Kentucky State University · PsychologySpitznagel Lab
Mary Beth Spitznagel · Frankfort, Kentucky
Research Focus
Dr. Mary Beth Spitznagel's research lab focuses on mental health in the veterinary field, particularly addressing the stress and burnout experienced by veterinary students. They develop and evaluate training programs to help students cope with challenging interactions with clients. Their work aims to create healthier work environments for future veterinary professionals by embedding specific mental health training into educational programs.
veterinary mental healthstress reductionburnoutAcceptance and Commitment Training (ACT)student trainingworkplace well-beingpsychosocial functioning
Research Aims
5AIM 01Evaluate the effectiveness of an ACT intervention for veterinary students
AIM 02Assess the impact of training on stress and burnout levels in students
AIM 03Compare engagement and learning outcomes between intervention and control groups
AIM 04Understand the long-term benefits of mental health training in veterinary education
AIM 05Disseminate findings to veterinary education programs nationally
Skills the Lab Values
communication skillsprogram evaluationdata collectionsurvey administrationstatistical analysisintervention designcurriculum developmentgroup facilitation
Output against the department
Publications211top 31% of dept.92nd of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.7ktop 46% of dept.136th of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.