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Clinical Psychology Dissertations Collection

This collection contains open access and campus access dissertations, made possible through Graduate Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The full content of open access dissertations is available to all, although some files may have embargoes placed on them and will be made available as soon as possible. The full content of campus access dissertations is only available to those either on the UMass Boston campus or with a UMass Boston campus username and password. Click on the "Off-Campus UMass Boston Users" link on the record page to download Campus Access publications. Those not on campus and those without a UMass Boston campus username and password may gain access to this dissertation through resources like Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global or through Interlibrary Loan.

Dissertations from 2023 2023

Decomposing Relational Mechanisms of Parent Engagement in Early Intervention: An Examination of Working Alliance and Family-Centered Practices , Alison E. Chavez

Sexual Racism and Mental Health Among Asian/Asian American Sexual Minority Men , Christopher Chiu

Investigating the Sexual Consent Process for Plurisexual Individuals , Kaitlyn R. Gorman

Lost in Translation: Training Experiences and Burnout Among Bilingual Trainees in Doctoral Psychology Programs , Ingrid Hastedt

Exploring the Roles of Parent Emotional Styles and Children’s Coping Skills in the Emotional and Behavioral Sequelae of Community Violence Exposure , Juliana M. Neuspiel

Diagnosing Psychosis Among Black Americans: The Impact of White Clinicians' Colorblind Racial Attitudes and Multicultural Responsiveness , Keira E. O'Donovan

The Impact of Historical Trauma, Self-Compassion, and Resistance Against Racism among African Americans , Darrick Scott

Negotiating Acculturation: A Qualitative Study of Muslim American Women , Noor N. Tahirkheli

Resolution of Diagnosis Among Parents of Children Diagnosed with Autism , Deanna C. Toner

Dissertations from 2022 2022

Patterns of Emotional Processing and the Psychological Impact of Heterosexism , Kathleen M. Collins

Body Image Experiences Among Black American Sexual Minority Women , Alison E. A. Goldblatt

Examining Culturally Adapted, Values Based, Mental Health Stigma Reduction and Help-Seeking Messages for Asian Americans , Anna M. Ying

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Self-Compassion Among Roommates: An Investigation of Interpersonal Effects , Bryan Balvaneda

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effects of After-School Programs on Academic, Social, Behavioral, Mental Health, and Identity Outcomes Among Youth with Marginalized Identities , Kirsten M. Christensen

The Power of Friendships: Associations Between Friendship Quality, Satisfaction, and Well-Being for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Melanie S. Feldman

Evaluating the Cultural Validity of Social Cognition in a Latinx Sample , Mayte Forte

Beyond Borders in Chronic Schizophrenia: NEO-FFM Personality Traits, Neurocognition, and Symptoms , Lauren M. Grabowski

A Longitudinal Investigation of First-Generation College Students' Mentoring Relationships during their Transition to Higher Education , Matthew A. Hagler

My Wounds Matter Too: Associations Among Distress, Emotion Regulation, Autism Symptomology, and Self-Harm Functions Among Young Adults with ASD , Sarah Levinson

Dissertations from 2020 2020

Cross-Age Peer Mentoring: A Meta-Analysis , Samantha Burton

The Experience of Misgendering Among Trans and Gender Diverse People , Hamish A. Gunn

Assessing Mental Health Provider Bias Toward Clients with Understudied Marginalized Sexual Identities and Practices , Cara Herbitter

The Effectiveness of a Mindfulness, Acceptance, Valued Action, and Flexible Coping Intervention for Race-Based Stress on Momentary Coping and Distress Symptoms , Jennifer Honculada Martinez

Dissertations from 2019 2019

Responsibility Development in Young Men in Postsecondary Settings: Construct Structure and Contextual Influences , Gabriel M. Garza Sada

A Process for Change: A Grounded Theory Investigation of Participatory Action Research as a Means for Countering Mental Illness Stigma Experienced by Transition-Aged Black Youth , Jacqueline G. Hargrove

Dismantling an Intervention Aimed at Increasing White People's Knowledge and Understanding of Racial Justice Issues , Alissa L. Hochman

The Role of Narrative Coherence and Parental Scaffolding in Buffering the Effects of Domestic Violence Exposure , Shirley Poyau

Novice Therapist Responsiveness: Description and Development , Max B. Wu

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Latino Immigrant Youth Development in Anti-Immigrant Contexts: Exploring Adaptive Cultures as Resources Promoting Competencies and Wellness , Darcy Alcantara

Treatment Engagement and Client Competence in CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder , Amber L. Calloway

“Surviving and Thriving During Stress”: Bridging the Gap with Technology, a Web-Based Acceptance-Based Behavioral Therapy Program for University Students , Elizabeth Hemenway Eustis

Diagnostic Stability of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children with Diverse Backgrounds , Ivy Giserman Kiss

Examining the Moderating Role of Internalized Racism on the Relation Between Racism-Related Stress and Mental Health in Asian Americans , Danielle Godon-Decoteau

Mental Health Literacy and Stigma among Recently Returning Veterans: Cultural Correlates, Mutability, and Relations with Healthcare Utilization , Sarah Krill Williston

The Impact of Individual and Parental Confucian Attitudes on Mental Illness Stigma and Help Seeking Attitudes Among Asian Americans from Confucian Cultures , Charles M. Liu

“I Wish Katrina Wouldn’t Have Happened, But I’m Glad It Happened”: Posttraumatic Growth and Adaptive Outcomes in Low-Income Black Mothers Who Survived Hurricane Katrina , Emily E. Manove

Encouraging Toddlers with ASD to Request: An Exploration of Expectant Pausing and Engagement Strategies , Melissa P. Maye

Does Mindfulness Support Empathy? , L. G. Rollins

Exploring Perceived External Control as a Transdiagnostic Cognitive Process in Anxiety Disorders and the Investigation of a Brief Acceptance Intervention , Lauren P. Wadsworth

Mentoring as a Protective Factor for Youth with a History of Interpersonal Trauma Exposure , Elyssa Briann Weber

An Exploration of Mentoring Functions in the Context of Parental Relationships , Laura A. Yoviene Sykes

Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Challenge of Social Mobility: Habitus among Low-Income and Working-Class Students in Higher Education , J. Anna Bell

Risk, Resilience, Recovery: In Search of the Protective Factors of Mental Health , Victoria Choate Hasler

Cognitive Aspects of Children's Experience of Economic Disadvantage , Amy E. Heberle

Mothering Values of Black Student Mothers: A Grounded Theory Analysis , Sara A. Kaplan-Levy

Asian American Women Leaders' Strategies for Negotiating Intersectional Discrimination Related to Racism and Sexism , Fanny Ng

Young Children's Emotion Vocabulary and the Potential Influence on Emotion Regulation Ability , Marisa Murphy O'Boyle

Determined Wellness: The Influence of Mental Illness Models Upon Treatment Outcome Expectancies and Treatment Engagement , Francisco I. Surace

Dissertations from 2016 2016

Self-Reported Sexuality among Women with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) , Hillary Hurst Bush

The Power in the Pattern: Relationships between Out-of-School Time Activity Participation Profiles and Civic Engagement in Youth , Melody Joy Blass Fisher

The Influence of Mentor-Youth Activity Profiles on School-Based Youth Mentoring Relationship Processes and Outcomes , Stella S. Kanchewa

Experiences of Trust in Longer-Lasting Formal Youth Mentoring Relationships , Michelle Levine

Exploring the Effects of Cultural Protective Factors on Infant Development and Maternal Well-Being: A Transnational Study of Brazilian Mothers and Their Infants Living In Massachusetts and Minas Gerais , Fernanda Lucchese

The Roles of Early Intervention Providers’ Cultural Competence and the Parent-Provider Working Alliance in Early Intervention Service Receipt Outcomes of Diverse Children At-Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders , Frances D. Martinez-Pedraza

The Relationship to Internal Experiences Scale (RIES): The Development and Validation of a Self-Report Measure of Cognitive Fusion and Decentering , Shannon M. Sorenson

Evaluating the ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes’ Test: Cultural Variations in Emotional Perception , Ashley-Ann Woodhull

Dissertations from 2015 2015

Patterns of Interaction within Parent-Child Dyads Affected by OCD and Anxiety , Catherine Kraper

Cultural Adaptation of In-Home, Community-Based Mental Health Services for Ethnic Minority Children and Families: Exploring Clinician and Family Perspectives on Effective Care , Esroruleh Tamim Mohammad

In the Face of Adversity: Valued Living and Decentering as Buffering Factors in the Relations Among Social Disadvantage, Psychological Distress, Drinking to Cope and Problem Drinking , Lucas P. K. Morgan

The Intersectionality of Racism and Sexism for Asian American Women , Shruti Mukkamala

Identifying Sensory Symptoms as a Diagnostic Indicator of Autism Spectrum Disorder , Timothy W. Soto

Individual and Dyadic Analysis of Cardiac Profiles in Response to Stress in a Longitudinal Sample of Infant-Mother Dyads , Akhila Venkatachalam Sravish

Dissertations from 2014 2014

Palestinian Refugee Family Trees of Resilience: Intergenerational Cultivation of Resistance, Return, and Perseverance, in Response to Israel State Violence and Occupation , Devin G. Atallah

The Relationship between Mental Health and Young Children's Academic Development: What We Can Learn From a National Sample of At-Risk Chilean Children , Katia M. Canenguez

Understanding the Impact of Violence on Early Language , Danielle Forbes

The Psychological and Social Processes through which Internalized Heterosexism Influences Psychological Distress in Sexual Minorities , Julia A. Puckett

Black Beauty, White Standards: Impacts on Black Women and Resources for Resistance and Resilience , Speshal T. Walker

Dissertations from 2013 2013

Experiences of Latina First Generation College Students: Exploring Resources Supporting the Balancing of Academic Pursuits and Family Life , Hercilia B. Corona-Ordoñez

Linking Universal Developmental/Behavioral Health Screening and On-Site Mental Health Consultation: Examining Gaps in Service Delivery , Leandra Godoy

Racism and Anxiety in a Black American Sample: The Role of Mediators and a Brief Mindfulness Manipulation , Jessica Rose Graham

The Impact of Emotion Regulation and Interpersonal Problems on Behavioral Dysregulation in a College Student Sample: An Investigation of the Mediating Role of Mentalizing , Kelly Graling

The Role of Caregiver Insight in Young Children's Violence Exposure: Testing a Relational Model of Risk and Resilience , Sarah A. O. Gray

Understanding Ethnic-Racial Socialization and Cognition among Multiracial Youth: A Mixed Methods Study , Susan A. Lambe Sarinana

Targeted Prevention of Childhood Anxiety: Engaging Parents in an Underserved Community , Nicholas D. Mian

Maternal Self-Efficacy and Perceived Stigma Among Mothers of Children with ASD, ADHD, and Typically Developing Children , Sara D. Rosenblum-Fishman

Youth Initiated Mentoring: Investigating a New Approach to Working with Vulnerable Adolescents , Sarah E. O. Schwartz

The Influences of Social Identities and Resource Competition on Blacks' and Asians' Social Distance: A Virtual World Method , John Tawa

Dissertations from 2012 2012

Latino Immigrants' Responses to Immigration Policy and Enforcement: Strengths and Resources Promoting Empowerment and Wellness in an Urban Setting , Celeste Atallah-Gutiérrez

Measuring Exposure in Natural Disaster: A Meta-Analysis, an Integrative Data Analysis, and a Multi-Wave Longitudinal Study of Hurricane Katrina Survivors , Christian S. Chan

The Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation in the Relationship between Experiences of Trauma , Kathleen Sullivan Kalill

Objectification Theory and Sexual Health among Women , Kara Lustig

Bereavement among Urban University Students: The Role of Meaning Making in Adjustment to Loss , Rebecca L. Norris-Bell

The Impact of Mindfulness on Exposure and Extinction Processes in Social Anxiety , Michael Treanor

The Role of Men's Friendships in Psychological Distress, Fear of Emotions, and Adherence to Masculine Role Norms , Liza Zwiebach

Dissertations from 2011 2011

Exploring Predictors of Well-Being after Exposure to Inter-Caregiver Aggression in Childhood: Examining the Role of Emotional Support and Emotional and Cognitive Processing , Cara Fuchs

The Social Negotiation of Ambiguous In-Between Stigmatized Identities: Investigating Identity Processes in Multiracial and Bisexual People , Vali Dagmar Kahn

Trajectories of Psychological Distress among Low-Income, Female Survivors of Hurricane Katrina , Sarah Ryan Lowe

The Ecology of Cognitive Training and Aging , Anya Potter

Expanding a Model of Female Heterosexual Coercion: Are Sexually Coercive Women Hyperfeminine? , Elizabeth Anne Schatzel-Murphy

Developing an Anti-Racist Stance: How White Youth Understand Structural Racism , Catharine R. Thomann

Functioning in the Face of Racism and its Uncertainties: The Potential Buffering Role of Values Clarification and Values Consistency in a Black American Sample , Lindsey Michelle West

The Expression of Nonviolence in Communication and its Relation to Physical and Mental Health: Development and Validation of a Coding System for Measuring the Expression of Nonviolence in Communication between Intimate Partners in Conflict Situations , Lissa Brett Young

Dissertations from 2010 2010

Understanding Revictimization: The Impact of Emotion Suppression, Acceptance, and PTSD Symptomatology on Risk Detection Abilities in Sexual Assault Survivors , Heidi M. Barrett-Model

Adopted Korean Women: Influences of Becoming a Biological Mother on Racial & Ethnic Identities and Cultural Orientations , Stephanie Carole Day

Psychosis-Proneness, Mindfulness, and Positive Emotional Experience: Examining Correlational and Causal Relationships , Shannon Marie Erisman

Unattainable Beauty: An Analysis of the Role of Body Shame and Self-Objectification in Hopelessness Depression among College-Age Women , Meredith A. Evans

Neuropsychological and Personality Predictors of Competence to Stand Trial: A Social Cognitive Perspective , Kristy L. Klein

Coping with Acquired Brain Injury through an Asian American Lens: Interrelationships between Collectivistic Coping and Psychosocial Outcomes , Patricia Happy Lee

Couples' Joint Activity and Perceived Relationship Quality: Exploring the Comparative Effects of Joint Community Service vs. Play , Michael J. D. Rollock

Dissertations from 2000 2000

Alternative Medicine and Mental Health: A Clinical Trial of Homeopathic Treatment for Depression , Fabiana G. Wallis

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Home > SBH > PSYCHOLOGY > ETD-CLINICAL

Theses, Dissertations and Projects - Clinical Psychology

Theses/dissertations from 2022 2022.

Neurofeedback Training for Attentional Processing in Anxious Individuals , Caleb Benjamin Barcenas

Cultural and Psychological Predictors of Exercise-Treatment Adherence and HbA1c for People with Type 2 Diabetes , Connor M. Nance

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Body Dissatisfaction, Verbal Commentary, Social Influences and Cigarette Smoking , Nicole Bennett

Factors Related to Cognitive Reserve in Healthy Older Adults , Ann Tram Nguyen

Therapists’ Willingness to Access Client Social Media Accounts in the Context of Suicide Risk , Jacob A. Vermeersch

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Religious Doubt as a Mediator of the Relationship between Religious Identity and Well-Being , Jedd P. Alejandro

SOAR (Stage 2 Outpatient Adolescent Recovery) Clinical Interview Manual , Aniel Ponce

Mediators of the Relationship between Mindfulness and E-cigarette Use , Denise Dao Tran

The Effects of a Polyphenol-rich Diet in a Fruit-fly Model of Traumatic Brain Injury , Alexandra D. Trofimova

Chronic Disease and its Relationship with Elder Mistreatment , Ryan Wong

Nonsexual Boundary Crossings in Psychotherapy: Factors in Ethical Decision-Making , Katherine S. H. Wu

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Sociocultural Pressures, Thin Ideal Internalization, Body Appreciation, & Eating Pathology in Women , Gabriela Joanna Bolivar

Exploring the Effects of Age in a Drosophila melanogaster Model of Traumatic Brain Injury , Andrea Maria Briseño

The Complexity of the Bilingual Experience: Linguistic Variables Predict Cognition in Older Adults , K'dee D. Elsen

Education and Social Support as Mediators of Function and Cognition in Patients with Schizophrenia , Spring Flores Johnson

The relationship between cognitive function and Activities of Daily Living , Pamela V. Lorenzo

Body Dissatisfaction, Perceived Smoking Consequences, and Weight Control Smoking , Samantha N. Martinez

Fatalism and Pain Experience in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Patients with Chronic Pain , Esmeralda Ibette Nuñez

Comparison of Neurofeedback Treatment on PTSD Symptoms within Military and Non-Military Populations , Lelah S. Villalpando

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Role of Therapeutic Processes within MBSR for Parents of Children with Developmental Delays , Grant Griffin Boostrom

Effects of Emotional Content on Working Memory Updating: Proactive Interference and Resolution , Maria Guadalupe Corona

An Empirical Examination of Doctoral Training Models in Clinical Psychology in the United States , Katherine E. Dautenhahn

The Relationship between Psychotherapist Personality and Therapeutic Alliance , Michael Finlay

Neurocognitive and Psychosocial Effects of Repeated Concussions in Children and Adolescents , Shina Halavi

Religious Orientation, Social Identity, and Reactions to Religious Disaffiliation , Alexander Daniel Larson

Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4-Revised in Asian Americans , Dean Lim

Evaluating Cognitive Changes in Patients Receiving Outpatient Alcohol Treatment , Michelle McDonnell

Abnormal Beta and Gamma Frequency Neural Oscillations Mediate Auditory Gating in Schizophrenia , Ann Tram Nguyen

Consequences of Attributions for Unfair Healthcare Treatment among Culturally Diverse Patients , Nathalie Serna

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Parenting Stress and Emotion Dysregulation in Children with DD: The Role of Parenting Behaviors , Neilson Chan

The Impact of Interpersonal Violence on Depression and Social Support , Katherine Dautenhahn

Camp-Based Intervention for Overweight Children with Developmental Disabilities , Allyson Davis

The Effects of Poverty and Allostatic Load on the Development of Chronic Disease , Natali Do

The Effect of Language on Cognition in an Acculturated American Sample of Healthy Older Adults , K'dee D. Elsen

Preliminary Validation of the Pediatric Rating of Chronic Illness Self-Efficacy , Natacha Donoghue Emerson

Behaviorally-Induced Structural Remodeling of the Hippocampus , Michael Finlay

Coping as a Mediator between Symptom Burden and Distress in Lung Cancer Patients , Spring F. Gehring

Age of Drinking Initiation’s Association with Cognitive Functioning , Joshua Seth Goldberg

ERP and Theta Activity Associated with Facial Emotion Memory , Shaina Roxanne Herman

Relational Savoring among Intimate Partners of Cancer Patients , Adrianna Elyse Holness

Church Member Reactions to Religious Disaffiliation , Alexander Daniel Larson

Smoking, ADHD, and Problematic Video Game Use: A Structural Modeling Approach , Hyo Jin Lee

Parental Quality of Life Among Parents in the NICU: Examining Moderators of Change Over Time , Evan Lima

Water Maze Strategies used by Mice Exposed to Radiation and Pomegranate Juice , Pamela V. Lorenzo

The Role of Temporal Distraction on Short-Term Memory and Delayed Recognition , Susanna Luu

The Effect of Discrimination on Mental Health after Adverse Childhood Experiences , Maleia Mathis

AM Happy Scale: Reliability and Validity of a Single-Item Measure of Happiness , Christina P. Moldovan

An Examination of the Moderating Effect of Proactive Coping in NICU Nurses , Britan M. Moore

Stress, Depression, Social Support, and Help-Seeking in College Student-Athletes , Clint H. Norseth

The Relationship between Physical Activity, Depressive Symptoms, and Cognitive Functioning , Imari-Ashley F. Palma

Demographic Differences in Resting State EEG in Healthy Controls and Patients with Schizophrenia , Keshia M. Sanders

Parental Distress and Child Behavior Problems: Parenting Behaviors as Mediators , Catherine M. Sanner

The Effects of Seizure Modeling and Polyphenols on Behavior in Bang-Sensitive Drosophila , Alphonso A. Smith

The Influence of Health Framing on Weight Stigma and Health Knowledge , Serena D. Stevens

Role of Cultural and Psychological Factors Influencing Diabetes Treatment Adherence , Sonika Kravann Ung

Parental Stress, Emotion Regulation, Meta-Emotion, and Changes Following an MBSR Intervention , Yangmu Xu

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Neuropsychological Effects of Pomegranate Supplementation Following Ischemic Stroke , John A. Bellone

The Adolescent Smoking Prevention Project: A Web-Based Smoking Prevention for Adolescents , Whitney N. Brown

Lung Cancer Stigma: Associated Variables and Coping Strategies , Kevin R. Criswell

The Influence of Parental Mental Health on Child Outcomes: The Role of the Parenting Process , Meredith L. Dennis

Hypertension in Older African Americans: Testing Psychosocial Mediators , Taylor L. Draper

Multi-level Model of Parent-Child Attachment, Depression & Self-Concept in Pediatric Chronic Illness , Natacha Donoghue Emerson

Phenotyping Double Transgenic Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s that Express Human APP and ApoE3 or ApoE4 , Shina Halavi

The Effects of Appearance Schemas and Commentary on Body Image and Eating Disorder Psychopathology , Alyson C. Hermé

Relationship between Crime, Psychological Diagnosis and Cognitive Functioning , Kayla M. Kinworthy

Interleukin-6, Depression, and Religious Coping in Older Seventh-day Adventists , Palak Dipak Kothari

Heart-focused Anxiety and Cardiac Treatment Adherence , Angelyna M. Lowe

The Frontal-Temporal Signature of TBI-Induced Acute Cerebral Metabolic Crisis , Christina Mannino

Emotional Memory: Examining Differences in Retrieval Methods , Audrey Martinez

Appearance-Related Commentary and Body Image in Women , Christina P. Moldovan

General Fatalism and Diabetes Fatalism as Predictors of Diabetes Treatment Adherence , Esmeralda Ibette Nuñez

NICU Parental Mental Health and Infant Outcomes: Effects of Psychological Well-Being and Psychopathology , Kathleen H. Parker

Effects of Stress, Sex Differences, and Cognitive Reserve on Cognitive Decline in Healthy Elderly Subjects , Courtney Ray

Interacting Beliefs and Processes in Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Autism , Lara L. South

An Examination of Social Media and the Tripartite Influence Model of Body Image Disturbance , Amanda F. Suplee

Survive or Thrive: Focusing on the Forest (Global) or the Trees (Local) Impacts Meaning Making , Seda Terzyan

Predictors of Adolescent E-cigarette Use , Denise Dao Tran

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Cultural Beliefs and Professional Empathy Influence Continuity of Healthcare , Jael A. Amador

Executive Dysfunction is Predictive of Clinical Symptomatology in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome , Chinonyere Kemdirim Bello

Parental Stress and Child Behavior Problems in Families of Children with Autism , Allyson Davis

Acceptability and Preferences for Empirically-Supported Psychological Treatments , Amanda Gorlick

Parent Stress and Social Skills Development in Children with Developmental Delays , Andrea Lewallen

Relationship among Psychotherapy Measurements: Predictors of ORS and OQ-45 Scores , Evan Lima

Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Adolescent Patient Treatment Dropout , Danessa Mayo

Comparison of Text Analysis Programs for Identification of Emotional Expression , Michelle McDonnell

Nondysphoric Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Abilities in Healthy Older Adults , Clint H. Norseth

An Attribution-Emotion Approach to Political Conflict , Daniel Joel Northington

Do Clergy in Hidalgo County, Texas Serve as a Bridge or Barrier to Mental Health Services? , John C. Park

Performance of Number of Factors Procedures in Small Sample Sizes , Marc Thomas Porritt

Elections Have Consequences: Moral Value Foundations Ensure Gridlock through the Ballot Box , Gregory John Regts

Executive Functioning Outcomes among Self-Harming Adolescents Receiving DBT-A , Alphonso A. Smith

Use of an Enhanced Engagement Approach to Increase Engagement in an Online Support Group , Ketlyne Sol

Weight Stigma as a Mediator among BMI, Childhood Overweight, Body Image and Depression , Serena D. Stevens

Assessment of Geriatric Depression: Construction of a New Screening Inventory , Earl C. Thorndyke III

Cultural Beliefs and Self-Efficacy in Diet Adherence among Type 2 Diabetics , Sonika Kravann Ung

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Cognitive Function in the Alcohol Addiction Treatment Population , Suranee Abeyesinhe

Perceived Empathy and Continuity of Cancer Screening Care Among Latino and Anglo Women , Jael Aniuska Amador

Predicting Cognitive Decline in Older Adults , Kimberly M. Baerresen

Effects of Proton Radiation on Behavior in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease , John A. Bellone

The Effects of Childhood and Combat-Related Trauma on Psychological Outcomes in Veterans , Alyson C. Hermé

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Home > Academic Units > SPFC > CPY Dissertations

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The Seattle Pacific University Department of Clinical Psychology is an APA-accredited doctoral program offering both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

This series contains successfully defended doctoral dissertations.

Dissertations from 2023 2023

Unhealed Wounds: From Complex Trauma Exposure to Wellbeing and the Role of Coping , Mohammed K. Alsubaie

Understanding the Effects of Empathy and Masculine Gender Role Stress on the Relationship Between Gender and the Understanding of Consent in adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Framework , Kate Degenhardt

Suicidal Ideation and Community Connectedness in LGBTQ+ Adults: Can Emotion Regulation and Mindfulness Skills Help? , Samantha V. Jacobson

Sensory processing impacts on sleep patterns in children with neurodevelopmental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic , Julianne M. Myers

Dissertations from 2022 2022

The Impact of COVID-19 on Secondary Victimization and Resiliency Following Sexual Assault , Elena Cantorna

Developmental Trajectories of Positive Emotion Regulation: The Moderating Effects of Gender and Parenting , Hailey Caudle

The Role of Coping Self-Efficacy, Coping Strategies, and Resiliency Following Sexual Assault , Lauren Hirsch

Ableist Microaggressions and Well-being: Investigating the Moderating Effect of Coping Strategies , Whitney Morean

Relations of EEG and Perceived Response to Methylphenidate among Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , Tara M. Rutter

Integrative Meaning, Mindfulness, and Traumatic Grief Among Bereaved Adults , Brandy Tidwell

Parental Attachment and Compassion as Predictors of Distress Disclosure Among Young Adults , Ellie N. Wilde

School Related Criminal Acts, Interpersonal Problems, and Classroom Behaviors as a Function of The Proportion of Black Students and Black Teachers , LeAnne Zaire

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Telehealth Mindful Parenting Training on Executive Function in Autistic Children and their Parents , Vanessa Zhou

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Investigating the Effects of Endurance of Marriage on the Relationship between Attachment and Love Style , Melissa Caris

Parental Accommodation as a Mediator of Parenting Style on Changes in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms , Jennifer Cataldi

Predicting First Responder Resilience: Investigating the Indirect Effect of Posttraumatic Cognitions through Coping Processes , Michael Dolezal

How Social Support Affects Career Adaptability through the Academic Career , Megan Fox

Longitudinal Trauma Treatment Outcomes in an Immigrant and Refugee Sample , Shuen-En Ho

Attachment, Trait Mindfulness, and Expectations in Married Women: A Moderated Mediation Model , Elizabeth Larson

Depression as a Moderator of the Relationship between Perceived Injustice and Neuropsychological Performance Validity among Individuals Previously Diagnosed with a Concussion , Jeremiah Lum

Psychometrics of a Measure of Sexual Assault Coping Self-Efficacy: A Comparison of Across Age Groups , Thomas Pankau

Posttraumatic Cognitions as a Pathway from Resilience to Sleep in First Responders , Emily Peterman Cabano

Detachment and Antagonism as Moderators of Effects of Psychosocial Stressors on Emotional Distress in Daily Life , Christina My Quach

Development of the Sexual Shame Inventory , Jyssica Seebeck

School Violence and Suicidal Ideation: The Mediating Roles of Perceived School Safety and Substance Use Among Adolescents , Jordan Skalisky

Shame Proneness as a Vulnerability Factor for Negative Emotions in the Context of Interpersonal Stressors: An Experience Sampling Study , Oxana L. Stebbins

An Examination of the Role of Interpersonal Stressors and Attachment Style in Dissociative Experiences , Erin Verdi

Dissertations from 2020 2020

What Happens When Youth Talk About Their Problems? Co-Rumination as a Mechanism of Stress Generation , Jaclyn T. Aldrich

Moderation of Effects of Anxiety on Verbal and Visuospatial Short-Term Memory in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Rachael Arowolo

Impacts of Motor and Sensory Impairment on Language in Young Children with Autism , Elizabeth A. Bisi

Psychometric Evaluation of the Calling and Vocation Questionnaire-Revised (CVQ-R) and Calling and Vocation Questionnaire-10 Item (CVQ-10) , Caitlin Coyer

An Integrated Analysis of the Mechanisms by Which Parents Facilitate the Development of Emotion Regulation in Young Adolescents , Andrew Fox

Examining the Factors that Mediate the Relationship from Legal Advocacy Satisfaction to Resilience , Desta T. Gebregiorgis

The Costs of COVID-19: Loneliness, Coping, and Psychological Distress in the United States Population , Lauren Hammond

Autism and Externalizing Behaviors: Attachment as a Protective Factor , Rebecca Kramer

Generalized Anxiety Symptoms and Interpersonal Self-Perceptions During Stressors: A Prospective Examination of Psychological and Biological Stress , Jamie A. Lewis

Parent Emotion Coaching and Affect Recognition in Theory of Mind in Autism Spectrum Disorder , Audrey L. O'Connor

The Missing Moral Dimension: Perceptions of Transgressions and the Moderating Role of Moral Foundations on Psychological Distress , Hannah Reas

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms as a Moderator of Affective Reactions to Perceived Interpersonal Behaviors , Narayan B. Singh

Posttraumatic Growth in the Context of Grief: Testing the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory , Honey Williams

Trauma Exposure, Depressive Symptoms, and Responding to Positive Events and Affect in Young Adults , Jana DeSimone Wozniak

Dissertations from 2019 2019

The Impact of Trauma Experience, Adverse Early Circumstances and Unit Cohesion on Posttraumatic Growth in Active Duty Service Members , John Charleson

Cognitive Functioning, Depression, and Strengths as Predictors of Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis , Tara Annthea Crouch

The Roles of Pragmatic Language and Theory of Mind in the Adaptive Communication Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Taja Estrada

Campus Shootings: Does Religious Faith and Relationship with Victims Affect Psychological Well-Being? , Melissa J. Gowen

Attachment and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Adolescence: Exploring the Mediating Role of Physiological Self-Regulation Capacity , Michelle A. Kuhn

The Effect of a Substance Use Intervention on Co-occurring Adolescent Depression Symptoms , Elizabeth Ann Lehinger PhD

The Effect of Substance Use on the Relationship between PTSD Symptom Clusters and Suicide in Adolescents , Lindsay S. Moore

Emotional Clarity in Young Adults: Operationalization, Measurement, and Associations with Mental Health Outcomes , Madeline D W Noland

Examining Depression Symptoms, Parental Stress, and Dispositional Mindfulness in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Tracey Ward

RSA in Young Adults: Identifying Naturally-Occurring Response Patterns and Correlates , Brittany K. Willey

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Examining the Interaction between Stress Exposure and Stress Reactivity as Predictors of Reward Sensitivity and Anhedonia Symptoms , Joshua Ahles

The Impact of Bully Victimization and Substance Use on Suicidal Behavior in Sexual Minority Youth , Ashley Christine Estoup

The Role of Joint Attention in Pragmatic Language Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , Ellen F. Geib

Investigating the Effects of Adult Insecure Attachment on Interpersonal Attraction , Fiona B. Kurtz Ms.

A Grounded Theory Qualitative Research Approach to Understanding Enduring Marriage , Heather Lucas

Examining the Moderating Role of Anxiety Symptoms on Insistence on Sameness in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Wayne Eric Mason Jr

Physiological Activation as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Perseverative Cognition and Somatic Symptoms , Karly M. Murphy

Examining the Interacting Effects of Marital Role Salience and Satisfaction on Mental Health Trajectories of Female Expatriates , Kaitlin M. Patton

Sexual Violence and Legal Advocacy: Psychometric Evaluation of the Legal Advocacy Services Satisfaction Survey , Joanne K. Sparrow

The Association of Attachment and Marital Satisfaction Mediated by Implicit Theories of Relationships , Sadie Teal

Summer Treatment Program for ADHD and ASD: The Role of Physical Activity, Sleep and Inhibitory Control , Erin G. Underbrink

A program evaluation of ZGiRLS: The role of cognitive emotion regulation in predicting mental health outcomes in adolescent girls , Julie Vieselmeyer

Dissertations from 2017 2017

Risky Sex and Alcohol-Related Behaviors and Cognitions in Adolescents: Evaluating a Values-Based Intervention , Meredith K. Chapman

The Etiology and Phenomenology of Sexual Shame: A Grounded Theory Study , Noel Clark

The Effect of Emotional Vulnerability and Invalidation on Emotion Dysregulation in Early Adolescence: An Empirical Investigation of Linehan’s Biosocial Theory of Borderline Personality Disorder , Sarah Crystal

The Effectiveness of Text Coaching on Substance Use Treatment Outcomes in Adolescence , Emily Hu

Sexual Assault Coping Self-efficacy as Moderated by Legal Advocacy Social Support , Clara Jane Roberts

The Relationship Between Trauma and Well-Being: Moral Emotions in Sex-Trafficked Women , Gina M. Scarsella

Dissertations from 2016 2016

Internalizing Symptoms: Relations to Executive Functions in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Jessica L. Berg

Ecosystemic Effects of Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members and Veterans , Jessica A. Carlile

International Interests and Psychological Well-Being Following Global Service Learning as a Function of Sociocultural Adaptation and Cultural Distance , Elizabeth C. Dykhouse

Stress and Somatic Symptoms: Rumination and Negative Affect as Moderators , Melissa Joy Garner

Integrating Cognitive Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Trait Affect and Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Affect Amplification , Kaitlin A. Harding

Brooding, Avoidance, and Suppression as Mechanisms Linking Shame-Proneness with Depressive Symptoms , Melissa Rose Hudson

Courage, Psychological Well-being, and Somatic Symptoms , Christopher J. Keller

The Role of Emotional Distress in Predicting Opiate Analgesic Medication Use in Chronic Pain Patients , Amy E. Kupper

Temperament and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia as Contributors to Externalizing Behavior Among Early Adolescents , Tyler Laney Ph.D.

Impact of Situational Context on Gratitude and its Affective Outcomes , Adam P. McGuire

Does Use of Neutralization Techniques Predict Delinquency and Substance Use Outcomes? , Erin C. Siebert

Psychometric Evaluation of the Offender Coping Self-Efficacy Scale in the Context of Incarceration and Upon Re-entry , Minhdan Thuy Ta

Queers in the Hands of a Loving God: God Image, Strength of Faith, and Campus Climate in Predicting Self-Stigma , Sage Liam Willis

Dissertations from 2015 2015

Adaptive Functioning Deficits and Internalizing Problems in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , Hayley A. Dauterman

The Relation of Hyperactivity to Parenting Stress within the Parent-Child Relationship in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , Heather Davis

Negative Cognitive Style, Rumination, and Negative Emotionality as Mediators of the Antidepressive Effects of Physical Activity Among Young Adults , Kara Pegram

Examining the Relationship between Forgiveness and Subjective Well-Being as Moderated by Implicit Religiousness and Spirituality , Jessica Peterson

The ABCs of stress responding: Examining the time course of affective, biological, and cognitive responses to induced stress as prospective predictors of depressive symptoms , Marissa Erin Rudolph

Behavioral Health among Asian American and Pacific Islanders: The Impact of Acculturation and Receipt of Behavioral Health Services on Depression and Anxiety , Mari E. Yamamoto

Perspectives on a Positive Youth Development Environment for Youth with Developmental Disabilities in 4-H , Megan E. Zurawski

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Thesis and Dissertation Format for Clinical Psychology

Proposal draft, proposal meeting, final draft, cover letter.

• Defense Meetings

Students are required to prepare a detailed proposal for their theses and dissertations. Generally, the proposals will include an extensive literature search,  rationale for their projects, and specific hypotheses. The methodology will detail all of the procedures that are to be utilized, including instruments, proposed participants, and a summary of the statistical procedures to be utilized.

Although the proposals need to be detailed and cover relevant background information and procedures to be utilized, the final thesis and dissertation projects should be in the format of a journal article. The Clinical Section utilizes a journal submission format because students who successfully complete our graduate program in Clinical Psychology are expected to demonstrate a wide range of competencies in research domains. Although not all of our students intend to move on to a professional position in research or academia, our department currently strives to prepare all students for this option; in addition, such training is consistent with and expected in a Scientist Practitioner model of training. Specific guidelines for the format of the thesis and dissertation include the following:

The standard proposal format requires the student to demonstrate comprehensive and critical review of the research that serves as a foundation for their study. As proposed projects may be outside of committee members’ areas of expertise, an extensive review of the theoretical and empirical literature may be necessary to evaluate the merits and needs of project hypotheses and design.

Students will initiate their 2-hour proposal meeting with a short presentation (10-15 minutes). This is to allow sufficient time for critique and discussion by the committee about the proposed project. The student and their mentor should take careful note of committee members’ critiques, concerns, and requested revisions during the proposal meeting so that the student can formally respond to these issues at the time of the defense meeting (see below). Prior to the close of the proposal meeting, the student’s mentor should confirm with committee members which of these issues are necessary for the student to address as they proceeds with the project and prepares the final draft to submit to the committee.

The final draft of thesis and dissertation projects will be formatted as a manuscript prepared for publication. Students will format sections, content, and citations using APA publication guidelines for submitted manuscripts. Final drafts will vary in length from student to student; however, overall length will fall within a range appropriate to journal submission requirements in the student’s area of research. At the very least, this will require more succinct introduction, discussion, and reference sections relative to the proposal document. In the methods section, students should include the level of methodological detail that would be necessary for publication of the study in a peer-reviewed journal. The results section may remain more comprehensive than a typical journal manuscript, as students should include a comprehensive review of all statistical strategies used in order to test research hypotheses, including initial analysis of data and statistical test assumptions.

In addition to the traditional manuscript format, final drafts to the committee will include additional content areas as Appendices. The additional sections may be removed or revised upon final preparation for submission for publication outside the university. Appendix sections are listed below.

• Introduction : If deemed necessary by the committee, the student may include an Appendix (A) to the submitted document, which would address shortcomings in the proposal introduction that were identified by the committee and that cannot be addressed in a shorter manuscript (e.g., a review of an important issue that had been neglected by the student in the proposal draft, a rewrite of a particular section of the original proposal that does not fit into the flow of the final manuscript’s introduction, a complete rewrite of the original proposal introduction).
• Methods : Copies of the instruments used in the study and detailed review of psychometric properties of instruments used in the study should be placed in Appendix B. Before submitting the document to the College of Arts and Sciences, however, copyrighted measures will need to be removed from the Appendix.
• Statistical Analyses : Supplemental, post-hoc, and exploratory analyses can appear as Appendix C to the document. The student and their mentor can decide which supplemental statistical analyses can be placed in the body of the document and which can appear as Appendix C.
• Limitations . Students will include an examination of project limitations and their potential impact on the results. If there are limitations to the study that warrant discussion during the dissertation defense but, due to journal style, may not be presented in a detailed way in the main body of the defense document, the student can either orally present a detailed examination of study limitations during their defense meeting and/or opt to include a longer limitations section as an Appendix (E) to the main document.
• Tables & Figures . Tables and figures should be submitted as separate documents attached to the draft of the manuscript text. Titles and footnotes should be included with the tables and figures and not on a separate page.

Students should also note that additional formatting may be necessary before submitting the final draft to Arts and Sciences. Please refer to the A&S website for specific formatting instructions.

In addition to the defense document described above, the student should provide each committee member with a cover letter, in which they addresses the committee members’ critiques, concerns, and requested revisions that were raised during the proposal meeting. The format of the letter should list, point by point, the specific critique, concern, or requested revision, and the specific way in which the student has addressed or will address the issue (e.g., specific places in the defense document that address an issue, changes to the methodology, additional hypotheses that were tested, indicating the concern will be discussed during the defense meeting presentation rather than in the written document).

Defense Meeting

The defense meeting format will differ from the proposal meeting in length (2½ hours), presentation requirement, and audience present.

Defense meetings will include a longer presentation from the student (approximately 45 minutes) about their project and will take a format similar to a job talk or colloquium presentation, followed by oral examination/questions from the committee regarding the project and document. Students are encouraged to use Powerpoint or other visual aids as part of their presentation. Students are reminded that during their presentation they can provide details beyond that provided in their defense document. For example, a student may choose to respond to an issue raised at the proposal meeting during their defense presentation rather than in the submitted document.

For dissertation and thesis projects, meetings will be open to the public during the presentation and questioning. Non-committee members will have the opportunity to ask questions of the student following completion of committee questions.

Students are advised to consider that, although their written document is much shorter, they are still likely to have to answer detailed questions about rationale for study, methodology, statistical analyses, and discussion/ implications/limitations of their study.

Following questions, committee members will conduct a closed evaluation of the student, dismissing both the student and the audience during this process.

Students defending their dissertation and thesis will need to schedule their defense meeting and submit their document to committee members at least two weeks in advance. At this time, students must also submit a proposal announcement form to the Chair of Graduate Studies, who will post the time, date, and location of the meeting via e-mail and in department and college postings.

Dissertations & Publications

• Recently Completed Ph.D. Dissertations
• Recent Ph.D. Student Publications

2019-2020 Dissertations

Content Analysis of Spiritual Life in Contemporary USA, India, and China (Elsa Lau, 2019; Sponsor: Lisa Miller, PhD)

Symptom Networks of Common Mental Disorders in an Adult Primary Care Sample in India (Cemile Ceren Sonmez 2019; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)

Differences in Maternal Behaviors Affecting Child Health Status in Probably Depressed and Non-Depressed Mothers in Rural Uganda (Arielle Jean Pierre 2020; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)

Examining Social Networks of Infant and Young Child Caregiving in Uganda and Its Association with Maternal Depression (Chien-Wen (Jen) Kao; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)

Context Sensitivity: A Prognostic Patient Characteristic for Digital Psychotherapy (Thomas Derrick Hull; Sponsor: George A. Bonanno, PhD)

Psychological Adjustment to Disability: Heterogeneous Trajectories of Resilience and Depression Following Physical Impairment or Amputation (Jed McGiffin; Sponsor: George A. Bonanno, PhD)

The Structure of Mental Health in Haiti: A Latent Class Analysis of Common Mental Disorders, Severe Mental Disorders, Neurological Conditions, Clinical Symptoms, and Functional Impairment (Larissa Portnoff; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)

2018 - 2019

The Psychological Factors and Neural Substrates Associated with Metacognition among Community-Dwelling and Neurologic Cohorts of Older Adults (Leigh Colvin, 2019, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Yoga and Self-Psychology: An Open Trial Pilot Study (Jennifer Drapkin, 2019, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

Sex, Dishonesty, and Psychotherapy (Melanie Love, 2019, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

In-session Predictors of Self-harm Behavior in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (David Lynch, 2019, Sponsor: Randall Richardson, Ph.D.)

Linguistic Context Sensitivity as a Predictor of Prolonged Grief Symptoms (Catherine Stolove, 2019, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

Perseveration and Health: An Experimental Examination of Worry and Relaxation on Autonomic, Endocrine, and Immunological Processes (Megan Renna, 2019, Sponsor: Douglas Mennin, Ph.D.)

Demographic and Psychiatric Correlates of Suicide Attempt in a Nationally Representative Sample (Adam Rossi, 2019, Sponsor: Randall Richardson, Ph.D.)

Intrinsic Spirituality and Acute Stress: Neural Mechanisms Supporting the Relationship Between Spirituality and Reduced Stress Responsivity (Clayton McClintock, 2019, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

2017 - 2018

Best Self Visualization Method: Clinical Implications and Physiological Correlates (Lorne Schussel, 2018, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

Client Engagement in Psychotherapy: The Roles of Client and Beginning Therapist Attachment Styles (Nicole Yoskowitz, 2018, Sponsor: Lena Verdeli)

Adolescent Depression and Suicidality in the USA: A Look at YRBS Profiles and Health Risk Behaviors as Predictors in the Past 10 Years (Bryan Cheng, 2018, Sponsor: Lena Verdeli, Ph.D.)

The Centrality of Sadness: Networks of Depression, Grief, and Trauma Symptoms in a Spousally Bereaved Sample (Matteo Malgaroli, 2018, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

Measuring Change in Social Communication Behaviors: Reliability, Validity, and Application (Rebecca Grzadzinski, 2018, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D., Catherine Lord, Ph.D.)

Trained, Peer Mentorship and Veteran Support Organization Membership to Assist Transitioning Veterans: A Multi-arm, Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial (A Preliminary Investigation) (Joseph Geraci, 2018, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

Resilience and Psychopathology among Homeless Young Women (Marina Mazur, 2018, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

Self-Concealment, Psychological Flexibilty and Severity of Eating Disorders (Zoe White, 2018, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

A Qualitative Investigation of Psychotherapy Clients' Perceptions of Positive Regard (Jessi Suzuki, 2018, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

2016 - 2017

Factors Impacting Psychological and Health Outcomes in Mothers and Infants Following NICU Hospitalization of the Infant (Jenny Lotterman, 2017, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

Investigating the Mental Health Needs of Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in Removal Proceedings: A Mixed Methods Study (Charlie Baily, 2017, Sponsor: Lena Verdeli, Ph.D.) 

Chemotherapy for Cancer and the Aging Brain: Blessing or Burden? (Ruth Morin, 2017, Sponsor: Liz Midlarsky, Ph.D.)

Concealment of Suicidal Ideation in Psychotherapy (Matt Blanchard, 2017, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

A Qualitative Investigation of the Nature of 'Informal Supervision' Among Therapists-in-Training (Sidney Coren, 2017, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

The Relationship of Attachment to Religiosity, Spirituality, and Mindfulness in Secular and Religious Populations in Israel (Ellie Cobb, 2017, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Spirituality, Character and Spiritual Development in Middle School Adolescents in Israel: A Longitudinal Study of Positive Development (Ariel Kor, 2017, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

Loneliness and Emotional Flexibility Deficits in Bereavement (Oscar Yan, 2017, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

2015 – 2016

Measuring Ability to Enhance And Suppress Emotional Expression: The Flexible Expression Regulation Ability Scale. (Charles Burton, 10/2016, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

Expressive Flexibility and Affective Flexibility and the Effects of Practice and Feedback Instructions. (Zhoying Zhu, 10/2016, Sponsor: George Bonnano, Ph.D.)

Yoga and Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (Sarah Zoogman, 10/2016, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

2014 – 2015

The Relationship Between Sibling Relationship Quality and Psychological Outcomes in Emerging Adulthood. (Ashley Kronen Marotta, 10/2015, Sponsor: Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)

Social Preference Among Affluent Middle School Students: Implications for Short-Term and Long-Term Adjustment. (David Rowe, 10/2015, Sponsor: Suniya Luthar, Ph.D.)

2013 – 2014

Patient Change Trajectories over a Year of Psychoanalytic Therapy and Psychoanalysis. (Alex Behn, 10/2014, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

The Impact of Emotional Distress on Cognitve Performance in Borderline Personality Disorder. (Sarah Bellovin-Weiss, 10/2014, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

The Role of Relatedness and Expressive Flexibility in the Prediction of Complicated Grief. (Monica Brooker, 10/2013, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

The Investigation of Helping Behavior in the Virtual World. (Debaki Chakrabarti, 10/2013, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)

Association between Adversity and Prosociality in Children Exposed to Trauma in Four Sites in West Africa. (Monica Ghailian, 10/2013, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

The Effects of Shared Reality on Educational Experience and Regulation. (Valery Hazanov,10/2014, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Spirituality and Depression in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse. (Martha Jacobs, 10/2014, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

Interpersonal Religious Struggles within Orthodox Jewish Families in Israel. (Steven Pirutinsky, 10/2014, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)

Interpersonal Distress and Interpersonal Problems Associated with Depression. Bonita Schneider, 2/2014, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

Psychological Distress among mothers of young children in rural Uganda and its association with child health and nutritional status. (Eleni Vousoura, 6/2014, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

Predictors of Obesity in Adults: The Roles of Demographic Factors, Body Dissatisfaction, Depression and Life Stress. (Dmitri Young , 10/2013, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)

In the Moment; Prenatal Mindful Awareness and its’ Relationship to Depression, Anxiety, and Birth Experience. (Sara Zoeterman, 2/2014, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

2012 – 2013

Neuropsychological Test Performance and Other Predictors of Adult Outcome in a Prospective Follow-up Study of Children with ADHD. (Erica Roizen, 10/2012, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

The Expression and Regulation of Sadness in Complicated Grief. (Ashley Bullock, 10/ 2012, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

The Impact of Outness and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Formation on Mental Health. (Sarah Feldman, 10/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Religious Affiliation and Gender: Differences in the Association Between Religiousness and Psychological Distress. (Joseph McGowan, 10/2012, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)

Effects of Exposure to Parental Divorce on the Sibling Relationship in Emerging Adults. (George Nitzburg 10/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

The Temperament-Psychopathology Link; How Does Difficult Temperament Predict Risk for and Presentation of Major Depression Among Offspring at High and Low Risk for Depression. (Brian Sherman, 10/2012, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

2011 – 2012

Investigating Objective Markers of ADHD across Development: Micromovements and Reaction Time Variability. (David Anderson, 10/2011, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Attitudes Towards the Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression Among South Asian Muslim Americans. (Sadia Chaudhury , 10/2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

Relational Spirituality in Adolescents: Exploring Associations with Demographics, Parenting Style, Religiosity, and Psychopathology. (Alethea Desrosiers ,10/2011, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

That’s Not What Your Friends Say: Does Self-Reported Post Traumatic Growth Translate into Friend Ratings of Improvement? (Laura Goorin, 10/2011, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

Anger Expression and Adaptation to Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Role of Disclosure Context. (Sumati Gupta, 10/2011, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

A Pilot Fidelity Study of Listen-Empathize-Agree- Partner (LEAP) with Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Mental Health Clinicians. (Mia Ihm, 5/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Effects of Parental or Caregiver Death Prior to Age Eighteen on Depressive Symptoms and Grief Following Miscarriage. (Anitha Iyer- Kothari, 10/2011, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Affective Cultural Countertransference Reactions to Asian American Clients: A Mixed Methods Study. (Sherrie Kim, 5/2012,  Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Community Impact of Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy in Rural Uganda. (Eric Lewandowski, 10/2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

Religiosity and Depression: A Ten Year Follow-up of Offspring at High and Low Risk Depression. (Mia Sage, 10/2011, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

The Experienced Self and Others Scale: A Technique for Assaying the Experience of One’s Self in Relation to the Other. (Erel Shvil, 10/2011,  Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D. )

Patterns of Symptom Improvement among Depressed Adolescents Treated with Interpersonal Psychotherapy Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST) in School Based Clinics. (Vijayeta Kumari Sinh, 10/2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

The Identity Formation of Psychotherapists in Training: A Dialectical and Personal Process. (Liat Caspi,  2/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D. )

2010 – 2011

Postpartum Flourishing: Motherhood as an Opportunity for Positive Growth and Self-Development. (Aurelie Athan, 2/2011, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

Mapping Longitudinal Trajectories of Adjustment Throughout College: A Latent Growth Mixture Model Approach. (Isaac Galatzer-Levy, 10/2010, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)

Spirituality and Depression in Gay Men and Gay Fathers: Understanding the Cultural Contradiction. (Justin Jones, 10/2010,  Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

Incorporating Evidence –Based Practices into Psychotherapy Training in Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Programs. (Rebecca Kennedy, 10/2010, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)

Factors Predicting Maternal Perceptions of Child’s Temperament in a Group of African-American and Dominican Women at Risk for Psychological Distress: Constructing a Model from Recalled Early Maternal Bonding, Adult Maternal Attachment and Maternal Demoralization. (Maria Beatriz Plaza, 10/2010, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)

Mindfulness and Self-Compassion in the Transition to Motherhood; A Prospective Study of Postnatal Mood and Attachment. (Jeanette Sawyer Cohen, 10/2010, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)

Grief and Depression Following Miscarriage: Examining Unique and Shared Correlates and Patterns of Change at Six Months Post-Loss. (Karen Shoum, 02/ 2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.) 

Blanchard, M. , & Farber, B. A. (2015). Lying in psychotherapy: Why and what clients don’t tell their therapist about therapy and their relationship. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 1-23.

Bonanno, G. A., & Malgaroli, M. (2020).  Trajectories of grief: Comparing symptoms from the DSM‐5 and ICD‐11 diagnoses.  Depression and anxiety ,  37 (1), 17-25.

Cobb, E.F., Kor, A. , & Miller, L.M. (2015). Support for adolescent spirituality: Contributions of religious practice and trait mindfulness. Journal of Religion and Health, 54 (3), 862-870.

Coren, S.  (2015). Understanding and Using Enactments to Further Clinical Work: A Case Study of a Man Unable to Experience Intimacy. Journal of clinical psychology, 71(5), 478-490.

Geraci, J. C., Mobbs, M., Edwards, E. R., Doerries, B., Armstrong, N., Porcarelli, R., Duffy, E., Loos, C. M., Kilby, D., Juanamarga, J., Cantor, G., Sutton, L., Sokol, Y., & Goodman, M. (2020). Expanded Roles and Recommendations for Stakeholders to Successfully Reintegrate Modern Warriors and Mitigate Suicide Risk.  Frontiers in psychology ,  11 , 1907.

Henry, B. F., Mandavia, A. D., Paschen-Wolff, M. M., Hunt, T., Humensky, J. L., Wu, E., ... & El-Bassel, N. (2020). COVID-19, mental health, and opioid use disorder: Old and new public health crises intertwine.  Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy ,  12 (S1), S111.

Mandavia, A. D., & Bonanno, G. A. (2019). When Natural Disaster Follows Economic Downturn: The Incremental Impact of Multiple Stressor Events on Trajectories of Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.  Disaster medicine and public health preparedness ,  13 (2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2018.12

Moorin, R.T.,  & Midlarsky, E. (2016). Social support, mastery, and psychological distress in black and white older adults. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 82, 209-228.

Suzuki, J. Y., Mandavia, A., & Farber, B. A. (2019). Clients’ perceptions of positive regard across four therapeutic orientations.  Journal of Psychotherapy Integration.  Advance online publication.

Sweetland, A. C., Norcini Pala, A., Mootz, J., Kao, J. C.-W., Carlson, C., Oquendo, M. A., Cheng, B., Belkin, G., & Wainberg, M. (2019). Food insecurity, mental distress and suicidal ideation in rural Africa: Evidence from Nigeria, Uganda and Ghana.  International Journal of Social Psychiatry ,  65 (1), 20–27.

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Phone: (212) 678-3267 Fax: (212) 678-8235

Email: shulevitz@tc.columbia.edu

Home > Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects > ALL-PROGRAMS > PSYC_CLINICAL_THESES

Clinical Psychology Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

An Exploration of Differences in Perceptions of Gerotranscendent Behaviors Between Younger and Older Adults , Gabrielle E. Anderson

Stress Levels of Bisexual Individuals in Mixed-Orientation Relationships , Amanda Bartley

Examining the Effects of a Behavioral Skills Training Package on the Emotional Regulation Skills of a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Kate Flynn

Age-Related Microaggressions: A Follow-Up Descriptive Study , Hannah M. Lewis

Development of a Reinforcer Assessment: A Measure of Potential Reinforcers in the Lives of Older Adults , Nicole A. Praska

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Examining the Effects of an Online Social Skills Program Targeting Emotional Regulation Skills for a Young Adult with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Single Case Study. , Danielle Curtis

Satanists’ Sexual Self-Concept , Samuel Danielson

The Expression of Satanist Identity: Does Visible Identification of Satanism Predict Discrimination and Depression? , Allyson Dudley

Age-Related Microaggressions: A Descriptive Study , Luke J. Gietzen

Examining Jealousy in Mixed-Orientation Relationships: An Experimental Vignette Study , Madison Marie Glende

Investigating Anxiety-Like Behavior as a Non-Motor Side Effect of Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus in a Parkinsonian Rat Model , Carter Mulder

Assessing the Appropriateness of the Cultural Formulation Interview in Conceptualizing Reverse Culture Shock , Katja Nielsen

Examining the Effects of an Online Group Social Skills Program on Emotion Regulation Skills for Adolescents and Young Adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder , Breanna Perron

An Investigation of the Perception of Elderspeak Among Community Dwelling Older Adults , Abby L. Teply

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Analyzing the Use of a Montessori-Based Activity & Its Effect on Engagement & Affect in Persons with Dementia: A Replication Study , Emilee J. Andersen

A Brief Zoom-Facilitated Mindful and Intuitive Eating Intervention to Decrease Disordered Eating , Jenna K. Anderson

The Effects of Therapist Expertise and Concerns of Involuntary Hospitalization on the Disclosure of Suicidal Ideations and Behavior , Zane Hensel

Therapist Multicultural Orientation: Client Perceptions of Cultural Humility, Sexual Identity, and the Working Alliance , Todd L. Jennings

Joint Religiosity Among Satanists as a Predicator of Sexual Satisfaction , Tayler M. Lyng

Comparing the Acceptability of Treatment Rationales for Two Psychotherapies , Marin Gail Olson

Understanding Resident-to-Resident Conflicts in Long Term Care Settings from the Perspective of Administrative Staff , John F. Walker

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Understanding Communication Dynamics in Group Home Setting , Jacinta O. Anyanwu

An Evaluation of a Brief Mindfulness and Values Training on Cyber Bullying Behavior in College Students , Emily M. Boduch

The Effects of Cognitive Training on Behavioral Functioning in Persons with Dementia , Abigail J. Dye

The Effects of a Cognitive Training Program for Healthy Older Adults: A Program Evaluation Study , Jacklyn Gehling

Sex Trafficking: A Systematic Review of Operational Definitions , Firdavs Khaydarov

An Investigation into the Perceptions of Elderspeak and How It Effects Mood Among an Assisted Living Population , Paige T. Shoutz

Assessing Preferences for Montessori-Based Activities in Persons with Memory Impairment , Katelyn Danielle Smith

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Assessing Facilitator Adherence for the Delivery of Cognitive Training Programs to Older Adults , Lydia Fry

Evaluation of a Cognitive Training Program and its Effects on Healthy Older Adults , Nathan Jensen

Using Behavioral Skills Training to Teach Children with Autism to Seek Help from Law Enforcement Officers When Lost , Greta Kos

Teacher Awareness and Perceptions of Social Media Use and Cyberbullying in Belize , Abbey Linderholm

Comparison Between Brief Acceptance and Cognitive Interventions: Assessing Public Speaking Performance in Socially-Anxious Individuals , Soultana Mpoulkoura

The Effects and Experiences of Stigma in the Minneapolis Strip Club Industry , Machensey Shelgren

Evaluating the Effects of a Stimulus Equivalence Protocol to Teach Bullying Identification to School-Aged Children , Courtney Sowle

Impact of Self-Determined Motivation on Work Behavior and Response to Cognitive Remediation in Individuals with Schizophrenia , Desmond Spann

The Effects of Elderspeak on the Mood of Older Adults with Dementia: A Preliminary Report , Kenia Torres-Soto

Working Conditions for Erotic Dancers: A Review of Health and Safety Concerns from a Minneapolis Based Needs Assessment , Alexander Twohy

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Evaluation of a Cognitive Training Program for Older Adults with Mild to Moderate Cognitive Decline , Kelly Bergstrom

Transgender Individuals among an Online Adult Baby Diaper Lover Community Sample: An Exploratory Study , Elizabeth Gibson

Evaluating Stigmatizing Attitudes among Clinicians Toward People with ABDL and Pedophilic Interests , Katlyn Hanson

Bullying in Senior Living Facilities: Resident Perspectives , Kathryn Ira

The Effects of a Cognitive Training Program for Cognitively Intact Older Adults , Caroline Kinskey

An Examination of Inattentional Blindness in Law Enforcement , Gregory Lee

Differences in the Perceptions of Gerotranscendence Between Certified Nursing Assistants and Older Adults , Amanda Perera

Motivations, Expectations and Experiences of Genital Piercings in the Transgender Community: An Exploratory Study , Haley Peterson

College Males' Attitudes Toward Sexually-Explicit Material: An Experimental Study , Cody Schulte

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Effect of Clinician Competence and Religiosity on the Trainee Clinician’s Ability to Identify Problematic Sexual Behavior , Cody Butcher

Developing the Family Involvement Questionnaire (FIQ): A Measure of Family Involvement in the Lives of Residents at Long-Term Care Facilities , Christopher Thomas Fast

The Effects of Pornography on Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men's Body Image: An Experimental Study , Neil Gleason

Gender Differences in Social Media Use and Cyberbullying in Belize , Grace Mariko Kasahara

A Survey Of Rewards For Teens: Extension, Replication, and 25-year Follow-up , Hunter King

Evaluation of a Mindfulness Intervention for Children with Emotion Regulation Difficulties , Stephanie Jo Pirsig

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Characteristics and How Social Support Plays a Role , Stephanie Smith-Kellen

Comparing Brief Acceptance and Control-Based Interventions: Evaluating Public Speaking Performance in Socially-Anxious Individuals , Samuel Spencer

Addressing Cognitive Decline: Evaluating the Effects of a Cognitive Training Program for Individuals with Mild to Moderate Cognitive Impairment , Katherine Ann Stypulkowski

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Parent Participation in Child Therapeutic Settings , Robert Doss

The Impact of Pornography on the Genital Body Image and Sexual Self-Efficacy of Female College Students , Monica Elizondo

An Analysis of Reinforcers Maintaining Caregiving Behaviors of Long-Term Care Facility Staff , Sandra Garcia

Mental Health of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Heterosexual, and Questioning Youth in Rural, Micropolitian, and Metropolitan Regions in Minnesota: Assessing Internalizing and Externalizing Self-report Behaviors , Jessica Louann Jorgenson

Perceptions of Female Sexual Pathology: The Role of Racial Biases in Clinical Decision Making , Jerusha Sanjeevi

Bullying in Senior Living Facilities: A Qualitative Study , Felicia Jo VandeNest

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Treating Public Speaking Anxiety: A Comparison of Exposure and Video Self-Modeling , Emily Marie Bartholomay

Evaluation of a Home Visiting Program Aimed at Facilitating Refugee and Immigrant Children's Acclimation and Development , Laurie Lynn Grad

Efficacy of a Cognitive Training Program for Individuals with Moderate Cognitive Impairment: Evaluating Cognition , Erica Catherine Johnson

Behavioral Implications of a Cognitive Training Program for Individuals with Moderate Cognitive Impariment , Joseph L.D. Kennedy

The Relationship Between Sexual Functioning and Sleep Quality in A Female Undergraduate Student Sample , Alexander Kuka

The Effect of Clinician Hardiness on Posttraumatic Growth and Trauma based on Vicarious Trauma Exposure , Maria Anne Stevens

Hook Up Culture: Changing the Structure of Future Relationships? , Elise Woik

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Symptom Severity, Treatment Acceptability, and Motivational Predictors Related to Patient Improvement for Insomnia , Shelby Marie Afflerbach

The Effects of Geriatric Sexual Orientation on Caregiver Reactions to Resident Sexual Behavior Within Long-Term Care Facilities , Andrew Jonathan Ahrendt

The Difference in Perception of Gerotranscendence between College Students and Healthy, Community-Dwelling Older Adults , Duc Viet Lai

The Influence of Father-Child Relationship on Adolescents' Mental Health , Yea Seul Pyun

The Initial Response and Behavioral Patterns Exhibited by an Officer to a Weapon being drawn in a Traffic Stop Simulation , Samantha Josephine Tupy

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

The Efficacy of the Girls on the Run Program to Improve Self-Worth, Body Image, and Behavioral and Emotional Functioning: A Longitudinal Study , Morgan Marie Ames

The Use of Video Self-Modeling to Treat Public Speaking Anxiety , Alicia Kruger

Role of Health Behaviors in Sexual Quality of Life Among Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Survivors , Keagan Lee McPherson

Empirical Evaluation of a Home Visiting Intervention Targeting Immigrant and Refugee Children , Jenna Marie Miller

The Puzzle of Paradoxical Insomnia , Kristina Peltz

Differences between Core and Animal Reminder Disgust Elicitation on a Core Disgust Avoidance Task--A Replication with Modifications , Matthew Schumann

The Use of Applications on Mobile Devices in a Midwestern Population , Sherry Werkmeister

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Devaluing Sex to Cope with Anxiety: A Comparative Investigation of Sexual Delay Discounting with High and Low Socially Phobic Populations , Miranda N. Bretz

Internal Consistency of the Self-Perception Profile for Children: Using Covariance Structure Modeling to Overcome the Limitations of Cronbach's α , Ian Cero

Memory Priming in Elderly Individuals Diagnosed with Dementia , Jessica Lee Deselms

The BackPack Food Program's Effects on Self-Reported Hunger and On-Task Behavior , Meghan E. Ecker

An Examination of the Social Acceptability of Elderspeak by College Students and Community Dwelling Older Adults , Kasie Lynn Hummel

Determining Musical Preferences in Persons with Dementia: Comparing Caregiver Options to Stimulus Preference Assessment , Eva Christine Igler

Trust in the Mentor-Youth Relationship and its Correlates with Frequency of Contact, Parental Involvement, and Academic Improvements , Emily Jane Ness

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Evaluating Changes in Families with Members on Military Deployment , Jill Brink

A Multi-Method Approach to Risk Assessment among Women with Sexual Abuse Histories , Susan Elizabeth Drevo

The Illusion of Transparency and Public Speaking: A Study of Social Anxiety , Chelsea Gloth

The Effects of Amount of Contact, Relationship Quality, and Types of Activities on Child Social and Emotional Functioning in a Youth Mentoring Program , Dorothy Maria Lipski

A Functional Analysis of Elderspeak Use by Certified Nursing Assistants in Caregiving Situations , Nathaniel Joseph Lombardi

An Evaluation of Factors Leading to Mentor Satisfaction , Shannon Marie Martin

An Application of a High-P Low-P Procedure to Improve Recall Memory in Elderly Patients with Mild to Moderate Cognitive Impairment , Dawn Amber Seefeldt

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Distractors Identified Through Stimulus Preference Assessment Versus Caregiver Opinion , Jonathan Steele

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UCL Doctorate In Clinical Psychology

Guidelines for Writing and Presenting the Thesis

The DClinPsy thesis has two volumes. The major research project forms Volume 1; Volume 2 contains the four case reports and the service-related research report. These guidelines describe what goes into each part of the thesis and how it all fits together. They mostly focus on Volume 1, which is covered in the following section; the later section on layout and formatting covers both volumes.

What goes in Volume 1

Volume 1, the research component of the thesis, has a three-part structure, consisting of a literature review paper, an empirical paper and a critical appraisal. In addition, from June 2018 onwards, UCL regulations stipulate that the thesis should contain a brief (≤500 words)  Impact Statement , explaining how the work in the thesis could be put to beneficial use inside and outside of academia.

The first two parts (the literature review and the empirical paper) are in the form of papers that might be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal; the third part (the critical appraisal) is not intended for publication, but aims to give you an opportunity to reflect critically on the research that you carried out. Each part is described below.

There will inevitably be some overlap between each of the three parts: for example, the introduction section of the empirical paper may partly be condensed from the literature review paper, and the critical appraisal may address in greater detail some of the issues raised in the discussion section of the empirical paper. However, overlap should generally be minimal, and the same sentences should not normally be repeated in different parts of the thesis.

The regulations state that the length of the research thesis shall be approximately 25,000 words, with a maximum of 40,000 words; there is no minimum word count. We suggest that you aim for about 20,000 to 25,000 words. Conciseness of expression is greatly valued by the examiners, who may require overly wordy theses to be shortened.

We strongly encourage you to start writing drafts of your thesis early on, as this is an essential way to clarify your thoughts. It is a bad idea to leave a lot of the writing until late in the project, since this usually leads to a rushed, poor quality thesis.

Part 1. Review paper

The review paper (of approximately 8,000 words not including tables and references) is a focused review of a body of literature relevant to the research topic. It is not necessary to address the literature for every aspect of your empirical study (the introduction section of your empirical paper will provide the necessary background). The review paper should either be a stand-alone paper in its own right, which should pose a question and then systematically examine the empirical literature that addresses that question OR a Conceptual Introduction which reviews the evidence in a more narrative fashion. Guidance for both formats is avaiable on this website.

The structure that follows is for the stand alone paper - for a conceptual introduction you are free to organise it how you wish (see suggestions in the more detailed guidance in the Literature Review section of the website here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/clinical-psychology-doctorate/guidance-conceptual-... ):

• A structured Abstract (of about 200 words), with headings of Aims, Method, Results, Conclusions. It should specify the number of papers reviewed.
• The Introduction gives the background to the topic and ends with a clearly specified question that the review will address.
• The Method section specifies the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies to be reviewed and the search strategy for locating them. The latter should indicate which databases you used, with which search terms, and specify other search limits, e.g. date or publication type. You should also describe how you narrowed down the studies from the initial (usually large) number of hits generated by the search to the final set of studies that you focus on. The steps in the narrowing down process are usually illustrated by a flowchart.
• The Results section reviews the assembled studies. It is usually helpful to include a table listing their important characteristics and findings. The review should not be simply descriptive; it should weigh up the evidence, taking into account the methodological soundness of the studies, and take a critical perspective on the evidence base as a whole. It is often helpful to use a structured critical appraisal checklist -- there are several in the literature (see the list on Moodle).
• The Discussion section addresses what can be concluded from the body of studies reviewed. It should draw on the methodological critique of the studies in order to evaluate the quality of the evidence. It should also address the limitations of the review, draw any clinical implications and make suggestions for further research (that may, by remarkable coincidence, bear considerable similarity to the empirical project reported in the second part of the thesis).
• The References.
• Any appendices are placed at the end of Volume 1 (see section below on layout).

One model for the stand-alone paper style of this part of the thesis is articles in  Clinical Psychology Review . You could also look at any theoretical or review article in other clinical psychology journals. However, these published review papers, particularly those in prestigious journals, are usually much more ambitious in terms of quantity, scope and method than is possible within the constraints of the DClinPsy.

Part 2. Empirical paper

The empirical paper (of approximately 8,000 words not including tables and references) reports on your study. Its structure follows the usual research article format, although the length of each section will vary according to the nature of the project, and additional detail may need to be provided in the Method or Results sections (or in an Appendix). You can model it on papers in any mainstream peer-reviewed clinical psychology journal, e.g. the  British Journal of Clinical Psychology  or the  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , or a specialist journal in your particular research area. As a rough guide, each of the four main sections is usually in the range of about 1,500 to 2,500 words, with the Results section usually being longer than the other three. The structure is as follows:

• A structured  Abstract  (of about 200 words), with headings of Aims, Method, Results, Conclusions.
• Introduction . A brief review of the literature, which shows the flow of ideas leading to your research questions. The rationale for the study should be clearly articulated. The Introduction ends with your research questions or hypotheses.
• Method . A description of participants, procedures, design and measures. The methods should be described in sufficient detail to enable the reader to understand what was done and potentially to be able to replicate the study. For quantitative studies, the statistical power analysis should normally be reported. Descriptions of measures need to include sample items, response options, scoring methods and psychometric properties. There will also be a section on ethics, saying where approval was obtained and discussing any ethical issues in the study. For confidentiality reasons, no names of services where participants were recruited should be given.
• Results . The findings and any statistical analyses should be presented with the aid of tables and, if necessary, figures. It should be possible for the reader to evaluate the data from which your conclusions are drawn. Qualitative papers will include quotes to illustrate each of the themes.
• Discussion . An examination of the research questions in the light of the results obtained and the methods used. It will interpret the findings in the context of the research questions and the wider theoretical context in which the work was carried out, including a consideration of alternative explanations, methodological limitations and reasons for unexpected results. It will conclude with a discussion of the scientific and professional implications of the findings.
• References . A list of all references cited.

Part 3. Critical appraisal

The final part of the thesis (of approximately 3,000 to 5,000 words not including tables and references) is intended to encourage critical reflection on the whole process of doing the research. Its structure and content are more flexible than those of the other two parts. You could, for example, discuss how your previous experiences or theoretical orientation might have influenced how you set about the study, how the process of doing the research might have modified your views (it is often helpful to draw on your research journal here), how you dealt with any dilemmas or methodological choices that arose during the course of the study, and what you might have done differently and why. You could also include an expanded discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the study, its clinical and scientific implications, and future directions for research (depending on how extensively each of these areas is covered in the discussion section of the empirical paper). It is essential, however, to ensure that all important points are mentioned in your empirical paper first – this is not the place to introduce significant limitations of the study or different ways of interpreting the findings. Whilst it is less formal than the other two parts, the critical appraisal should not be overly personal; it should ideally be addressed to an audience of fellow researchers who might benefit from your considered thoughts about conducting the research.

All appendices are placed at the end of Volume 1. Include here any additional material related to the empirical study, or to the other two parts if needed. Essential material to append includes: the official letter giving ethical approval, sample letters to participants, participant information sheet, informed consent form, instruction sheets, questionnaires, interview schedules and any measures not in common use. Measures that are sensitive or copyrighted will eventually need to be removed. Raw data and computer printouts are not normally needed. However, for qualitative studies, examples of the procedures of analysis should be included.

Confidentiality and privacy

Once your thesis is completed it will effectively become a public document, available on the internet via the UCL's e-thesis repository (UCL Discovery). Therefore it is essential when presenting your work that your participants' right to confidentiality and privacy be upheld. In particular, students writing up small-N and qualitative studies should be especially careful to ensure that no participants are identifiable from the thesis.

Layout and formatting

The text should be double-spaced on plain, white A4 paper. Both sides of the paper may be used - you can choose whether to print the thesis single-sided or double-sided. Margins at the binding edge should be 4cm. The other margins (i.e. top, bottom and unbound side) should be 2.5cm. Remember, if you include a table or figure that uses a landscape page setup then the margins need to be adjusted accordingly, i.e. 4cm becomes the top margin.

Number pages on the bottom right or bottom centre of the page. Page 1 is the title page (although it looks tidier if you suppress the page numbering for that page only).

For general guidance on formatting, follow  APA style , as set out in the  APA Publication Manual  (7th edition). It is essential to use APA citation and referencing style (see the course document on Moodle), and also to lay out tables in APA format. Heading formats can depart slightly from APA style (e.g. you can use italicised headings, or adopt a numbering system if you wish): what is important is to adopt a systematic hierarchy of headings within each part of the thesis. Look at recent theses for models of layout and formatting (ask your UCL supervisor to recommend one or two). Pay meticulous attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation and format: poorly presented theses give an impression of carelessness and will be referred for revision.

The thesis is more easily readable if you left justify the text and use a standard font. We recommend Times New Roman 12 point or Arial 11 point for the main body of the text, although tables and figures can be set in a smaller font size if necessary, as long as they are readable. In accordance with APA style, the best way to indicate a new paragraph in double-spaced text is to indent its first word; there is then no need to leave a blank line between paragraphs.

Tables and figures are numbered (Table 1 etc.) and usually placed on their own separate pages, although smaller ones can be embedded in the text, usually just below the paragraph that first refers to them (in contrast to APA format for submitted journal articles, where the tables and figures are at the end of the paper).

Volume 1 is laid out in the following order:

• the  Title Page  gives the title (usually the same as that of the empirical paper), your name, and lower down on the page, the words "DClinPsy thesis (Volume 1), [year of submission]" and on the line below "University College London". The title page is justified as centred. You can use a slightly larger font if you wish.
• a  Signed Declaration  that the work presented is your own. The professional doctorate regulations specify that this be inserted right after the title page of the thesis There is a  declaration form  on the course website.
• an  Overview  (up to 250 words), giving a summary of the contents of all three parts of the thesis. (Note that this will ultimately be used by the library to catalogue your thesis, and it will form part of the meta-data that will be seen first by people searching for your thesis.)
• an  Impact Statement  that describes, in no more than 500 words, how the expertise, knowledge, analysis, discovery or insight presented in your thesis could be put to a beneficial use. Please see  guidance  from the UCL Doctoral School on this.
• the  Table of Contents  covers all three parts of Volume 1, including the appendices, and gives a separate list of tables and figures.
• the  Acknowledgements  page mentions everyone whose contribution to the work you wish to recognise.
• Part 1  (the literature review) with a title page and abstract (both on separate pages) and references. The title page should say “Part 1: Literature Review” and then give the title of the review paper on a separate line.
• Part 2  (the empirical paper) with a title page and abstract (both on separate pages) and references. The title page should say “Part 2: Empirical Paper” and then give the title of the empirical paper on a separate line. The text of the main body of the paper should run continuously: the main sections (Methods, Results, Discussion) should not start on new pages. Tables and figures should be numbered afresh for the empirical paper, so the first table in the empirical paper is Table 1, even if there is also a Table 1 in the literature review.
• Part 3  (the critical appraisal) with a title page (just saying “Part 3: Critical Appraisal”), and references.
• the  Appendices , each with their own title page. (There’s no need to number the pages within the appendices if this is fiddly.) There is only one set of appendices for all of Volume 1, placed at the end of the volume. They are numbered in the order in which they appear in the thesis. (If there is only one appendix, just call it Appendix, with no number.)

If your research is part of a joint project (e.g. with another trainee or with a PhD student), you must state this in the Overview and in the Method section of your empirical paper, and include an Appendix setting out each person’s contribution to the project. Please see the course document on  submission of joint theses .

Volume 2 (no longer submitted but you should assemble it as a document as follows)

Volume 2 begins with a title page, which says "Case Reports and Service-Related Research Project", then lists on separate lines your name, "D.Clin.Psy. thesis (Volume 2), [year of submission]" and "University College London". On the next page there is the table of contents, giving the full title, as below; there is no need to list tables and appendices. Then follows each of the four case reports and the service-related research report, in the order in which each was submitted. For case reports, the title page gives the submission number, your own title and the type of case report, e.g., Case report 4: "An angry young man" (Completed Clinical Intervention). For the service-related research it has the words "Service Related Research Report (submitted as Case Report x)"; the title of the report is then listed on a new line. Word counts and trainee code numbers should be omitted. After the title page comes the body of the report, its references, and then any appendices pertaining to that report. Each case report is a stand-alone entity, so tables and appendices are numbered afresh (i.e. each report could have a Table 1, etc.). As described above, Volume 2 is separately paginated.

Handing in before the viva

Electronic submission.

You need to submit an electronic version of Volume 1 in pdf format. Send it to the Research Administrator at  [email protected]   via the  Moodle submission link  with a file name of Thesis_submission_volume1_[yourlastname] (e.g. Thesis_submission_volume1_Smith).

NOTE -  Volume 2 does not need to be submitted at this point but must be made available on request.

Running volume 1 through turnitin.

In addition to the procedures outlined above for submission of the thesis, we require that Volume 1 of the thesis be submitted via Turnitin, a plagiarism-detection programme.

As with case reports, submission of Volume 1 of the thesis to Turnitin is done via Moodle. The link for thesis submission on your Moodle homepage is called ‘Thesis Volume 1 Submission’.

When uploading Volume 1 please call the file ‘Volume 1 [First name] [Family name]’. For example, ‘Volume 1 Ed Miliband’ or ‘Volume 1 Nicola Sturgeon’. You should upload your full Volume 1 (as outlined in the section above called ‘Volume 1’) as a word document.

Turnitin is being used to promote good academic practice, not to catch students out. For this reason the system has been configured so that you can submit your Volume 1, look at the Turnitin report to identify any sections where there may be potential plagiarism, delete the submission and submit a revised report.

Resubmissions can be made up to 14.00 on the day on which theses are due, although in practice it is strongly recommended that Turnitin submissions are made well before then: it will be important to leave yourself time to submit to Turnitin before you submit your final version of Volume 1. Also, please note that Turnitin can take upto 24 hours to generate a similarity report for each submission, so you will need to factor this in to any plans for checking and resubmission. 

How to judge the Turnitin report to decide whether the thesis needs to be amended?

Turnitin will give your Volume 1 an originality score, but this tells you very little about whether there are any problems with plagiarism in your thesis. That is because theses contain copies of measures, participant information sheets, references and so on, which inflate the Turnitin originality score.

Trainees need to use their own judgement to decide whether they should amend their thesis because of inadvertent plagiarism. The key principle is that ideas and quotations are appropriately referenced.  Please look at the guidance about plagiarism on the UCL  website , which is also reproduced in Section 23 of the Training Handbook.

If you have any queries about using Turnitin as part of the thesis submission, please contact Priya Dey, the Research Administrator, in the first instance. 

After the viva

Ongoing access to ucl library resources.

All DClinPsy students continue to have access to UCL library resources after the viva, whilst they work on any required thesis revisions. Once you have have completed any revisions, had them approved and submitted your thesis, your access to the library as a UCL student will come to an end. However, the good news is that UCL alumni are entitled to library access after they complete their studies. You just need to re-register, following the instructions given on the  UCL library website .   

You need to submit two electronic copies of Volume 1 in pdf format:

1. One e-copy to the Research Administrator with a filename of Thesis_final_volume1_[yourlastname] 

2. One e-copy to UCL's e-thesis repository (UCL Discovery) via the  Research Publication Service . The library have produced a useful document (available on the Project Support  Moodle  site) outlining the e-thesis submission procedure.

Once the Research Administrator can confirm that you have completed all other components of the course, they will inform the HCPC that you have satisfied all the course requirements. However, before the Research Administrator can report to UCL that you have completed the course, you also need to have submitted the e-thesis copy to UCL Discovery. Once this is done, you will get a letter from the Course Directors confirming that you have passed the DClinPsy.

Thesis and Capstone Requirements for Psychology Programs

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In most psychology programs, the thesis and capstone function as a student's final assignment. These culminating experiences, while different in requirements, serve the same purpose: to demonstrate the depth of your learning, to measure achievement of program objectives, and to outline relevant research interests. Thesis and capstone projects synthesize your overall learning, taking the knowledge you've gained throughout your program and applying it to your own research. A thesis, which often requires more intensive research than a capstone, may span multiple years depending on the level of the psychology program.

Often involving scholarly and clinical research, these culminating projects may take place in professional psychology settings, such as private practices, clinics, or mental health treatment facilities. Regardless of setting, you'll almost certainly be required to document your work though extensive writing, typically in a long form research paper. This guide covers the major aspects of thesis and capstone projects, including topics, grading criteria, and presentation requirements.

What's the Difference Between a Capstone and a Thesis in Psychology Programs?

While the terms may sometimes be used interchangeably, a capstone and a thesis involve different types of work and feature certain key distinctions. A capstone often occurs as part of an undergraduate program, while a thesis generally occurs at the end of a graduate program. A capstone project attempts to address an issue in the field by applying existing knowledge toward a real-life problem (often in the form of fieldwork). A thesis seeks to create new knowledge through student research, trying to prove or argue a hypothesis, rather than just investigate a topic.

What Is a Capstone Like in Psychology Programs?

Psychology capstone format.

A psychology capstone takes place over the course of multiple semesters. During the first semester, students may lay the groundwork for their projects, determining areas of focus and exploring strategies for research. The next semester involves the completion of the capstone, which may take the form of a research project or an in-depth internship/practicum (or combination of both). Most programs require candidates to complete a research paper or some other type of intensive project, and students typically present their findings to peers and faculty members at the end of the capstone course. Students often complete their capstone independently, though some schools may allow for group work.

Choosing Your Psychology Capstone Topic

Networking with other professionals can serve you well when it comes time to complete your capstone. Again, your capstone may take place in a professional environment where you receive guidance from a supervisor, though a faculty member typically serves as your true capstone adviser. Capstone topics vary as much as the psychology field itself, but they almost always address a contemporary issue in the field that warrants further study.

Completing Your Psychology Capstone

A capstone may take the form of an in-depth research project or an internship or practicum, and you may choose which path to pursue. Regardless, you'll typically design a capstone under the supervision of a faculty member, who must approve your topic and format. To pursue an internship, you must determine an appropriate professional setting. If you already work in the psychology field or a related area, you may be able to intern at your current place of employment. If not, your psychology department should be able to connect you to various professional organizations that offer internship opportunities. When performing an internship, you'll likely need to record your experiences (for later presentation) through a journal or other written means. Some programs may even include seminar courses that enable you to reflect on your internship experiences with other students.

Presenting Your Psychology Capstone

After completing your capstone, many programs require you to present your findings to faculty members and program peers. A faculty panel, composed of a few psychology faculty or other department members, evaluates your presentation and may pose questions or critiques. Classmates in the audience may pose questions as well. Most capstone presentations include a visual element, such as a PowerPoint presentation, though this is not always required. Some programs may open capstone presentations to the public.

How Is a Psychology Capstone Graded?

Most psychology programs provide a rubric that outlines expectations and grading criteria for the capstone so students know what to expect before they present. Some schools may award a letter grade for a capstone, while others grade on a pass or fail basis. If you receive a failing grade, you'll typically be allowed to revise portions of your capstone and resubmit it for reassessment, or you may be required to retake the course and submit another capstone project.

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What Is a Thesis Like in Psychology Programs?

Psychology thesis format.

A thesis typically functions as a comprehensive, research-based paper that addresses a psychology topic. Completion time varies between programs and levels of study, but a thesis typically takes a year or more to complete. In many programs, the process begins with an introductory course that enables you to organize your ideas, develop a research topic, and obtain research methods and strategies. In general, most programs require you to complete your thesis independently, rather than in a group. Many programs also require you to present and defend your thesis.

Choosing Your Psychology Thesis Topic

To complete your thesis, you'll work under the supervision of an adviser -- a faculty or another member of the psychology department who guides you through the process of completing the thesis and who offers regular feedback on research. Networking prior to beginning your thesis can be useful both for establishing professional connections and identifying an appropriate adviser. Psychology thesis topics vary widely depending on your area of specialization, your research interests, and your adviser's field of expertise. A psychology thesis might examine anything from emotion regulation to cognitive performance to the development of intelligence.

Completing Your Psychology Thesis

Completing a thesis involves several steps. First, you'll need to develop a topic, which must be approved by your thesis adviser. Your adviser can work with you to determine whether a topic holds relevance to current psychological research and contains enough depth to sustain serious research. After arriving at a topic and determining the scope of your research, you must then perform your research and begin drafting your thesis.

Throughout the course of writing and research, you'll meet with your adviser to ensure that your thesis stays on track. Your adviser can offer guidance on research strategies, organizational advice, and critiques on your thesis draft, along with general tips for managing your time and workload. The documentation of your thesis research typically takes place entirely through writing, though it may involve other components depending on your area of specialty.

Presenting Your Psychology Thesis

Most programs require you to present your thesis to a small panel of experts (typically faculty and department members) in a process known as a thesis defense. While the name sounds intimidating, the thesis defense often serves as more of a formality, as your adviser will have already offered substantial critique of your work by this point. The thesis committee poses open-ended questions about the scope of your work and its implications to ensure you fully understand your research. Master's thesis presentations are typically closed to the public and may include a visual component, such as a PowerPoint or video presentation.

How Is a Psychology Thesis Graded?

Most programs grade theses on a pass/fail basis, and while some may provide a rubric outlining expectation of your research, it's uncommon to receive a letter grade. Many schools may offer special recognition for particularly strong theses. It's typically not possible to "fail" a thesis, since your adviser will inform you of any major problems and prevent you from presenting your work before it's ready. If the thesis committee determines your research needs more work, you'll typically have the opportunity to revise the project and defend it again at a later date.

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Thesis and Dissertation Format for Clinical Psychology

Proposal draft, proposal meeting, final draft, cover letter.

• Defense Meetings

Students are required to prepare a detailed proposal for their theses and dissertations. Generally, the proposals will include an extensive literature search,  rationale for their projects, and specific hypotheses. The methodology will detail all of the procedures that are to be utilized, including instruments, proposed participants, and a summary of the statistical procedures to be utilized.

Although the proposals need to be detailed and cover relevant background information and procedures to be utilized, the final thesis and dissertation projects should be in the format of a journal article. The Clinical Section utilizes a journal submission format because students who successfully complete our graduate program in Clinical Psychology are expected to demonstrate a wide range of competencies in research domains. Although not all of our students intend to move on to a professional position in research or academia, our department currently strives to prepare all students for this option; in addition, such training is consistent with and expected in a Scientist Practitioner model of training. Specific guidelines for the format of the thesis and dissertation include the following:

The standard proposal format requires the student to demonstrate comprehensive and critical review of the research that serves as a foundation for their study. As proposed projects may be outside of committee members’ areas of expertise, an extensive review of the theoretical and empirical literature may be necessary to evaluate the merits and needs of project hypotheses and design.

Students will initiate their 2-hour proposal meeting with a short presentation (10-15 minutes). This is to allow sufficient time for critique and discussion by the committee about the proposed project. The student and their mentor should take careful note of committee members’ critiques, concerns, and requested revisions during the proposal meeting so that the student can formally respond to these issues at the time of the defense meeting (see below). Prior to the close of the proposal meeting, the student’s mentor should confirm with committee members which of these issues are necessary for the student to address as they proceeds with the project and prepares the final draft to submit to the committee.

The final draft of thesis and dissertation projects will be formatted as a manuscript prepared for publication. Students will format sections, content, and citations using APA publication guidelines for submitted manuscripts. Final drafts will vary in length from student to student; however, overall length will fall within a range appropriate to journal submission requirements in the student’s area of research. At the very least, this will require more succinct introduction, discussion, and reference sections relative to the proposal document. In the methods section, students should include the level of methodological detail that would be necessary for publication of the study in a peer-reviewed journal. The results section may remain more comprehensive than a typical journal manuscript, as students should include a comprehensive review of all statistical strategies used in order to test research hypotheses, including initial analysis of data and statistical test assumptions.

In addition to the traditional manuscript format, final drafts to the committee will include additional content areas as Appendices. The additional sections may be removed or revised upon final preparation for submission for publication outside the university. Appendix sections are listed below.

• Introduction : If deemed necessary by the committee, the student may include an Appendix (A) to the submitted document, which would address shortcomings in the proposal introduction that were identified by the committee and that cannot be addressed in a shorter manuscript (e.g., a review of an important issue that had been neglected by the student in the proposal draft, a rewrite of a particular section of the original proposal that does not fit into the flow of the final manuscript’s introduction, a complete rewrite of the original proposal introduction).
• Methods : Copies of the instruments used in the study and detailed review of psychometric properties of instruments used in the study should be placed in Appendix B. Before submitting the document to the College of Arts and Sciences, however, copyrighted measures will need to be removed from the Appendix.
• Statistical Analyses : Supplemental, post-hoc, and exploratory analyses can appear as Appendix C to the document. The student and their mentor can decide which supplemental statistical analyses can be placed in the body of the document and which can appear as Appendix C.
• Limitations . Students will include an examination of project limitations and their potential impact on the results. If there are limitations to the study that warrant discussion during the dissertation defense but, due to journal style, may not be presented in a detailed way in the main body of the defense document, the student can either orally present a detailed examination of study limitations during their defense meeting and/or opt to include a longer limitations section as an Appendix (E) to the main document.
• Tables & Figures . Tables and figures should be submitted as separate documents attached to the draft of the manuscript text. Titles and footnotes should be included with the tables and figures and not on a separate page.

Students should also note that additional formatting may be necessary before submitting the final draft to Arts and Sciences. Please refer to the A&S website for specific formatting instructions.

In addition to the defense document described above, the student should provide each committee member with a cover letter, in which they addresses the committee members’ critiques, concerns, and requested revisions that were raised during the proposal meeting. The format of the letter should list, point by point, the specific critique, concern, or requested revision, and the specific way in which the student has addressed or will address the issue (e.g., specific places in the defense document that address an issue, changes to the methodology, additional hypotheses that were tested, indicating the concern will be discussed during the defense meeting presentation rather than in the written document).

Defense Meeting

The defense meeting format will differ from the proposal meeting in length (2½ hours), presentation requirement, and audience present.

Defense meetings will include a longer presentation from the student (approximately 45 minutes) about their project and will take a format similar to a job talk or colloquium presentation, followed by oral examination/questions from the committee regarding the project and document. Students are encouraged to use Powerpoint or other visual aids as part of their presentation. Students are reminded that during their presentation they can provide details beyond that provided in their defense document. For example, a student may choose to respond to an issue raised at the proposal meeting during their defense presentation rather than in the submitted document.

For dissertation and thesis projects, meetings will be open to the public during the presentation and questioning. Non-committee members will have the opportunity to ask questions of the student following completion of committee questions.

Students are advised to consider that, although their written document is much shorter, they are still likely to have to answer detailed questions about rationale for study, methodology, statistical analyses, and discussion/ implications/limitations of their study.

Following questions, committee members will conduct a closed evaluation of the student, dismissing both the student and the audience during this process.

Students defending their dissertation and thesis will need to schedule their defense meeting and submit their document to committee members at least two weeks in advance. At this time, students must also submit a proposal announcement form to the Chair of Graduate Studies, who will post the time, date, and location of the meeting via e-mail and in department and college postings.

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Current Approved Thesis Proposals

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Lists of Past Theses

Class of 2023 /  2022 /  2021 /  2020  / 2019  /  2018 /  2017 /  2016 /  2015 /  2014 /  2013 /  2012 2011  /  2010  /  2009 /  2008 /  2007 /  2006  /  2005  /  2004  /  2003  /  2002 2001  (PDF)/  2000  (PDF) /  1999  (PDF) List of Prize-Winning Theses, 2001 - Present

Reading Sample Theses

As you prepare for your thesis, you might want to get a sense of what you can accomplish in your finished product. Reading past theses can show you the scope and nature of well-done undergraduate projects. Because theses in different areas of psychology often look quite different, it will help you to examine several in the same general area you plan to conduct your research in.

The Psychology Undergraduate Office has hard copies of several prize-winning theses from the past five years that you may sign out to see what the best undergraduate work looks like. Above, you can browse the titles of past undergraduate theses to give you an idea of the topics of theses students typically write.

Only hard copies of recent prize-winning theses are currently available.

Please note: Recent theses stored in the Social Relations Library (which recently closed) are unavailable. Inquirers needing a thesis that is not listed in HOLLIS should contact the authors of theses directly to attempt to obtain a copy.  

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Arts and Sciences > Psychology > Theses and Dissertations

Psychology Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Improving the Subjective Well-Being of Autistic Youth Utilizing a Positive Psychology Intervention , Nicolette Bauermeister

An Experimental Study of Negative Performance Feedback: Consideration of a Cognitive Pathway and Individual Difference Factors , Ansley M. Bender

A Critical Analysis of the Graduate Socialization of Racially Minoritized School Psychology Students , Tatiana J. Broughton

The Influence of COVID-19 on Tobacco Racial Health Disparities: Testing the Differential Effects of COVID-19 on Smoking Motivation Variables across Black and White Smokers , Patricia F. Calixte-Civil

An Evaluation of Measurement Invariance of DSM-5 Borderline Personality Disorder Criteria Across Heterosexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults , E. Elisa Carsten

The Development of a Behaviorally Based Mentoring Workplace Scale , Christina N. Falcon

Examining the Role of Executive Functions on the Intention-Behavior Gap of Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy Use , Becky K. Gius

The Effect of Psychopathy Trait Descriptions on Mock Juror Decision-Making , Bailey A. Hall

Context matters: Profiles of emotion regulation at work and home , Roxanne C. Lawrence

Planning to Behave Impulsively to Feel Better: An EMA Study of College Students' Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Binge Eating, and Exercise Behaviors , Rose H. Miller

One Year Impact of the Advancing Coping and Engagement (ACE) Program on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Student Success , Amanda C. Moseley

The Effects of Divided Attention in Free Recall: Affecting Trace Accumulation by Dividing Attention , Anne Olsen

Investigating Risk Factors of the Development of Compulsive Exercise and Eating Disorder Symptoms in College Students , Madeline Palermo

Invisible Families, Clear Consequences: Work-Family Integration Among Employees in Same Gender Presenting Romantic Relationships , Joseph Regina

Threats to School Safety: Examining Levels of Community Violence and Its Relation to School-Related Threats , Dorie Ross

The Social Anxiety Stigma Scale (SASS): Development, Factor Structure, and Validation , Ruba Rum

Socio-emotional effects of rejection: An experience-sampling examination , Gabriella Silva

Observed Error Monitoring as an Index of Theory of Mind , Kipras Varkala

I'll Make a Man Out of You: Precarious Manhood Beliefs among Heterosexual-Cisgender Men and Queer Men , Serena L. Wasilewski

From Other and From World: Expanding the Current Model of Existential Isolation , Roger Young Jr.

Temporal and Spatial Properties of Orientation Summary Statistic Representations , Jacob S. Zepp

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Boredom, Interoceptive Ability, and Emotional Eating , Erica Ahlich

Environmental Transmission of Career Interests Through a Genetic Lens: Understanding the Confounding Around Parental Occupation , Tyler Allan

Do Suicide Attempt Survivors Have Reduced Long-Term Well-Being? A Study of Veterans Across Three Nationally Representative Cohorts , Bradley A. Brown

Depersonalized, Dysregulated, and Demanded: The Impact of Burnout on Appraisal and Emotional Events , Katrina M. Conen

Breast Health Esteem to Motivate Breast Health Behavioral Intentions: An Application of the Terror Management Health Model , Emily P. Courtney

Gender Differences in College Drinkers: The Role of Masculine Norms , Jared A. Davis

Prevalence and Predictors of Careless Responding in Experience Sampling Research , Alexander J. Denison

Perceptions of Workplace Discrimination: A Closer Look , Jeremiah Doaty

The Impact of Cannabis on Motivational Processes for Smoked Tobacco and Cigarettes , Claire M. Gorey

Outcomes of a Telehealth Adaptation of a Trauma-Based Parent Training Program , Holland Hayford

Why Don’t They Just Ask?: Barriers to Directly Requesting Affirmative Sexual Consent by Gender and Sexual Orientation , Jessica A. Jordan

Examining the Social Validity of Parent Training: Post-Participation Parent Perceptions and Reflections of Group Triple P , Nycole C. Kauk

Individual Differences in Response to Hostile and Benevolent Sexism in a STEM Interview Context: The Moderating Role of Behavioral Activation , Elizabeth Kiebel

Do Sociability Expectancies Moderate Social Anxiety Predicting Alcohol Consumption Following a Social Stressor Speech Task , Jacob A. Levine

An Object for Sexual Pleasure: Does Viewing Sexualized Media Predict Increases in Self and Partner Objectification Impacting Feelings of Sexual and Romantic Closeness? , Kaitlyn Ligman

Influences of Sentence Context and Individual Differences in Lexical Quality on Early Phonological Processing during Silent Reading , Sara Milligan

Testing the Effects of Social Exclusion on Emotional Arousal: An Examination of the Effects of Psychological Pain and Rumination , Amanda L. Peterson

Creating a Short, Public-Domain Version of the CPAI-2: Using an Algorithmic Approach to Develop Public-Domain Measures of Indigenous Personality Traits , Mukhunth Raghavan

Equitable Implementation of the Good Behavior Game , Faith D. Reynolds

Ethnic-Racial Minoritized Adolescents’ Perceptions of Cyberhate, School Connectedness, Ethnic-Racial Identity, and Life Satisfaction , Alexis Taylor

Predicting Future Well-Being Among United States Youth Who Attempted Suicide and Survived , Bingjie Tong

Approach and Avoidance Food Craving: A Dual Cue Reactivity Investigation , Christina Lee Verzijl

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

School Professional Coaching on Facilitation of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) Model for Students with Persistent Problem Behavior , Rachel Ayres

Influencing Motivation for Alcohol through Social Bonding , Bryan Benitez

Case Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis: Using a Desensitization Procedure to Decrease Problem Behavior Towards Peers and Using a Treatment Package to Increase Time Spent in a Small Group , Mallamy I. Camargo Pena

Testing the Congruence of Espousals and Enactments Predicting Team Innovation , Rylan M. Charlton

The General Psychopathology Factor ( p ) From Adolescence to Adulthood: Disentangling the Developmental Trajectories of p Using a Multi-Method Approach , Alexandria M. Choate

An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Disordered Eating Behaviors within Alcohol Use Episodes: Determining Temporal Sequencing in Food and Alcohol Disturbance , Emily M. Choquette

The Influence of Maternal Body-Shaming Comments and Bodily Shame on Portion Size , Savannah R. Flak

Mental Health Problems, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Offending Behavior Among Persons Incarcerated in a County Jail , Lauren F. Fournier

The Adaptive, Social, Communication, and Cognitive Skills of Monolingual and Bilingual Toddlers with Autism , Marcela A. Galicia

Good Intentions Go Awry: Investigation of Unhelpful Supportive Leadership , Cheryl E. Gray

Hello Traitor: An Examination of Individual Differences in Perceptions of Technology-Related Incivility , David J. Howard

Measuring State Empathy: Exploring the Efficacy of a Film Clip Task and Examining Individual Differences in Empathic Responding , Stephanie R. Hruza

The Relationship of Hope to Goals and Psychological Outcomes in Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer: A Test of Hope Theory , Kelly A. Hyland

Decisions and How Doctors Make Them: Modeling Multilevel Decision-Making within Diagnostic Medicine , Michelle S. Kaplan

Cultural Values as a Moderator of the Emotion Suppression to Strain Relationship: A Comparison of Two Dominant Theoretical Mechanisms , Roxanne C. Lawrence

How Enduring is Global Precedence? , Jong Lee

Cool Under Fire: Psychopathic Traits and Decision-Making in Law Enforcement-Oriented Populations , Sean J. McKinley

Cognitive Ability and Ambivalence toward Alcohol: An Examination of Working Memory Capacity’s Influence on Drinking Behavior , Emily T. Noyes

The Relationship Between Parenting Stress, Attendance, and Attrition in a Group-Based Parent Management Training Program , David Rubio Jr.

Unintended Consequences? Testing the Effects of Adolescent-Targeted Anti-Vaping Media upon Adult Smokers , Leslie E. Sawyer

“Just Joking”: Women’s Cardiovascular Responses to Sexist Humor , Samantha Shepard

Negative Performance Feedback and the Self-Regulatory Benefits of Mindfulness , Jeremiah Slutsky

Examining the Potential Interactions of Expectancies and Disordered Eating Behavior , Cody B. Staples

The nature of resilience: A person-centered approach using latent profile analysis , Yuejia Teng

Evaluation of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Fit Indices in Distinguishing between Circumplex and Other Factor Models , Andrew J. Thurston

Comparison of Parameter Estimation Approaches for Multi-Unidimensional Pairwise Preference Tests , Naidan Tu

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Impact of Cues on Autobiographical Memory Recall in Depression , Ena Begovic

Perfectionism, Negative Life Events, and Cognitive Appraisal: A Contextual Model of Perfectionism’s Maladaptive Nature , Ansley M. Bender

The Effect of Acute Interpersonal Racial Discrimination on Smoking Motivation and Behavior among Black Smokers , Patricia F. Calixte-Civil

Parent Coping and Sibling Relationship Quality in Pediatric Cancer: The Moderating Effects of Parental Emotion Socialization Beliefs , Esther Davila

Higher Sense of Control Predicts Long-term Well-being After Depression , Andrew R. Devendorf

Villains or Vermin? The Differential Effects of Discrimination and Dehumanization on Immigrant Cardiovascular Responses , Mona El-Hout

Alcohol Expectancy Associates as a Probe of the Motivational Processes that Lead to Drinking , Daniel C. Faraci

Features of borderline personality and related psychopathologies as a contemporaneously and temporally connected network , Haya Fatimah

Editing the Self Away: The Effects of Photo Manipulation on Perceptions of the Self , Roxanne N. Felig

Motivation Matters: The Interaction of Approach and Avoidance Alcohol Motivation and Self-Control Demands in College Drinkers , Becky K. Gius

Facilitators and Barriers to Treatment Engagement in a Behavioral Parent Training Program , Holland Hayford

Effects of Inter-Male Status Challenge and Psychopathic Traits on Sexual Aggression , Amy M. Hoffmann

If at First You Don’t Succeed...Your Coworkers Just Might Be Pleased: A Story of Workplace Schadenfreude , Kim Johnson

Motivation to Volunteer , Lendi N. Joy

Exploration of Drive for Leanness in Relation to Drives for Thinness and Muscularity, as well as their Concurrent Associations with Health-Related Outcomes , Brittany Lang

Affect and Craving: Examining the Differential Influences of Positive and Negative Affect on Inclinations to Approach and Avoid Alcohol Use , Jacob A. Levine

Threat-Induced Alterations in Cognition and Associations with Disinhibited Behavior , Julia B. McDonald

A Prospective Examination of Psychosocial Outcomes Following Gynecomastia Surgery , D. Luis Ordaz

Assessing the Impacts of Sensorimotor Stimuli and Nicotine Content on Cravings and Other Outcomes of E-Cigarette Use , Amanda M. Palmer

The Threat of Virality: Digital Outrage Combats the Spread of Opposing Ideas , Curtis Puryear

Why Are Women Leaving STEM? An Examination of Workplace Rivalry , Joseph Regina

A Fidelity-based Integration Model for Explicit and Implicit Ensemble Coding , Ke Tong

Care in Context: Constructing a Theory of Care in One Fifth Grade Classroom , Emily J. Wingate

Depression, Music Choice, and Affective Outcomes in Daily Life , Sunkyung Yoon

The Immediate Effect of a Brief Mindfulness Intervention on Attention and Acceptance , Xiaoqian Yu

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Understanding the Mechanisms Between Job Stress and Employee Sleep: A Daily Diary Study , Marijana L. Arvan

The Effects of Mortality Salience on Interest in Death (and Life) Among High Openness Individuals , Patrick Boyd

Linking Sleep and Aggression: The Role of Response Inhibition and Emotional Processing , Melanie L. Bozzay

Mapping Reward Values to Cues, Locations, and Objects: The Influence of Reward Associations on Visual Attention , Constanza de Dios

From C++ to Conscientiousness: Modeling the Psychosocial Characteristics Influencing Cybersecurity Personnel Performance , Rachel C. Dreibelbis

Personality and Process: The Role of Dyadic Homophily , Christina N. Falcon

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Graduate School

Clinical psychology (ph.d.), clinical psychology (ph.d.) | graduate.

We prepare students to pursue clinical science research and applied clinical work, and for careers as leading clinical practitioners, research scientists, administrators, and university and college faculty. Our doctoral students produce and advance clinical science in promoting mental health and well-being, particularly in historically underserved communities.

The APA-accredited Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Howard’s Graduate School prepares students to pursue clinical work and research addressing social determinants of health in underserved communities. You may pursue the adult or child clinical track of the program. As a first-year student, you'll complete a clinical experience focused on clinical interviews and administration of cognitive/ achievement tests in a school setting. You'll apply psychotherapy skills in a second practicum experience in your second year. In the third and fourth years, externship placements will strengthen your psychophysiological and diagnostic assessments and the application of evidence-based treatments. You'll also benefit from Howard’s strong partnerships with top clinical training sites across the DC-Maryland-Virginia area, including the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the National Institute of Health, and the National Children’s Medical Center, where you'll be exposed to behavioral, cognitive, familial, community, and mindfulness-based approaches to therapy. We also have international research programs in Africa and Asia. As a student in our Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology, you'll be part of an active research culture at Howard and collaborate with faculty in research labs on projects across a range of knowledge domains that extend to neuropsychology, stress and coping, aging and cognition, developmental psychopathology, childhood violence and trauma, illness and social stigma, and cross-cultural investigations of other clinical problems. You'll have numerous opportunities to present your research findings at key meetings in D.C. 100% of our students are successfully matched at APA-accredited internships in their final year.

Program Snapshot

      ❱  72 credit hours        ❱  Full-time       ❱  On-campus format       ❱  Degree: Ph.D. 

Application Deadlines

Spring 2024 entry:         ❱  No spring entry

Fall 2024 entry:         ❱  Dec. 1, 2023 (final deadline)

Applicants should submit their applications as early as possible for earlier consideration of departmental funding opportunities. Applicants have until the final deadline to apply. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the admissions cycle. 

Transfer credits accepted (reviewed by committee)

Dr. Alfonso Campbell Jr.

Dr. gishawn mance, dr. debra roberts, lorena daniels, program details.

• Degree Classification: Graduate
• Related Degrees: Ph.D.

Admission Requirements

Application for admission .

• Online PSYCAS application
• Statement of purpose/ Statement of academic interest ( 500-1,000 words )
• Critical writing sample 
• GRE scores not required
• Official transcripts sent to PSYCAS
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or the international equivalent 
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Autobiographical statement ( 500-750 words )

GRE Required?

Gre preferred minimums.

• GRE Verbal Reasoning: N/A
• GRE Quantitative Reasoning: N/A
• GRE Analytical Writing: N/A

GPA Required Minimums

• Overall GPA minimum: 3.0
• Undergrad GPA minimum: 3.0

Reference Requirements

Evaluator type accepted:

• Professor (Required)
• Supervisor/Manager

Evaluator type not accepted:

• Family Member

Personal Statement Guidance

Statement of purpose/statement of academic interest should highlight why you wish to pursue a degree in clinical psychology and address the following:

• Describe your academic and research interests, identifying specific faculty member(s) with whom you want to work.
• Describe your personal, professional, and educational goals related to the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
• How will obtaining your Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology enhance you in your current position and/or future career?

Letter of Recommendation Guidance

Provide three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with your ability and/or potential for rigorous graduate study, clinical work, and/or research. Whenever possible, Howard University recommends seeking recommendations from faculty members in psychology or practicing professionals in psychology or other mental health disciplines. Letters of recommendation should be submitted through the PSYCAS system.

Critical Writing Sample Guidance

The writing sample can include (but is not limited to) a senior thesis, master's thesis, or publication. If the publication is submitted, you must specify your contribution to the publication in your research statement. 

Transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses.

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Celebrating 75 Years! Learn More >>

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Revolutionizing the Study of Mental Disorders

March 27, 2024 • Feature Story • 75th Anniversary

At a Glance:

• The Research Domain Criteria framework (RDoC) was created in 2010 by the National Institute of Mental Health.
• The framework encourages researchers to examine functional processes that are implemented by the brain on a continuum from normal to abnormal.
• This way of researching mental disorders can help overcome inherent limitations in using all-or-nothing diagnostic systems for research.
• Researchers worldwide have taken up the principles of RDoC.
• The framework continues to evolve and update as new information becomes available.

President George H. W. Bush proclaimed  the 1990s “ The Decade of the Brain  ,” urging the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and others to raise awareness about the benefits of brain research.

“Over the years, our understanding of the brain—how it works, what goes wrong when it is injured or diseased—has increased dramatically. However, we still have much more to learn,” read the president’s proclamation. “The need for continued study of the brain is compelling: millions of Americans are affected each year by disorders of the brain…Today, these individuals and their families are justifiably hopeful, for a new era of discovery is dawning in brain research.”

Still, despite the explosion of new techniques and tools for studying the brain, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), many mental health researchers were growing frustrated that their field was not progressing as quickly as they had hoped.

For decades, researchers have studied mental disorders using diagnoses based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)—a handbook that lists the symptoms of mental disorders and the criteria for diagnosing a person with a disorder. But, among many researchers, suspicion was growing that the system used to diagnose mental disorders may not be the best way to study them.

“There are many benefits to using the DSM in medical settings—it provides reliability and ease of diagnosis. It also provides a clear-cut diagnosis for patients, which can be necessary to request insurance-based coverage of healthcare or job- or school-based accommodations,” said Bruce Cuthbert, Ph.D., who headed the workgroup that developed NIMH’s Research Domain Criteria Initiative. “However, when used in research, this approach is not always ideal.”

Researchers would often test people with a specific diagnosed DSM disorder against those with a different disorder or with no disorder and see how the groups differed. However, different mental disorders can have similar symptoms, and people can be diagnosed with several different disorders simultaneously. In addition, a diagnosis using the DSM is all or none—patients either qualify for the disorder based on their number of symptoms, or they don’t. This black-and-white approach means there may be people who experience symptoms of a mental disorder but just miss the cutoff for diagnosis.

Dr. Cuthbert, who is now the senior member of the RDoC Unit which orchestrates RDoC work, stated that “Diagnostic systems are based on clinical signs and symptoms, but signs and symptoms can’t really tell us much about what is going on in the brain or the underlying causes of a disorder. With modern neuroscience, we were seeing that information on genetic, pathophysiological, and psychological causes of mental disorders did not line up well with the current diagnostic disorder categories, suggesting that there were central processes that relate to mental disorders that were not being reflected in DMS-based research.”

Road to evolution

Concerned about the limits of using the DSM for research, Dr. Cuthbert, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Minnesota at the time, approached Dr. Thomas Insel (then NIMH director) during a conference in the autumn of 2008. Dr. Cuthbert recalled saying, “I think it’s really important that we start looking at dimensions of functions related to mental disorders such as fear, working memory, and reward systems because we know that these dimensions cut across various disorders. I think NIMH really needs to think about mental disorders in this new way.”

Dr. Cuthbert didn’t know it then, but he was suggesting something similar to ideas that NIMH was considering. Just months earlier, Dr. Insel had spearheaded the inclusion of a goal in NIMH’s 2008 Strategic Plan for Research to “develop, for research purposes, new ways of classifying mental disorders based on dimensions of observable behavior and neurobiological measures.”

Unaware of the new strategic goal, Dr. Cuthbert was surprised when Dr. Insel's senior advisor, Marlene Guzman, called a few weeks later to ask if he’d be interested in taking a sabbatical to help lead this new effort. Dr. Cuthbert soon transitioned into a full-time NIMH employee, joining the Institute at an exciting time to lead the development of what became known as the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Framework. The effort began in 2009 with the creation of an internal working group of interdisciplinary NIMH staff who identified core functional areas that could be used as examples of what research using this new conceptual framework looked like.

The workgroup members conceived a bold change in how investigators studied mental disorders.

“We wanted researchers to transition from looking at mental disorders as all or none diagnoses based on groups of symptoms. Instead, we wanted to encourage researchers to understand how basic core functions of the brain—like fear processing and reward processing—work at a biological and behavioral level and how these core functions contribute to mental disorders,” said Dr. Cuthbert.

This approach would incorporate biological and behavioral measures of mental disorders and examine processes that cut across and apply to all mental disorders. From Dr. Cuthbert’s standpoint, this could help remedy some of the frustrations mental health researchers were experiencing.

Around the same time the workgroup was sharing its plans and organizing the first steps, Sarah Morris, Ph.D., was a researcher focusing on schizophrenia at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. When she first read these papers, she wondered what this new approach would mean for her research, her grants, and her lab.

She also remembered feeling that this new approach reflected what she was seeing in her data.

“When I grouped my participants by those with and without schizophrenia, there was a lot of overlap, and there was a lot of variability across the board, and so it felt like RDoC provided the pathway forward to dissect that and sort it out,” said Dr. Morris.

Later that year, Dr. Morris joined NIMH and the RDoC workgroup, saying, “I was bumping up against a wall every day in my own work and in the data in front of me. And the idea that someone would give the field permission to try something new—that was super exciting.”

The five original RDoC domains of functioning were introduced to the broader scientific community in a series of articles published in 2010  .

To establish the new framework, the RDoC workgroup (including Drs. Cuthbert and Morris) began a series of workshops in 2011 to collect feedback from experts in various areas from the larger scientific community. Five workshops were held over the next two years, each with a different broad domain of functioning based upon prior basic behavioral neuroscience. The five domains were called:

• Negative valence (which included processes related to things like fear, threat, and loss)
• Positive valence (which included processes related to working for rewards and appreciating rewards)
• Cognitive processes
• Social processes
• Arousal and regulation processes (including arousal systems for the body and sleep).

At each workshop, experts defined several specific functions, termed constructs, that fell within the domain of interest. For instance, constructs in the cognitive processes domain included attention, memory, cognitive control, and others.

The result of these feedback sessions was a framework that described mental disorders as the interaction between different functional processes—processes that could occur on a continuum from normal to abnormal. Researchers could measure these functional processes in a variety of complementary ways—for example, by looking at genes associated with these processes, the brain circuits that implement these processes, tests or observations of behaviors that represent these functional processes, and what patients report about their concerns. Also included in the framework was an understanding that functional processes associated with mental disorders are impacted and altered by the environment and a person’s developmental stage.

Preserving momentum

Over time, the Framework continued evolving and adapting to the changing science. In 2018, a sixth functional area called sensorimotor processes was added to the Framework, and in 2019, a workshop was held to better incorporate developmental and environmental processes into the framework.;

Since its creation, the use of RDoC principles in mental health research has spread across the U.S. and the rest of the world. For example, the Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers project (PRISM)   , which receives funding from the European Union’s Innovative Medicines Initiative, is seeking to link biological markers of social withdrawal with clinical diagnoses using RDoC-style principles. Similarly, the Roadmap for Mental Health Research in Europe (ROAMER)   project by the European Commission sought to integrate mental health research across Europe using principles similar to those in the RDoC Framework.;

Dr. Morris, who has acceded to the Head of the RDoC Unit, commented: “The fact that investigators and science funders outside the United States are also pursuing similar approaches gives me confidence that we’ve been on the right pathway. I just think that this has got to be how nature works and that we are in better alignment with the basic fundamental processes that are of interest to understanding mental disorders.”

The RDoC framework will continue to adapt and change with emerging science to remain relevant as a resource for researchers now and in the future. For instance, NIMH continues to work toward the development and optimization of tools to assess RDoC constructs and supports data-driven efforts to measure function within and across domains.

“For the millions of people impacted by mental disorders, research means hope. The RDoC framework helps us study mental disorders in a different way and has already driven considerable change in the field over the past decade,” said Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., director of NIMH. “We hope this and other innovative approaches will continue to accelerate research progress, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.”

Publications

Cuthbert, B. N., & Insel, T. R. (2013). Toward the future of psychiatric diagnosis: The seven pillars of RDoC. BMC Medicine , 11 , 126. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-11-126  

Cuthbert B. N. (2014). Translating intermediate phenotypes to psychopathology: The NIMH Research Domain Criteria. Psychophysiology , 51 (12), 1205–1206. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12342  

Cuthbert, B., & Insel, T. (2010). The data of diagnosis: New approaches to psychiatric classification. Psychiatry , 73 (4), 311–314. https://doi.org/10.1521/psyc.2010.73.4.311  

Cuthbert, B. N., & Kozak, M. J. (2013). Constructing constructs for psychopathology: The NIMH research domain criteria. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 122 (3), 928–937. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034028  

Garvey, M. A., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2017). Developing a motor systems domain for the NIMH RDoC program.  Schizophrenia Bulletin , 43 (5), 935–936. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbx095  

Insel, T. (2013). Transforming diagnosis . http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2013/transforming-diagnosis.shtml

Kozak, M. J., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2016). The NIMH Research Domain Criteria initiative: Background, issues, and pragmatics. Psychophysiology , 53 (3), 286–297. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12518  

Morris, S. E., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2012). Research Domain Criteria: Cognitive systems, neural circuits, and dimensions of behavior. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience , 14 (1), 29–37. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2012.14.1/smorris  

Sanislow, C. A., Pine, D. S., Quinn, K. J., Kozak, M. J., Garvey, M. A., Heinssen, R. K., Wang, P. S., & Cuthbert, B. N. (2010). Developing constructs for psychopathology research: Research domain criteria. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 119 (4), 631–639. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020909  

• Presidential Proclamation 6158 (The Decade of the Brain) 
• Research Domain Criteria Initiative website
• Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers (PRISM)  
• Roadmap for Mental Health Research in Europe (ROAMER)