UCI Clinical Psychology Newsletter Vol 4

JANUARY 2025| VOL. 4

CLINICAL Ψ SCIENCE DIGEST The UCI clinical psychology area newsletter

In this Issue Our Mission Statement The clinical psychology area at UCI will lead the search for new knowledge in assessment, understanding, prevention, and treatment of psychological disorders and mental health concerns from an inclusive perspective that is psychologically, ecologically, socially, and biologically informed. In this service, we will train clinical scientists to produce, implement, evaluate, and disseminate psychological science and to function as leaders in academic, research, and applied settings to improve the human condition from an inclusive lens.

Letter from the DCT..............................................page 2 Meet the 1st Years.................................................page 3 Getting to Know Dr. Stephen Schueller..............page 7 UCI’s Psychological Services Center....................page 8 External Practicum at UCI....................................page 8 Day in the Life of a PhD Student..........................page 9 UCI’s Post-Bacc Program in Psych Science........page 12 Clinical Labs Spotlight ........................................page 16 Student Publications ..........................................page 18 Student Awards...................................................page 22 Student Presentations .......................................page 23 Fun Outside the Lab ...........................................page 26 Support Clinical Psychology at UCI! .................page 34 2024-2025 Newsletter Committee....................page 35

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Letter from the Director of Clinical Training, Jason Schiffman, Ph.D. As we enter the fourth year of UCI’s Clinical Psychology Program, it’s remarkable to reflect on the strides we’ve made together. Every year, I marvel at the collective dedication, brilliance, and compassion of our community, and this year is no exception.

First and foremost, I am thrilled to announce the tremendous success of our site visit from the American Psychological Association (APA). This milestone was made possible by the incredible efforts of our entire community—students, staff, faculty, and administrators alike. The APA was overwhelmingly impressed, particularly with our students, whose research productivity, commitment to equity, and passion for clinical science stood out as exemplary and exactly what the APA is looking for. Their feedback affirmed that we are well on our way to achieving full accreditation, further positioning UCI as a leader in clinical psychology training, despite this only being our fourth year! This achievement is a testament to the heart and hard work of everyone involved, and I couldn’t be prouder.

"Every year, I marvel at the In addition to our accreditation progress, this year saw the official opening of the Psychological Services Center (PSC)—a monumental step in our mission to collective dedication, address health disparities and train future clinical scientists. Under the visionary leadership of Dr. Naomi Tabak, the PSC has already begun providing highquality, low-cost, evidence-based services to underserved communities. Our brilliance, and compassion of students are central to this effort, translating their classroom learning into realworld impact. The PSC represents the perfect fusion of service, training, and our community, and this year research, and its potential to improve lives is limitless. is no exception."

Our program also benefited from Professor, and Associate Director of Clinical Training, Dr. Jessie Borelli’s continuing education presentation on Relational Savoring in October, which was open to both our students and the broader community. Her insights into relational health and clinical practice inspired rich conversations and new ideas, underscoring the value of bringing together scholars and practitioners to learn from one another and furthering our School’s mission of bringing “science to the streets”.

The Diversifying Clinical Psychology program, under the leadership of our doctoral students and supported by Diverse Educational Community and Doctoral Experience (“DECADE”), continues to grow. One of our newest first-year students, Daniela Arcos, was a proud alum of the initiative before matriculating into our program. Daniela’s journey exemplifies the program’s success in opening doors for underrepresented students and ensuring the future of clinical psychology at UCI is as diverse and inclusive as the communities it serves. We remain deeply committed to expanding this initiative and empowering the next generation of leaders in psychological science.

Of course, the heartbeat of our program remains our students, whose achievements continue to inspire. Our fourth cohort —Daniela Arcos, Claire Hotchkin, Katie Lord, Shadi Sharif, and SE Stoeckl—joined us this year, bringing fresh energy and ideas.

Selected from an exceptionally competitive pool of over 350 applicants, this group represents the best and brightest, and they’ve already begun contributing to our community through their research and engagement, taking on important leadership roles and immediately contributing to science.

Meanwhile, our returning students continue to shine. From publishing cutting-edge research in top journals to presenting at national conferences and excelling in practicum placements, their accomplishments underscore the rigor and impact of our training intersecting with the quality of their character. For example, our students have authored groundbreaking work on diverse topics ranging from stigma in psychosis to digital health interventions, furthering our commitment to equity and innovation in mental health. Their efforts have not only advanced the field but also strengthened our reputation as a hub for excellence in clinical research.

Each of these successes is grounded in a shared belief in our mission: to generate knowledge that improves lives and train leaders who embody both excellence and kindness. As I look ahead, I am filled with optimism about what we will accomplish together. Whether through advancing research, expanding the reach of the PSC, educating the community, or continuing to foster a culture of inclusivity and collaboration, I know we are on a path to creating something truly transformative.

Finally, as mental health challenges continue to grow nationwide, our program remains steadfast in its mission to meet this urgent need head-on. We invite you to join us in this important work. Whether by mentoring a student, partnering on clinical training opportunities, or contributing to the financial support of our program, your involvement can help us expand our reach and make an even greater impact. Together, we can continue to grow, innovate, and successfully make inroads in the fight against a growing mental health crisis.

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Meet the 1st Years!

Daniela Arcos Who is your graduate mentor and what are you looking forward to learning from them?

Dr. Jessica Borelli. I'm looking forward to learning from her expertise in attachment, relationships, and social connection, as well as how to leverage this in interventions that can support well-being. I'm also really excited about her experience in clinical practice and hoping to learn a lot about this!

Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? What was your major? I completed my undergraduate degree at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in Ecuador, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My major was Psychology.

What was your favorite course in college? Evolutionary Neuroscience Why are you getting your PhD in Clinical Psychology? What made you pursue this career path? To better understand mental health (and its interplay with physical health), contribute to the body of knowledge on interventions that can support well-being, and to obtain clinical skills. What led me to pursue this career path were past experiences -both personal and professional- where I was startled by the prevalence of mental health struggles, and where I understood the immense impact that these struggles can have in a person's life.

How do you destress/relax? Yoga, exercise, walks with my dog, time in nature, TV shows or movies, a good book, podcast, and spending time with family/friends!

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you win the Gold medal for? Losing myself in a good book If your life was a TV show, what would it be called? Multiple Life Transitions What's your dream vacation spot? Any tropical beach!

What's your favorite thing about UCI/Irvine/Orange County so far? The weather and proximity to the beach :) What’s your go-to comfort food? Thai food

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Claire Hotchkin Who is your graduate mentor and what are you looking forward to learning from them? I am incredibly grateful to be working under Dr. Roxane Silver. Her research on the effects of collective trauma and stress on our communities is especially relevant in today's turbulent society. I am excited to gain valuable research skills, such as how to design and implement large-scale, longitudinal studies.

Where did you complete your undergraduate degree?

What was your major? I studied neuroscience at Harvard and minored in psychology.

What was your favorite course in college? My favorite class was called Neuroscience Fiction—each week, we would watch a sci-fi movie and read research papers related to the week's neuroscience topic. For example, we watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and then read an article by scientists who were researching how to erase memories.

Why are you getting your PhD in Clinical Psychology? What made you pursue this career path?

A PhD in Clinical Psychology will allow me to pursue a career as a clinician-scientist by training me in both research and clinical practice. I hope to have a direct impact on patients through therapy, while also influencing the field of mental healthcare more broadly by conducting research that improves treatment. I have many research interests, but am particularly interested in how stressors and traumas shape our lives.

On an individual level, I want to help patients overcome the traumas they have faced, while researching ways to improve treatments for PTSD and how everyday stressors affect us all.

What was your dream job as a child? I wanted to be a marine biologist for a really long time. I even spent a summer in undergrad researching dolphin communication in the Bahamas!

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you win the Gold medal for? Spotify playlist curation. Or, taking the wrong highway exit.

How do you destress/relax? I love to be in nature--trail running, snowboarding, or relaxing at the beach. I also love live music and go to concerts whenever I can.

If your life right now were a TV show, what would it be called? It's Always Sunny in California What's your dream vacation spot? There are so many places I want to visit! At the top of my list are Japan, New Zealand, and Argentina.

What's your favorite thing about UCI/Irvine/Orange County so far? The people! It's corny but it's true.

What's your go-to comfort food? Pickles.

Katie Lord Who is your graduate mentor and what are you looking forward to learning from them? Dr. Jessica Borelli is my graduate mentor. I am eager to learn more about how to adapt, implement, and test the effectiveness of her relational savoring approach in diverse, community-based settings.

Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? What was your major? Michigan State University's Honors college with a BA in Psychology.

What was your favorite course in college? My favorite course in undergrad was Developmental Psychology: Infancy Through Childhood, but an elective improv course I took was a close second.

Why are you getting your PhD in Clinical Psychology? What made you pursue this career path? My initial interest was sparked by getting involved in two psychology research labs at Michigan State University and engaging in clinical work at a counseling center. I decided to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology to merge these two interests. Pursuing this field also allows me to achieve my goal of examining the interconnected

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Katie Lord (continued) relationships between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), interpersonal relationships, emotional well-being, and depression in sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth, as well as my goal of developing and testing interventions that bolster the well-being of SGM youth.

What was your dream job as a child? American Idol contestant If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you win the Gold medal for? Flappy Bird How do you destress/relax? Reading at the beach is my go-to relaxation activity What's your favorite thing about UCI/Irvine/Orange County so far? The proximity to the ocean What's your dream vacation spot? Northern Michigan What's your go-to comfort food? Chocolate chip pancakes = the ultimate comfort food

Shadi Sharif Who is your graduate mentor and what are you looking forward to learning from them? Dr. Jason Schiffman. I am deeply grateful to be working with someone who inspires me, not just in their work, but also in the quality of their character. I am most looking forward to learning how to be a scientist, mentor, and teacher who, like Dr. Schiffman, fosters a culture of kindness and belonging to create real change in the world.

Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? What was your major? University of Colorado, Boulder, B.A. in Psychology What was your favorite course in college?

Sociology of Marriage and Family in the United States. It was the combination of an amazing professor, who sparked passion in her students, with content that fundamentally challenged my understanding of family systems. All together, expanding my worldview.

What was your dream job as a child? Teacher. I would create entire lesson plans when I was in 1st grade and force my younger brother to play "school" with me. We're best friends now.

How do you destress/relax? My yoga practice, reading (preferably sci-fi), film, podcasts, and just existing with my friends.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you win the Gold medal for? Perfectly peeling a pomegranate. Yes, I am Iranian. No, you will not see a drop of juice spill.

What's your go-to comfort food? Tahchin. Imagine a Persian rice cake: crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Oh! And it has to be my mom’s. That's a non-negotiable.

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Shadi Sharif (continued) Why are you getting your PhD in Clinical Psychology? What made you pursue this career path?

As the daughter of refugees, I grew up with a deep passion to lead a life of service dedicated to marginalized communities. While my interests spanned many fields, I was struck by clinical psychology- a field devoted to understanding human struggles, developing ways to alleviate those struggles, and advocating for large-scale changes to ultimately improve the way humans live and thrive. Next came the big challenge: what part of this incredibly important but vast field did I want to focus on? I was inspired by early intervention- an area focused on preventative work. By identifying signs of risk and intervening early, we might be able to stop the development of mental illness. As a result, I’ve spent the past 4 years involved in research focused on early intervention for psychosis risk. Importantly, the more experience I garnered in the field, the more I noticed a lack of research on diverse populations. Specifically, cultural considerations for racial and ethnic minorities (particularly immigrants). My aim is to bridge this gap by expanding early intervention to diverse populations. Ultimately, I hope my work will reduce health disparities and create positive change in the lives of individuals, families, and the community at large.

What's your favorite thing about UCI/Irvine/Orange County so far?

Having lived in Colorado my whole life, I'm so excited to be living somewhere with so much diversity and a large Iranian community. I'm also so happy to be living near the ocean and experiencing the most beautiful weather year round (although I will be missing snow greatly).

SE Stoeckl Who is your graduate mentor and what are you looking forward to learning from them? My graduate mentor, Dr. Stephen Schueller, is a leader in digital mental health—seamlessly integrating psychology, implementation science, and human-computer interaction. I’m eager to learn from his interdisciplinary expertise and how he navigates academia, industry, and community partnerships to drive meaningful change.

Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? What was your major? Washington University in St.Louis; BS in Psychological and Brain Sciences Why are you getting your PhD in Clinical Psychology? What made you pursue this career path? After considering ways to make a meaningful impact, I found that combining my interests in psychology and technology offers a unique path to improving mental health care. This path channels my intellectual curiosity and aligns what I'm good at, interested in, and enjoy, to make a tangible difference in the world.

What was your favorite course in college? Independent Study! It was my first taste of psychology research and helped me clarify my research interests!

What's your favorite thing about UCI/Irvine/ Orange County so far?

The nature! The hiking and beaches are amazing.

How do you destress/relax? Long walks, preferably in nature or with a podcast in my earbuds, and always with my dog by my side.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you win the Gold medal for? Procrasticleaning!

What's your dream vacation spot? Copenhagen or Berlin What's your go-to comfort food? A hot beverage.

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Getting to Know Dr. Stephen Schueller By: Shadi Sharif & Julia Rose Birenbaum Each year, the newsletter features an interview with a member of our faculty. This year, we interviewed Dr. Stephen Schueller, a member of the clinical area faculty who was promoted to full professor this year.

Psychology is on the brink of a seismic change, and it's all because of technology. Dr. Stephen Schueller believes artificial intelligence is about to alter everything we do as a field, and he's been on the cutting edge of this movement since the beginning of his career.

Dr. Schueller completed his doctoral degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Subsequently, he joined Dr. Ricardo Muñoz at the University of California, San Francisco for his postdoctoral fellowship. As a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Schueller collaborated with the Internet World Health Research Center to utilize internet-based websites to teach people psychological intervention skills. Notably, their work was disseminated to 160 countries worldwide. This experience opened Dr. Schueller’s eyes to the real power of technology to disseminate psychological interventions and improve mental health on a global scale.

Subsequently, Dr. Schueller accepted his first faculty position at Northwestern University, where he continued researching the use of novel technology to improve psychological treatments. More specifically, Dr. Schueller examined how websites, mobile applications, and wearable devices may be employed to prevent and treat depression and anxiety.

In 2018, Dr. Schueller joined the UCI faculty. For the past 6 years, Dr. Schueller has continued his research focused on improving access to and knowledge about effective and scalable mental health treatments, particularly through technology. Importantly, Dr. Schueller and his team developed an intervention that connected to Mental Health America’s (MHA) screening platform. MHA is a large non-profit organization dedicated to improving mental health in the U.S. Their platform screens nearly 7,000 people daily for mental health difficulties. As a result of the MHA collaboration, Dr. Schueller developed a specific platform, Overcoming Thoughts, based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles, that provides a brief digital intervention specifically tailored to the individual's mental health needs. For example, an individual screened as struggling with anxiety would receive a brief digital intervention teaching CBT skills for anxiety.

During the interview, Dr. Schueller shared that throughout his career he's been inspired by the call that preeminent cognitive psychologist George Miller (19202012) gave in his APA Presidential Address to "discover how best to give psychology away" (Miller, G., 1969).

One in three U.S. counties lack even a single licensed mental health provider. The alarming gap in access to mental health care is what drives Dr. Schueller to continue the work he does. As he explained, while we still need clinical psychologists and mental health professionals, experts should not be the gatekeepers of the mental health field. Dr. Schueller believes that a combination of technology with community and peer partnerships offers a promising path to expanding access to care. In accordance, more recently, Dr. Schueller teamed up with SilverCloud to deliver and evaluate a digital CBT intervention for monolingual Spanish speakers. He included a supportive component to the intervention: a community member, not a therapist, provided human engagement support. Dr. Schueller’s work highlights how the field can partner with laypersons to provide high-quality, effective care.

Ultimately, Dr. Schueller’s work emphasizes that if we hope to build a safer, more inclusive, and healthier world, it is our ethical responsibility to share the knowledge we cultivate.

So I ask you this: how do you plan on giving psychology away?

Learn more about Dr. Schueller’s TEAM Lab here!

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The Inaugural Year of the UCI Psychological Services Center (PSC) In February 2024, the UCI PSC opened its doors to the community, providing evidence-based mental health services under the leadership of Dr. Naomi Tabak. Although the PSC has only been open for just under a year, we are already seeing an exciting impact!

Client Demographics Age Range: 18-80 years old, Average Age: 33.4 58.3% female, 33.3% male, 1.4% transgender, 4.2% non-binary, 2.8% other Race/Ethnicity Prefer not to answer 2.8%

Other 5.6%

Clients served: 63 Total Therapy Sessions: 513

White 26.4% Hispanic/Latine 20.8%

Treatments Offered -Cognitive Behavioral Therapy -Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Training -Exposure Therapy -Trauma-Informed Care ...and more!

For more information please visit the UCI PSC website here

Multi-racial 11.1% 1.4% African American/Black

31.9% Asian American/Asian

External Practicum Opportunities at UCI After completing training at our in-house clinic (UCI PSC), clinical psychology students at UCI have the opportunity to apply for a number of external sites within the Orange, San Diego, and Los Angeles County communities. These sites provide students an excellent opportunity to gain clinical experience and training that is specific to their individualized goals and interests!

ADR Wellness CBT California* Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders (CAND) Chapman Counseling Center Child Guidance Center Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC)* Community for Wellbeing Advocacy Compass Behavioral Health* COPE Psychological Center* The Craig School DBT Orange County* Headspace Training Institute*

OC Anxiety* SoCal Youth Center (formerly OC Teen Center) OMID Multicultural Institute for Development* Patton State Hospital Ronald McDonald House The Sterling Institute for Autism St. Margaret’s School Theo Lacy Facility - Road to Reentry* UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND)* UCI Neurology* Wings Recovery Center 2e4Me Academy

*student(s) currently placed at this site for training year 2024-25

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A Day in the Life of a Clinical Psychology PhD Student at UCI By: Maggie Canady and Ceouna Hegwood

This “Day in the Life” feature was inspired by feedback from one of our readers last year, who asked for a closer look at the dayto-day experiences of a Clinical Psychology PhD student in our program.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED... what life is really like for a Clinical Psychology PhD student? Every day (or hour!) brings something totally different, whether it’s rigorous coursework, cutting-edge research, handson clinical training, teaching responsibilities, or service opportunities. While our priorities and schedules evolve throughout the PhD journey, our lives are always intellectually challenging and deeply rewarding. Here’s a glimpse into the lives of some UCI students at various stages of their PhD program.

1ST YEAR STUDENTS For first-year students, much of the focus is on mastering the fundamentals of research, building academic connections, and developing a rhythm for the program's demands. A typical Monday might look like:

10:30 AM 12:00 PM

2:00 PM 4:30 PM

6:00 PM 8:00 PM

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Attend Data Analysis course with Dr. Amy Dent Weekly Departmental “Brown Bag” Colloquium with a No School (Teacher Inservice) featured guest lecturer Office hours for teaching assistantship Work on readings for Psychological Assessment course taught by Dr. Jason Schiffman Work on IRB edits for a lab project Rock climb at the Anteater Recreation Center (UCI’s gym!)

2ND YEAR STUDENTS By the second year, students are starting clinical training at the UCI PSC, developing their second year research projects, and managing advanced coursework. A normal Wednesday might look like:

9:00 AM

Clinical supervision with Dr. Naomi Tabak

10:30 AM

Administration shift at the UCI PSC Clinic

12:30 PM Therapy session with a client 2:00 PM

Complete client progress notes and review session tape

3:00 PM

Graduate student lab meeting with faculty co-advisor

4:00 PM Work on second-year project 6:00 PM

Community yoga at Verano Place (UCI Student Housing)

8:00 PM

Grade assignments for teaching assistantship

3RD YEAR STUDENTS

4TH YEAR STUDENTS

By year three, the emphasis shifts toward independent research, clinical work in external practicum sites, and finishing advanced coursework. Thursdays might look like:

In the fourth year, students begin working on their dissertation, continue clinical work, and prepare for the next phase of their careers. A Tuesday might include:

9:00 AM

Research assessment with participant (funded as a Graduate Student Researcher)

Service project meeting to 10:00AM discuss 2025 Diversifying Clinical Psychology Weekend, a service project initiative led by UCI Clinical Psychology graduate students

12:00 PM

Lab meeting with primary advisor

1:00 PM

Data cleaning for new project

2:00 PM

Attend Lifespan Development course with Dr. Jutta Heckhausen

5:00 PM

Meeting with research assistants to discuss project updates

11:00 AM Externship at practicum clinic 3:00 PM

8:00 PM

4:00 PM Work on dissertation proposal 5:00 PM

6:00 PM Dinner with friends Prepare for tomorrow’s therapy sessions at external practicum

Run participants for dissertation study

Happy hour!

7:00 PM Grade assignments for teaching assistantship

The Balancing Act of a Clinical Psychology PhD Student Students wear many hats, splitting their time across classes, research, clinical work, teaching, service, and administrative responsibilities. The balance of these commitments shifts as we progress through the program, reflecting our growing expertise and evolving priorities.

Classes

Research

Clinical Work

TA/GSR

Admin/Service

First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year Fifth Year 0

20 40 60 Proportion of time spent on specific responsibilities

80

100

Note: The above visual is only a generalized representation of how student priorities shift over time. These priorities can vary based on training/career goals, lab responsibilities, and individual funding.

FAQS: NAVIGATING THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY PHD EXPERIENCE 1. WHAT DOES THE FUNDING PACKAGE INCLUDE? UCI offers a competitive funding package that covers 5 years of full tuition and fees, health insurance, guaranteed on-campus housing, and a living stipend. The living stipend is typically funded through a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) position and can vary quarter to quarter: TA (Teaching Assistant): Involves leading discussion sections, grading assignments, holding office hours, and supporting undergraduate courses. Most TA positions expect 20 hours of work per week. Students are required to TA for a minimum of two quarters during their time in the doctoral program.

GSR (Graduate Student Researcher): Involves contributing to a faculty advisor’s research projects, such as conducting research study visits, collecting and analyzing data, or preparing manuscripts. GSRs are particularly common for students funded by research grants.

Both roles generally provide similar stipends, but the workload and focus differ. It’s common for UCI to have a mix of students in both positions, with some transitioning between TA and GSR roles depending on available funding.

Additionally, UCI provides a plethora of opportunities and resources to aid students in applying for and securing internal and external fellowship opportunities, such as NSF, GRFP, and NRSA. Click here to see a list of current UCI fellowship opportunities

Click here for resources provided by the Graduate and Postdoctoral Student Resource Center

2. DO YOU HAVE CLASSES EVERY YEAR OF GRADUATE SCHOOL? No. Coursework is heaviest in the first two years, gradually tapering off as students move toward independent research and clinical work. By the third year, coursework comprises only a small portion of responsibilities, often individualized to student training goals. Most students are finished with formal classes by their fourth year, though they may still participate in workshops or continuing education related to their research or clinical training. For example, it is not uncommon for 4th year students to take advanced statistics courses to support their dissertation work.

3. HOW MUCH SERVICE IS EXPECTED? Service responsibilities are voluntary and vary student-to-student but are an important component of the program’s culture. Examples of service include: Program Service: Participating in departmental committees (e.g., DECADE, Peer Mentoring committee, Recruitment committee), organizing events (check out our previous Diversifying Clinical Psychology Weekend), or serving as a clinical student cohort representative to meet quarterly with the DCT, Dr. Jason Schiffman.

Professional Service: Peer review activities, engaging in initiatives to advance the field (e.g., diversity and outreach programs, mentorship, or scientific planning committees), and volunteering at academic conferences.

Have questions, suggestions, or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here! We actually read every piece of feedback and use it to make our content more engaging and relevant for you. Your 11 input keeps this community thriving—thank you for being a part of it!

UCI’s Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychological Science

By Emily Petti & Maksim Giljen

The Department of Psychological Science at UCI is home to the Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychological Science. Founded in 2014, this program is designed for individuals with a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline who are interested in pursuing graduate studies or advancing their careers in psychology-related fields. The program provides opportunities to gain experience in psychology coursework, research, and applied work, helping to strengthen graduate school applications (e.g., to doctoral or master’s programs) and build professional skills for psychology-related careers. Students are paired with a faculty advisor to create a tailored program of study and typically engage in research within a research advisor’s lab, gaining valuable experience and interacting with graduate students. Post-bacc students have full access to departmental resources, including faculty, staff, and graduate student networks, colloquium events, and professional development workshops.

Post-bacc students are an integral part of our learning community and play an important role in shaping the culture and workforce of the clinical labs in our department. They often actively engage and assist with ongoing research studies. Post-bacc students are also often at the forefront of research dissemination, taking initiative to create posters to present at conferences and even contribute to manuscripts being prepared for publication. Clinical area graduate students provide professional and research mentorship to post-bacc students within their labs and collaborate on research projects or conference submissions. At UCI, the clinical area is committed to diversifying and expanding the Clinical Psychology workforce. One such avenue is a commitment to supporting our post-bacc students, many of whom come from non-psychology backgrounds or are pursuing career changes, in gaining the experience and guidance to achieve their goal of admission to Clinical Psychology doctoral programs.

We surveyed 21 alumni of the UCI Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychological Science who went on to Ph.D. programs in Clinical Psychology. Read what they had to say below about their experience in the post-bacc program and their advice for folks hoping to pursue a doctoral program in Clinical Psychology!

First, we asked program alumni what skills or experiences they gained during the post-bacc program have been most beneficial to them in their doctoral studies. Alumni shared a range of responses, including coursework, research experience, mentorship, networking, and professional development.

Classes and Coursework I came to the post-bacc program after a Many alumni discussed the value of their coursework career in another field. Through the program, during the post-bacc program, both in gaining a strong knowledge base in psychology and in gaining exposure to I gained a foundation in psychology, more specialized topics within the field. Alumni noted this statistics, and research methods. was particularly helpful when making career changes and - Jay Lorenzini, first-year Counseling/ Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at seeking a foundation of knowledge, as well as gaining University of California, Santa Barbara exposure to specific clinical research topics of interest.

UCI offered some highly specialized [classes] that were beneficial for building a strong clinical background (e.g., CBT, personality disorders, psychosis, advanced forensic psychology).

- Branislav Jovanovic, first-year Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at Drexel University

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Research Experience Alumni who responded to the survey also emphasized the benefit of the research experience they gained in the program that spans the range of the entire research process. This includes exposure to research topics, hands-on skills, experience with data collection, creating independent projects, honing research interests, and engaging in disseminating research projects to broader audiences (e.g., conference presentations and posters). Alumni also noted how this research exposure was particularly important in the process of preparing for and applying to graduate school.

The post-bacc program really helped me to gain lots of experience in research. Some of this experience included learning the process of creating and presenting posters, learning the recruitment process in research, learning how to run participant visits, and experiencing my first research conference. It was a great way for me to hone in on my research interests to figure out my program of research for graduate school!

- Lychee Tran, fourth-year Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at UC Irvine

Due to the variety of research labs/experiences I was a part of, I was able to focus on figuring out what I’m really interested in and have expanded on that through my research during graduate school. I was also fortunate to gain experience in administering semi-structured interviews and coordinating a large, NIH-funded study as a research coordinator, which provided invaluable clinical and research skills.

- Summer Millwood, Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology at University of Denver

...getting immersed quickly in a research lab, having an advisor that trusted me with larger projects.

- Lauren Eales, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior

Mentorship & Professional Development The post-bacc program also provides high-quality mentorship and ample opportunities for various forms of professional development. This includes developing broad professional skills, as well as those specifically geared toward pursuit of and readiness for psychology-related graduate studies and careers.

Alumni of the program also noted the value of connecting with mentors during the program.

The program's commitment to high-quality mentorship was vital…in navigating the hidden curriculum of professional development within psychology. Through individual meetings with advisors, graduate students, panel discussions, and workshops, this mentorship guided aspects critical to graduate school applications, such as developing skills necessary to conduct independent research and cultivating a clear narrative for my research and clinical identity….The post-bacc program's clear focus and guidance for graduate school preparation provided well-defined benchmarks, which instilled a sense of clarity and confidence as I approached each step in the application process.

-Ashley Pappal, M.S., Clinical Psychology Graduate Student at the University of Utah

The networking opportunities and the time management related to splitting time between research and class were very beneficial.

- Alex Rivera, Clinical Psychology Graduate Student at the University of South Florida

This training allowed for a smooth transition to my Ph.D. studies, and I arrived feeling wellprepared…[this] enabled me to quickly integrate into my new lab and begin pursuing my research interests.

- Jay Lorenzini, first-year Counseling/ Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at University of California, Santa Barbara

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Community Finally, the post-bacc program’s commitment to inclusivity and building community stands out. Alumni noted that the program as a whole, as well as specific mentors and professors, created a supportive and collaborative environment.

Dr. Zinger's emphasis on fostering a sense of community and actively supporting students from minoritized backgrounds cultivated an inclusive environment that allowed me to thrive. This focus on equity has influenced my approach to my PhD, where I now advocate for similar support systems to assist students from diverse backgrounds.

- Ashley Pappal, M.S., current Clinical Psychology Graduate Student at the University of Utah

Having this experience at the same time as taking courses with the amazing psych science faculty at UCI instilled the passion and knowledge that still drive me today!

- Ellie Antici, second-year Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at UC Irvine

Next, we asked program alumni what advice they would give current undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students who are hoping to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Get to Know Yourself & the Field Graduate school is not only a professional endeavor but also an extremely personal experience that will come to shape you in many ways. It is critical to have a good sense of both your personal values and research and clinical interests so that you can choose a program that fits you well as a person, scholar, and future clinician. Take your time prior to graduate school to assess and solidify what is important to you! It is also important to develop a strong understanding of the current state of the field/research area you hope to enter. Educate yourself on the work being done and identify gaps in understanding that you can potentially address in your own program of research.

It's a marathon, not a sprint! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of taking the time to 1) be sure that a PhD in clinical psychology is the right path for you and 2) refine your research interests to ensure you're doing something that you love (at least for the next 5-6 years). Graduate school takes a lot of grit and hard work, so it's crucial to be sure that this is something you want to commit to!

- Summer Millwood, Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student, University of Denver

Understand Your Options Clinical psychology Ph.D. programs are highly specialized degrees that offer unique training in both research and clinical work. Before you pursue this Ph.D., you should take the time to confirm that it is the model of training that best aligns with your interests and long-term professional goals. If you are only interested in either clinical work or research, another degree program may be a more appropriate fit. Asking questions of those already in the field (e.g., PIs, graduate students) is a great way to learn more about the reality of the clinical psychology Ph.D. experience to determine if it is the right choice for you.

As you approach graduate applications, consider what’s most important to you in a program. Being authentic about your values and goals will help you find an environment where you can thrive. And don’t hesitate to shoot your shot!

- Ashley Pappal, Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student, Department of Psychology, University of Utah

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Take Time To Refine Your Interests & Build Your Experience Start planning and applying early! Taking sufficient time to hone your research interests and develop your research and clinical skills before applying to a clinical psychology Ph.D. program is critical.

Understanding what makes you curious and motivates you is important to not only finding a path you enjoy but being able to convey your genuine interest to potential advisors! A clear, cohesive narrative of why and how you got to where you are goes a long way.

Having focused, clear research interests also enables you to gain relevant research experience in preparation for applying. Being a research assistant, lab manager, or post-bacc researcher are all excellent ways to build your research skills and produce research output (e.g., posters, publications).

Although research experience is the highlight of your application, it is also beneficial to gain early clinical experience to ensure it is something you enjoy and to show potential advisors that you are able to balance both research and clinical work.

Every experience you have should be contributing to your understanding of the field and/or yourself.

Applying to graduate school is all about your ability to successfully tell your story, so it is important that you are able to explain why you decided to pursue a job/position, what you tangibly gained from that experience, and what that experience has made you curious about or interested in exploring further.

- Alex Rivera, Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student, University of South Florida

Make the Most of Your Resources & Connections Navigating the application process for clinical psychology is a challenging endeavor. Programs are highly competitive, and students will often go through several application cycles before they are accepted into a program. As such, building a strong support system and leveraging your community connections are essential to maintaining morale and growing as a future scholar. Make the most of what is offered to you throughout your educational and professional experiences! Volunteer at your lab/job to learn new skills, attend conferences to network with potential advisors and peers, and remember to value your personal connections as they will offer you feedback, support, and comfort when you need them most.

Clinical psychology Ph.D. programs are highly competitive, and it can sometimes take more than one application cycle to be admitted. Stay determined, seek support and advice from your mentors, and try to view each step as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. - Jay Lorenzini, first-year Counseling/Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student, University of California, Santa Barbara

UCI Post-Bacc Program in Psychological Science Website Check out these links to resources about the postbacc program and preparation for Clinical Psychology doctoral programs!

“Demystifying Clinical Psychology” Information Session Series presented by UCI’s inaugural clinical area cohort “Top 10 tips for applying to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs” from current UC Irvine clinical doctoral students

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Clinical Labs Spotlight

BY DAVID CENKNER

UCI Clinical Psychology Area Research Labs

The clinical area in the Department of Psychological Science at UCI has 8 core faculty members. Each clinical faculty member directs their own lab, specializing in research from neurons to relationships and from early childhood to late adulthood.

The core clinical faculty members are: Jessica Borelli, PhD Susan Charles, PhD Kate Kuhlman, PhD Elizabeth Martin, PhD Ray Novaco, PhD (Professor Emeritus) Jason Schiffman, PhD, Director of Clinical Training Stephen Schueller, PhD Julian Thayer, PhD Alyson Zalta, PhD Learn about clinical area research labs in this Clinical Labs Spotlight!

TEAM Lab Director: Dr. Stephen Schueller The Technology and Mental Health (TEAM) Lab, directed by Dr. Schueller, focuses on increasing access to and accessibility of mental health services through technology. Their work draws on theories and methods from clinical science, human-computer interaction, and implementation science. The TEAM Lab strives to leverage technologies to help improve access, quality, and equity in mental health service delivery.

Featured articles: Kaveladze, B. T., Gastelum, S. F., Ngo, D. A. C., Delacruz, P., Cohen, K. A., Käll, A., ... & Schueller, S. M. (2024). A randomized controlled trial comparing brief online self-guided interventions for loneliness. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/ccp0000908 Ramos, G., Hernandez-Ramos, R., Taylor, M., & Schueller, S. M. (2024). State of the science: Using digital mental health interventions to extend the impact of psychological services.

Behavior Therapy, 55, 1364-1379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2024.04.004 Learn more about the TEAM Lab here!

UCI THRIVE Lab Director: Dr. Jessica Borelli The Health, Relationships, and Interventions (THRIVE) Lab, directed

by Dr. Borelli, researches the connections between relationships, emotion regulation, and health, focusing on children, adolescents, young adults, parents, and families. The THRIVE Lab conducts both basic and applied research, does research in several different cultural contexts, and aims to design and test interventions to improve relationships and, in turn, improve health.

Featured article: Borelli, J. L., Zhou, E., Russo, L. N., Li, F. H., Tironi, M., Yamashita, K. S., Smiley, P. A., & Campos, B. (2024). Culturally adapting relational savoring: A therapeutic approach to improve relationship quality. Family Process, 63(2), 667-690. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12989 Learn more about the THRIVE Lab here!

Emotions & Quantitative Psychophysiology Lab Director: Dr. Julian Thayer The Emotions & Quantitative Psychophysiology Lab, directed by Dr. Thayer, employs health psychology and neuroimaging research approaches to studying psychopathology, health disparities, heart rate variability, emotions, stress, and psychophysiological aspects of self regulation. Dr. Thayer’s lab collaborates closely with Dr. DeWayne Williams in the Department of Psychological Science.

Featured article: Watanabe, D. K., Jarczok, M. N., Williams, D. P., Koenig, J., & Thayer, J. F. (2024). Evaluation of low vagally-mediated heart rate variability as an early marker of depression risk. Journal of Affective Disorders, 365, 146-154.

Learn more about Dr. Thayer’s work here!

BEAN Lab Director: Dr. Elizabeth Martin The Behaviors, Emotions, and Affective Neuroscience (BEAN) Lab, directed by Dr. Martin, conducts research surrounding emotional and social functioning in schizotypy, social anhedonia, and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders across the lifespan. The BEAN Lab employs a multi-method approach to research, using a wide range of techniques such as self-report questionnaires, behavioral tasks, neuroimaging, and electromyography. The BEAN Lab also collaborates with the PREVENT Lab on the ProNET study, an international multi-site study of psychosis-risk trajectories.

Featured article: Martin, E. A., Blank, J. M., Jonas, K. G., Lian, W., & Kotov, R. (in press). Personality in psychosis decades after onset: Tests of models of the relations between psychopathology and personality. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.

Learn more about the BEAN Lab here!

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Clinical Labs Spotlight UCI Teen Resilience Lab (TRL) Director: Dr. Kate Kuhlman

Emotion Research Lab Director: Dr. Susan Charles

The Teen Resilience Lab (TRL), directed by Dr. Kuhlman, conducts research at the intersection of developmental psychopathology and psychoneuroimmunology. Their work examines how early experiences alter the communication between the brain and the immune system, and whether those alterations contribute to the development of stress-related diseases such as depression. The TRL is connected to UCI’s Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research (IISBR), and Dr. Kuhlman is one of the core IISBR faculty.

The Emotion Research Lab, directed by Dr. Charles, has a health psychology orientation and focuses on healthy aging and emotional well-being across the life span. The Emotion Research Lab studies social stress and well-being; physical, cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial health in older adults; motivation; activity diversity; social experiences; and pain, sleep, and stress.

Featured articles: Antici, E., Kuhlman, K., Treanor, M., & Craske, M. (2024). Salivary CRP predicts treatment response to virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.002 Kuhlman, K. R. (2024). Pitfalls and potential: Translating the two-hit model of early life stress from pre-clinical non-human experiments to human samples. Brain, Behavior, & ImmunityHealth, 35, 100711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100711 Learn more about the TRL here!

Trauma & Resilience Lab Director: Dr. Alyson Zalta The Trauma & Resilience Lab, directed by Dr. Zalta, conducts translational research exploring factors that impact the development of trauma-related psychopathology and intervention strategies aimed at mitigating the impact of trauma. The lab focuses on research that can inform scalable treatment interventions and takes particular interest in working with vulnerable populations, including veterans. The lab is connected to UCI’s Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research (IISBR), and Dr. Zalta is one of the core IISBR faculty.

Featured articles: Burgess, H.J., Rizvydeen, M., Huizenga, B., Prasad, M., Bahl, S., Duval, E.R., Kim, H.M., Phan, K.L., Liberzon, I., Abelson, J., Klumpp, H., Horwitz, A., Mooney, A., Raglan, G.B., & Zalta, A.K. A 4-week morning light treatment reduces amygdala reactivity and clinical symptoms in adults with traumatic stress. Psychiatry Research, in press.

Infurna, F.J., Jayawickreme, E., Woods-Jaeger, B., Zalta, A.K. Understanding adaptive responses to adversity: Introduction to the special issue on rethinking resilience and posttraumatic growth. American Psychologist, in press.

Learn more about the Trauma & Resilience Lab here!

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Featured articles: Charles, S. T., & Piazza, J. R. (2024) Looking back, forging ahead: Fifteen years of Strength and Vulnerability Integration (SAVI).

Current Opinion in Psychology, 55, 101751.

Jeon, S., Turiano, N. A., & Charles, S. T. (2024). A Greater Variety of Social Activities is Associated with Lower Mortality Risk. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 79(5), gbae021.

Learn more about the Emotion Research Lab here!

PREVENT Lab Director: Dr. Jason Schiffman The Psychosis-Risk Evaluation, Early Intervention, and Treatment (PREVENT) Lab, directed by Dr. Schiffman, conducts research surrounding the assessment, prevention, and treatment of attenuated symptoms of psychosis in adolescents and young adults, with a particular interest in social determinants and contextual factors associated with psychosis-risk. The PREVENT Lab collaborates closely with the BEAN Lab, and together they form the LEAPS team!

Featured article: Petti, E., Schiffman, J., Oh, H., & Karcher, N. R. (2024). Evidence for Environmental Risk Factors and Cumulative Stress Linking Racial/Ethnic Identity and Psychotic-Like Experiences in ABCD Study Data. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2024.04.017 Learn more about the PREVENT Lab here!

Fun Fact: Prospective clinical students can apply to work with any Psychological Science faculty, including faculty labs not listed here!

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

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Aguilera, A., Arévalo Avalos, M., Xu, J., Chakraborty, B., Figueroa, C., Garcia, F., Rosales, K., Hernandez-Ramos, R., Karr, C., Williams, J., Ochoa-Frongia, L., Sarkar, U., Yom-Tov, E., & Lyles, C. (2024). Effectiveness of a digital health intervention leveraging reinforcement learning: Results from the diabetes and mental health adaptive notification tracking and evaluation (DIAMANTE) randomized clinical trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e60834. https://doi.org/10.2196/60834 Antici, E. E., Kuhlman, K. R., Treanor, M., & Craske, M. G. (2024). Salivary CRP predicts treatment response to virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 118, 300-309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.002 Arcos, D., Ng, D.Q., Ke, Y, Toh, Y.L., Chan, A. (2024) Prediction of gastrointestinal symptoms trajectories using omega-3 and inflammatory biomarkers in early-stage breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Support Care Cancer, 3;32(1):76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-08274-5 Arcos, D., Dagsi, M., Nasr, R., Nguyen, C., Ng, D.Q., & Chan, A. (2024). Perceptions of implementing real-time electronic patient-reported outcomes and digital analytics in a majority-minority cancer center. JCO Clin Cancer Inform 8, e2400188. https://doi.org/10.1200/CCI-24-00188 Bettis, R. J., Faith, L. A., Beard, A. M., Whan, B. A., Hegwood, C. M., Monette, M. A., Myers, E. J., Linton, I. S., Leonhardt, B. L., Salyers, M. P., & Minor, K. S. (2024). Narrative forewarnings: A qualitative analysis of the themes preceding disorganized speech in schizophrenia. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 14(3), 212. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14030212 Bevens, W., Stoeckl, S. E., Schueller, S. M., Kim, J., Cha, B. S., Chwa, C., Stadnick, N. A., Best, N. C., & Sorkin, D. H. (2024). Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022. Frontiers in psychology, 15, 1408837. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1408837 Borelli, J. L., Zhou, E., Russo, L. N., Li, F. H., Tironi, M., Yamashita, K. S., Smiley, P. A., & Campos, B. (2024). Culturally adapting Relational Savoring: A therapeutic approach to improve relationship quality. Family Process.

Boucher, E., Ward, H., Miles, C., Henry, R., & Stoeckl, S. E. (2024). Effects of a digital mental health intervention on perceived stress and rumination in adolescents aged 13 to 17 years: Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e54282. https://doi.org/10.2196/54282 Cenkner, D. P., Held, P., & Zalta, A. K. (2024). A latent profile analysis of moral emotions following moral transgressions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 80(8), 1754-1766. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23691 Chan A, Ng D.Q., Arcos D, Heshmatipour M, Lee BJ, Chen A, Duong L, Van L, Nguyen T, Green V, Hoang D. (2024).

Electronic patient-reported outcome-driven symptom management by oncology pharmacists in a majority-minority population: An implementation study. JCO Oncol Pract, 20(12):1744-1754. https://doi.org/10.1200/OP.24.00050.

Chang, E., Kapoor, A., Lohman, T., Dutt, S., Alitin, J. P. M., Sible, I. J., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024). Older adults with smaller and less complex social networks show deficits in medial temporal cerebrovascular reactivity. Journal of the American Heart Association, 13(15), e034390. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.124.03439 Cheng, S. C., Kopelovich, S., Si, D., Divina, M., Gao, N., Wang, M. Y., Kim, J. J., Li, Z., Blank, J. M., Brian, R., & Turkington, D. (2024). Co-production of a cognitive behavioral therapy digital platform for families of individuals impacted by psychosis. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-023-00378-3 Deam, M., Gupta, T., Bridgwater, M.A., Haas, G.L., Horton, L. (2024). Associations between interpersonal trauma and social impairments in adolescents with and without a family history of psychosis. Schizophrenia Research, 264, 280-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2024.01.002 DeYoung, C. G., Blain, S. D., Latzman, R. D., Grazioplene, R. G., Haltigan, J. D., Kotov, R., ... Snyder, M.E., & Tobin, K. E. (2024). The hierarchical taxonomy of psychopathology and the search for neurobiological substrates of mental illness: A systematic review and roadmap for future research. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 133(8), 697-715. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000903 Dutt, S., Bachman, S. L., Dahl, M. J., Li, Y., Yew, B., Jang, J. Y.,… Kapoor, A., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024). Locus coeruleus MRI contrast, cerebral perfusion, and plasma Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in older adults. Neurobiology of Aging.

147, 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.11.008

MORE !

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Dveirin, H., Acuna, V., Tran, M., Antici, E., & Kuhlman, K. R. (in press). Salivary cortisol and affective responses to acute psychosocial stress among adolescents. Psychoneuroendocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107265 Engstrom, A. C., Alitin, J. P. M., Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Lohman, T., Sible, I. J., Marshall, A. J., Shenasa, F., Gaubert, A., Ferrer, F., Nguyen, A., Bradford, D. R., Rodgers, K., Sordo, L., Head, E., Shao, X., Wang, D. J. J., & Nation, D. A. (2024).

Spontaneous cerebrovascular reactivity at rest in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment and memory deficits. Alzheimer's & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14396 Giljen, M., Healey, L., Bridgwater, M., Ceccolini, C., Friedman-Yakoobian, M., Horton, L., Lichvar, E., Mayanil, T., Mittal, V., Petti, E., West, M., Lichvar, E., & Schiffman, J. (Accepted). Clinical high-risk for psychosis in sexual and gender minority populations: Research and clinical considerations. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Hernandez-Ramos, R., Schueller, S.M., Borghouts, J., Palomares, K., Eikey, E., Schneider, M., Stadnick, N., Zheng, K., Mukamel, D.B., Sorkin, D.H. (2024). Evaluation of a pilot implementation of a digital cognitive-behavioral therapy platform for county mental health services. Implementation Research and Practice.

Ho, G., Pratt, D.N., Bridgwater, M.A., Schiffman, J., Ellman, L.M., Mittal, V.A. (2024). Factors impacting intent to seek treatment within youth at clinical high risk for psychosis. Schizophrenia Research, 267, 273-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2024.03.047 2.

Hou, W. K., Tao, T. J., Li, C. J., Wong, E. L., Saral, A. T., Liu, H., & Galea, S. (2024). Socio-political factors and mental health following the Turkey-Syria Earthquake. JAMA Network Open, 7(5), e2411413. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.11413 Hui, C. L. M., Wong, C. C. L., Lui, E. C. Y., Chiu, T. C., Tao, T. J., Chan, E. W. T., Lin, J., Tong, A. C. Y., Suen, Y. N., Chan, C. W. H., Yeung, W. S., Lee, E. H. M., Chan, S. K. W., Chang, W. C., & Chen, E. Y. H. (2024). Effects of mindfulness-based intervention in preventing relapse in patients with remitted psychosis: A randomized controlled trial. Schizophrenia, 10, 120. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00539-0 Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Alitin, J. P. M., Sible, I. J., Marshall, A., Shenasa, F., Engstrom, A. C., Gaubert, A., Shao, X., Bradford, D. R., Rodgers, K., Mather, M., Wang, D. J. J., & Nation, D. A. (2024). Older adults with reduced cerebrovascular reactivity exhibit high white matter hyperintensity burden. Neurobiology of aging, 139, 5–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.03.006 Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Engstrom, A. C., Alitin, J. P. M., Lohman, T., Sible, I. J., ... & Nation, D. A. (In Press). Association of medial temporal lobe cerebrovascular reactivity and memory function in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Neurology.

Kapoor, A., Ho, J. K., Jang, J. Y., & Nation, D. A. (2024). Robust reference group normative data for neuropsychological tests accounting for primary language use in Asian American older adults. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 30(4), 402-409.

Kuhlman, K.R., Semsar, N., Antici, E.E., & Restrepo, N. (Accepted). Flourishing as resilience: Flourishing among Hispanic/Latino adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Translational Issues in Psychological Science. [Advance online publication]. https://doi.org/10.1037/tps0000435 Li, C. J., Zheng, Y., Gan, Y., Du, Z., Cai, X., Li, Y., Wang, W., Jiang, T., Zhang, Q., Niu, L., Tao, T. J., & Hou, W. K. (2024). Mental health of primary health care physicians and nurses following prolonged infection control rules: A national survey in China. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1392845. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1392845 Liu, H., Tao, T. J., Chan, S. K. Y., Ma, J. C. H., Lau, A. Y. T., Yeung, E. T. F., Hobfoll, S. E., & Hou, W. K. (2024). Daily routine disruptions and psychiatric symptoms amid COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of data from 0.9 million individuals in 32 countries. BMC Medicine, 22, 49. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03253-x

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Lohman, T., Kapoor, A., Engstrom, A. C., Shenasa, F., Alitin, J. P. M., Gaubert, A., Rodgers, K. E., Bradford, D., Mather, M., Han, S. D., Head, E., Sordo, L., Thayer, J. F., & Nation, D. A. (2024). Central autonomic network dysfunction and plasma Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in older adults. Alzheimer's research & therapy, 16(1), 124. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-024-01486-9 Lohman, T., Sible, I. J., Shenasa, F., Engstrom, A. C., Kapoor, A., Alitin, J. P. M., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024). Reliability of beat-to-beat blood pressure variability in older adults. Scientific Reports, 14, 20197.

Lohman, T., Sible, I., Engstrom, A. C., Kapoor, A., Shenasa, F., Head, E., Sordo, L., Alitin, J. P. M., Gaubert, A., Nguyen, A., Rodgers, K. E., Bradford, D., & Nation, D. A. (2024). Beat-to-beat blood pressure variability, hippocampal atrophy, and memory impairment in older adults. GeroScience, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-024-01303-z Lohman, T., Sible, I., Kapoor, A., Engstrom, A. C., Shenasa, F., Alitin, J. P. M., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024). Blood pressure variability, central autonomic network dysfunction, and cerebral small‐vessel disease in APOE4 carriers. Journal of the American Heart Association, 13(9), e034116. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.123.034116 Luu, J. H., Acevedo, A. M., Pourmand, V., & Pressman, S. D. (In Press). The power of smiles: Mitigating pain through facial expression. Journal of Positive Psychology.

Martin, E.A., Blank, J.M., Jonas, K.G., Lian, W., & Kotov, R. (In Press). Personality in psychosis decades after onset: Tests of models of the relations between psychopathology and personality. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.

Okamura, K. H., Palafu, T., Harris, C. J., Crane, M., Wislocki, K., Galanti, R., Osborne, T. L., Reiser, R. P., Sze, J. A., & Persons, J. B. (2024). Translating science to practice: A demonstration project using professional listserv and Twitter to disseminate research findings in mental health to practitioners. The Behavior Therapist.

Pathak, L.E., Hernandez-Ramos R., Rosales, K., Miramontes J., Garcia, F., Yip, V., Sudarshan, S., Cemballi, A.G., Lyles, C.R., Aguilera, A. (In Press). Using social media to recruit a diverse sample of participants for a mobile health (mHealth) intervention to increase physical activity: An exploratory study.

Petti, E., Schiffman, J., Oh, H., & Karcher, N. R. (In Press). Evidence for environmental risk factors and cumulative stress linking racial/ethnic identity and psychotic-like experiences in ABCD study data. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2024.04.017 Ramos, G., Hernandez-Ramos, R., Taylor, M.E., & Schueller, S. M. (2024). State of the science: Using digital mental health interventions to extend the impact of psychological services. Behavior Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2024.04.004.

Rizvi, S. L., Ruork, A. K., Yin, Q., Yeager, A., Taylor, M. E., & Kleiman, E. M. (2024). Using biosensor devices and ecological momentary assessment to measure emotion regulation processes: Pilot observational study with dialectical behavior therapy. JMIR Mental Health, 11, e60035.

Robinaugh, D. J., Hotchkin, C. M., Wright, S., De Ron, J. (2024). The network approach to post-traumatic stress disorder: A conceptual and methodological overview. Journal of Traumatic Stress.

Sible, I. J., Jang, J. Y., Blanken, A. E., Alitin, J. P. M., Engstrom, A., Dutt, S., Marshall, A. J., Kapoor, A., Shenasa, F., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024). Short-term blood pressure variability and brain functional network connectivity in older adults.

Neuroimage: Reports, 4(1), 100198.

Sorkin, D.H., Mukamel, D., Eikey, E., Schueller, S.M., Schneider, M., Stadnick, N., Zheng, K., Bevens, W., Borghouts, J., Ceballos-Corro, E., Cha, B.S., Chwa, C., De Leon, C., Hobaica, S., Kim, G., Li, X., Mathew, A.B., Palomares, K., Stoeckl, S.E., Varisco, R., Zhao, X. (2024). Help@Hand Statewide Evaluation: Year 5 Annual Report/ Preliminary Final Report. Program of Research in Translational Technology Enabling High Quality Care, University of California, Irvine Soto Rivas, Canady, M. G., Barrington-Trimis, J., Leventhal, A., Harlow, A. (2024). Factors associated with mental health care among adolescents in Southern California. Journal of School Health.

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Sujanthan, S., Southwell, A., Armel, T., Xing, E., Kapoor, A., Liu, X. Y. E., ... & Swartz, R. H. (2024). DOC screen completion time reflects executive function, speed of processing and fluency. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences, 21, 1-21.

Tao, T. J., Yung, Y. Y. Y., Lau, A. Y. T., Liu, H., Liang, L., Bryant, F. B., & Hou, W. K. (2024). Savoring mediates the mental health benefits of positive coping processes: A prospective population-based analysis. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 16(1), 158–178. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12476 Taylor, M. E., Liu, M., Abelson, S., Eisenberg, D., Lipson, S. K., & Schueller, S. M. (2024). The reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of digital mental health interventions for college students: A systematic review. Current Psychiatry Reports, 1-11.

Taylor, M. E., Schueller, S. M., Russell, M. A., Hoyle, R. H., & Odgers, C. L. (2024). Adolescents’ digital technology use, emotional dysregulation, and self-esteem: No evidence of same-day linkages. Affective Science, 1-10.

Van Der Ven, E., Olino, T., Diehl, K., Nunez, S., Thayer, G., Bridgwater, M., Ereshefsky, S., Musket, C., Lincoln, S.H., Rogers, R., Klaunig, M., DeVylder, J., Grattan, R., Schiffman, J., Ellman, L., Niendam, T., Anglin, D. (2024). Ethnoracial variation across the psychosis continuum in the United States: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, E1-E9. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.5497 3.

Vaswani-Bye, A., McCain, C., Blank, J. M., Tennison, M. E., & Kopelovich, S. L. (2024). A thematic analysis investigating the inaugural psychosis REACH family ambassador peer training program. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 233245. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S432255 Wislocki, K. & Zalta, AK. (2025). Predictors of trauma-related overshadowing. Behavior Research and Therapy, 184, 104651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2024.104651 Wislocki, K., Naderi, G., Schueller, S., & Zalta, AK. (2024). Assessing similarities and differences in thematic content across online mental health communities dedicated to trauma-related mental health conditions. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001817

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STUDENT AWARDS Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society Trainee Travel Award Ellie Antici Social Ecology Graduate Student Merit Fellowship Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship UC Irvine Diversity Recruitment Fellowship Daniela Arcos Psychological Science Merit Award Maggie Canady Carol Kupers Whalen Graduate Research Award American Psychological Foundation COGDOP Graduate Research Scholarship David Cenkner Roxane Cohen Silver Student Diversity Award Rosa Hernandez-Ramos Outstanding Student Research Award, ABCT Psychosis & Schizophrenia Spectrum Special Interest Group Travel Award (Smadar Levin Award Runner Up), Society for Research in Psychopathology Emily Petti Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Mentoring of Undergraduate Research for the School of Social Ecology Social Ecology Mentoring Award NIMH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowship Madeline Snyder Third Place Poster Award, ABCT Dissemination & Implementation Special Interest Group Madison Taylor Symposium Sponsorship, ABCT Military & Veteran Psychology Special Interest Group Kit Wislocki

Emily Petti with her mentor, Dr. Jason Schiffman, after receiving an award at the Society for Research in Psychopathology (SRP) in Montréal!

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STUDENT PRESENTATIONS Antici, E.E., Bower, J.E., Irwin, M.R., & Kuhlman, K.R. (2024, June). Concordance of inflammatory reactivity to acute psychosocial stress in plasma and saliva. Poster presented at the 2024 Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society Conference, Halifax, NS, Canada.

Antici, E.E., Kuhlman, K.R., Treanor, M., & Craske, M. (2024, April). Salivary CRP predicts treatment response to virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder. Poster presented at the 2024 Anxiety and Depression Association of America Conference, Boston, MA. Blank, J. M., Stibor, A. F., Snyder, M. E., & Martin, E. A. (2024, March). An Investigation of the Relation Between Defeatist Performance Beliefs, Emotion Regulation, and HiTOP Spectra. Poster presented at the HiTOP Conference, San Diego, CA. Bridgwater, M., Giljen, M., Petti, E., Schiffman, J. (2024, April). Start the Conversation: The “When,” “How,” and “Then What?” Strategies to Approach Youth Experiencing Early Signs of Psychosis. Presentation at the 2024 Meeting of the Minds Conference (Mental Health Association of Orange County), Anaheim, CA. Bridgwater, M., Petti, E., Lucas, K., Nguyen, T., Schiffman, J., Karcher, N. (2024, October). Mental Health Care Decision Making, Barriers to Care, and Psychotic-Like Experiences: Findings from a Nationwide Sample of Mental Health America Respondents. Society for Research in Psychopathology Annual Meeting, Montreal, Quebec. https://psychopathology.org/2024-meeting/ Bridgwater, M., Petti, E., Savill, M., Oh, H., Lucas, K., Nguyen, T., Schiffman, J., Karcher, N. (2024, November).

Barriers to Care and Psychotic-Like Experiences: Qualitative Findings from a Sample of Mental Health America Respondents. [Schizophrenia Special Interest Group Poster Session]. ABCT 58th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Canady, M., & Zalta, A. (2024, March). Establishing Associations between Childhood Trauma, Neighborhood Crime, Sleep Disturbance, and Psychopathology in Early Adolescence [Poster presentation]. ABCD Insights & Innovations Meeting, Bethesda, MD. Canady, M., & Zalta, A. (2024, November). Establishing Associations between Childhood Trauma, Neighborhood Crime, and Sleep Disturbance in Early Adolescence [Poster presentation]. ABCT Annual Convention's Special Interest Group Exposition, Philadelphia, PA. Cenkner, D. P., Stevens, S. K., & Zalta, A. K. (2024, November). How Affective States Predict Next Day Suicidal Ideation in Treatment-Seeking Adults: The Moderating Role of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skill Use. Poster presented at the 58th annual meeting for the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Conference, Philadelphia, PA. Elliott, M.R., Charles, S.T., Silver, R.C., Holman, A.E. (2024, November). Racial Disparities in Psychological Well-Being Across Age Groups During COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study. Poster. Gerontological Society of America Conference 2024, Seattle, WA. Engstrom, A.C., Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Alitin, J. P., Gaubert, A., Lohman, T., Sible, I. J., Marshall, A. J., Shenasa, F., Shao, X., Wang, D. J., & Nation, D. A. (2024, July) Sex Differences in Cerebrovascular Reactivity to Hypercapnia in Older Adults, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Philadelphia, PA. Giljen, M., Healey, L., Corlett, P., Strauss, G., Waltz, J., Silverstein, S., Woods, S., Walker, E., Powers, A., Gold, J., Mittal, V. A., Ellman, L. M., & Schiffman, J. (2024, October). Interpersonal Relationships, Social Functioning, and Negative Symptoms in Sexual Minority Individuals at Clinical-high Risk for Psychosis. [Poster session]. The 37th Annual Meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology, Montréal, Canada.

Hegwood, C., Healey, L. & Schiffman, J. (2024, November) Family Influences on Mental Illness Perceptions: Development and Validation of the Intergenerational Perceptions of Mental Illness Scale. The Society for Research in Psychopathology. Montreal, Canada.

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MORE STUDENT PRESENTATIONS! Hernandez-Ramos, R., Reyes, Y., Arevalo Avalos, M. R. Rosales, K., Gastélum Lugo, C., Ramos, G., Ochoa-Frongia, L., Fortuna, L.R., Aguilera, A., Schueller, S.M. (2024, June). Cultural Adaptation of a Training Manual for Latinx Human Supporters for Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Symposia presentation at the 12th Annual Meeting for the International Society for Research on Internet, Limerick, Ireland.

Kapoor, A., Conrad, A., Lopez, A., Kristinsson, H., Chen, P., Thomas, A., & Lopez, M. (2024, November). Analyzing completion time on a created Forced Choice Trial of the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test – Revised (HVLT-R) to measure engagement in a mixed clinical sample. Poster presented at National Academy of Neuropsychology.

Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Engstrom, A. C., Alitin, J. P. M., Lohman, T., Sible, I. J., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024, July). Higher Medial Temporal Cerebrovascular Reactivity Predicts Better Memory Function in Older Adults Without Dementia.

Poster presented at Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Nguyen, A., Gaubert, A., Alitin, J. P. M., Sible, I. J., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024, July). Elevated Plasma NfL and GFAP are Associated with Impaired Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Older Adults. Poster presented at Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Nguyen, A., Gaubert, A., Alitin, J. P. M., Sible, I. J., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024, July). Plasma Biomarkers of Vascular Injury and Cerebrovascular Reactivity in APOE4 Carriers. Poster presented at Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Nguyen, A., Gaubert, A., Alitin, J. P. M., Sible, I. J., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024, May). Elevated Plasma NfL and GFAP are Associated with Impaired Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Older Adults. Presentation at Inaugural California Academic Geriatrics Institutions Conference.

Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Yew, B., Jang, J. Y., Gaubert, A., Nguyen, A., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024, March). Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Cerebrovascular Function in APOE4 Carriers. Presentation at Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Diseases Conference.

Kapoor, A., Dutt, S., Yew, B., Jung, J. Y., Alitin, J. P. M., Ho, J. K., ... & Nation, D. A. (2024, February). Older APOE4 carriers with reduced cerebrovascular reactivity exhibit high white matter hyperintensity burden. Poster presented at International Neuropsychological Society Meeting.

Kapoor, A., Engstrom, A.C., Dutt, S., Gaubert, A., Alitin, J. P., T., Sible, I. J., Marshall, A. J., Shenasa, F., Shao, X., Wang, D. J., & Nation, D. A. (2024, July) Higher Cerebrovascular Reactivity Predicts Better Memory Function in Older Adults Without Dementia. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Philadelphia, PA. Luu, J. H. & Pressman, S. D. (2024, February). What triggers smiling during stress? An investigation into the association of experienced emotion and positive facial expressions. [Poster presentation]. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Convention. San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA, United States.

Petti, E., Boos, A., Wallace, C., Rakhshan Rouhakhtar, P., Schiffman, J., Buchanan, R.W., DeVylder, J.E., & Smith, M.E. (2024, November). Exploring referrals to psychosis early intervention services: A qualitative analysis of provider decision-making. [Poster session]. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 58th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA. Petti, E., Healey, L.V., Hegwood, C., Coronado, K., Giljen, M., Villegas, M., Bridgwater, M.A., Rakhshan Rouhakhtar, P. , Pitts., S.C., Ellman, L.M., Mittal, V.A., & Schiffman, J. (2024, October). Examining psychosis-risk screening accuracy across sociodemographic groups. [Poster session]. The 37th Annual Meeting of the Society for Research in Psychopathology, Montréal, Canada.

Snyder, M. E., Blank, J. M., Schiffman, J., & Martin, E. A. (2024, March). A Multi-study Investigation of Detachment and Social Contributions in Trait and State Affect and Social Connectedness [Poster session]. HiTOP Conference, San Diego, CA.

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MORE STUDENT PRESENTATIONS! Snyder, M. E., Moring, H., Petti, E., Bridgwater, M., Healey, L., Hegwood, C., Coranado, K., Boos, A., Giljen, M., Schiffman, J., & Martin E. A. (2024, October). Associations of Social Anhedonia and Psychotic-Like Experiences with Risk-Taking Behaviors Across a Continuum of Psychosis Proneness [Poster session]. Society for Research in Psychopathology Conference, Montreal, Canada.

Stoeckl, S. E., Bevens, W., Schueller, S. M., Borghouts, J., Eikey, E. V., Schneider, M., Stadnick, N., Zheng, K., Mukamel, D., & Sorkin, D. H. (2024, November). Implementation of digital mental health tools in California's behavioral health systems: Insights from the Help@Hand project [Poster presentation]. ABCT 58th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

Tao, T. J., Estes, K. D., Holman, E. A., & Silver, R. C. (2024, September). Perceiving the positives beyond wildfire experiences: A survey of residents in a high-risk California county [Flash Talk]. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) Annual Meeting, Boston, MA. Taylor, M. E., Liu, M., Abelson, S., Eisenberg, D., Lipson, S. K., & Schueller, S. M. (2024, November). Implementation and Maintenance Factors for Digital Mental Health Interventions Among College Students: A Systematic Review.

Poster presented at the 58th annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), Philadelphia, PA. Taylor, M.E. (2024, June). Adolescents’ Daily Technology Use, Emotional Dysregulation, and Self-Esteem: Little Evidence of Daily Linkages [Conference presentation]. 27th biannual meeting for the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development. Lisbon, Portugal.

Taylor, M.E. (2024, June). Understanding Real World Impact: An Analysis of Outcomes of Brief DMHI on an Online Screening and Intervention Platform [Conference presentation]. 12th scientific meeting for the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions. Limerick, Ireland.

Tran, M., Kuhlman, K., Cole, S., & Rao, U. (2024, June). Childhood maltreatment modulates role of immune-related gene expression in reward processing among adolescents. Poster presented at the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society 2024 Annual Meeting, Halifax, NS Canada.

Wislocki, K., Hernandez-Ramos, R., West, A., Montgomery, R., King, A., & McFarr, L. (2024, November). Identifying Transdiagnostic Predictors of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Response: A Machine Learning Approach. Poster presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Improvement and Teaching of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (ISITDBT), Philadelphia, PA. Wislocki, K., Hernandez-Ramos, R., West, A., Montgomery, R., King, A., & McFarr, L. (2024, November). Predicting Dialectical Behavior Therapy Response Using Machine Learning. Poster presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Philadelphia, PA. Wislocki, K., Naderi, G., & Zalta, A. (2024, November). Using Actigraphy and Machine Learning to Predict PTSD Diagnosis in Veterans. In Wislocki, K., & Malek, N. (Co-Chairs). Leveraging Technology to Support PTSD Assessment and Intervention for Veteran Populations. Symposium presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Philadelphia, PA.

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OUTSIDE THE LAB Ceouna’s first hiking trip to Great Smoky Mountain National Park!

And Maggie performed in Los Angeles and New York this summer!

Madison got a new cat, Lily!

And traveled on a mini European vacation!

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OUTSIDE THE LAB

Students presented at conferences...

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OUTSIDE THE LAB

...around the globe!

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OUTSIDE THE LAB Allie got engaged in Hawaii!!

and Frances got married!!

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OUTSIDE THE LAB

Fun times at the Angels Baseball Game!

Great costumes at the department Halloween party!

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OUTSIDE THE LAB

Students have cool adventures!

With fun times throughout the year!

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OUTSIDE THE LAB

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OUTSIDE THE LAB

Students are also engaged in projects and organizations throughout the UCI Community

And you can find UCI PSC Director, Dr. Naomi Tabak, hanging out with PSC Trainees!

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Support doctoral training in clinical psychology at UCI! At any given moment, at least 20% of the population is suffering from a psychiatric disorder such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, substance use, or a neurodevelopmental disorder. These conditions decrease both healthspan and lifespan, as well as place a costly but preventable burden on society and public services. For example, individuals with a psychiatric disease account for at least 20% of all emergency department visits. Yet, there remains a paucity of affordable, evidence-based mental health care in Orange County and sizeable disparities felt by vulnerable and marginalized communities. In response to this need, the UCI Department of Psychological Science launched a new doctoral training program in clinical psychology in 2020. This will provide Orange County with a new infrastructure that will add trained clinicians to the workforce and leadership to disseminate affordable, evidence-based care that is tailored to the dynamic needs of the local community.

Our primary goal is to rigorously train clinical scientists in the development, evaluation, and dissemination of psychological science. These trainees will then be capable of serving the community with the most advanced and effective approaches to mitigating psychiatric symptoms and improving mental well-being, developing the next generation of effective and inclusive mental health services, and training the next generation of clinical psychologists. This doctoral training typically spans 6 years and involves a combination of formal coursework, practical training in clinical settings, and completion of independent research projects.

All donations will be used to recruit, retain, and support the exceptional training of doctoral students in clinical psychological science. Recruitment of these students will enhance our mission of inclusive excellence in training and leadership.

Get all of the latest updates about our area by visiting our website! https://ps.soceco.uci.edu/pages/clinical-psychology-graduate

Increase access to affordable, evidencebased mental health services in the local community by clicking here and making a donation today!

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Thanks for reading!

2024-2025 Newsletter Committee Julia R. Birenbaum, Maggie Canady, David Cenkner, Allie Engstrom, Maksim Giljen, Ceouna Hegwood, Emily Petti, Shadi Sharif, & Kate R. Kuhlman 35