2026-05-06 –, Track 1
Psychological science increasingly values transparency, inclusivity, accessibility, rigor, and “real-world” impact, yet less attention focuses on how writing practices and conceptions of “academic writing” shape who can access, interpret, and use our work. This lightning talk argues that narrative academic writing—writing that resembles storytelling and includes creative writing elements, authorial voice, and reader orientation—functions as an underutilized tool for improving inclusivity, integration, and impact in psychological science. I discuss how conventional stylistic norms and mainstream writing and publishing notions (e.g., length limits, rigid formatting) may obscure theoretical contributions, limit interdisciplinary uptake, undermine linguistic diversity and inclusivity, and disadvantage scholars trained outside dominant academic cultures. Using diverse sources, I illustrate how narrative writing can be employed across academic contexts and identities to improve translational and enhance scientific rigor and reach. The diverse implications of resisting innovation and maintaining the status quo in scholarly communication are also discussed.
Dr. Debrielle Jacques is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Washington. Her research examines how and why parental psychopathology and addiction shapes distinct aspects of parenting. This includes parental cognitions (how parents think about parenting and children's behavior) and parental behavior (how parents interact with their children and navigate distinct parenting challenges and situations). I view parenting as a distinct developmental context through which parents' psychological challenges could dynamically alter children's mental health trajectories.
She also studies how children's psychological development and well-being are impacted by their parents' mental health and substance use problems. Within this topic, she examines how children's risk for and symptoms of psychopathology develop and change over time, and whether there are developmental consequences associated with outcomes that are typically viewed as adaptive or healthy (e.g., resilience).
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, she earned her B.S. in Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University, her M.A. in Psychology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Rochester.