working from home has been an exciting new experience! While working from home I don’t have to worry about the commute to work and I get to work in the comfort of my own home. This has many benefits, but it has its drawbacks. I find it very easy to lose focus and once I lose my focus, I find it very hard to get it back. To help myself stay focused I came up with a few methods and one of these methods is setting hourly goals. This helps me stay on task and gives me something to work towards to keep me moving in the right direction. Another method I came up with is after I finish my hourly goals, I reward myself with a walk around my house just to stretch my legs. Having a goal and rewarding myself when I complete it helps me stay focused and motivates me to complete my next hourly goal.

Cole (postdoctoral fellow/lab manager): Distractions are hard to avoid while working at home around my young daughter. Communication with my spouse has really helped with productivity. Things like putting meetings on the calendar on our fridge keeps us both in the loop about my work schedule, which also helps with planning brief breaks to stretch my legs, change a diaper, check my phone, etc. I also have a dedicated space for work (no non-work allowed) and avoid working elsewhere in my home. Associating that space with work helps me shift my focus to work-related items more easily when starting the day or returning from a break.

Dr. Dani (lab director): I always avoided working from home, for the reasons that others have outlined here – too many distractions, like wanting to play with my cats instead of focus. But I’m lucky to have a home office, and working from home has given me justification to upgrade to ergonomically supportive furniture and computing tools. More importantly, as the faculty mentor and director for the CHASE lab, I think a lot about setting appropriate and reasonable expectations. How do we define “productivity” under these ongoing circumstances, and what should our expectations be for progress on our work? How can we gently push everyone to accomplish their goals while not adding undue pressure? I certainly haven’t figured it out yet, but the team has done an amazing job over the past year, and I’m so impressed with their commitment and creativity. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be safe to have an in-person gathering to celebrate the end of an unusual and exciting academic year.

CHASE Lab Plays Work From Home Bingo

We’ve now been working from home for almost eight weeks, and although our tips to stay sane and productive have worked well, we’re still itching for some new ways to connect with each other and infuse some new energy into our work. A few weeks ago, lab member Bernard Kwiatek (junior Psychology major) suggested that we all play Work From Home Bingo, using a bingo card he made. 

We selected a date (Tuesday, 4/28) and everyone kept track on their bingo card. At our lab meeting that week (Thursday, 4/30), we discussed the activity as a group. Although Dr. Arigo was the only one to get BINGO, we had a lot of fun using a new way to track and share our work experiences with each other. Check out what our members had to say about it:

• Megan: I really enjoyed playing this game, and it made me laugh realizing how many of the boxes I was able to relate to. I think it’s especially important right now to have lighthearted activities like this to do during the day, which may help take your mind off of other serious matters.  

• Emily: It was fun reading through the board and I’d get so excited when I could mark off a square. It was a nice little break to take during work hours. 

• Kristen: I tried to check off the board at the end of the day so that I didn’t influence my chances, and unfortunately, I did not get BINGO. But, it was still a fun activity to do during lab hours that made me smile, which goes a long way during these difficult times. 

• Cole: This was the only time in my professional career that I had wished for technical difficulties to happen (so I could mark it on my bingo card). Sadly, my laptop performed perfectly that day. Despite not winning, it was an entertaining break from my usual work routine.

• Laura: It was the perfect distraction throughout the day and served as a nice reminder to not take things so seriously. 

• Bernard: Going through the day and trying to hit each spot was a hectic but in a good way. It’s interesting seeing what spots I usually hit normally than if I could potentially fill the entire board.

Want to play along, or make your own bingo board? Visit Bingo Baker!