Faculty
Specialization. An important feature of the program is specialized training in one of these three areas: behavioral medicine/health psychology, experimental psychology, and neuropsychology. Students are selected by each specialty track, and applicants are encouraged to choose potential mentors from the track in which they are interested.
Behavioral Medicine/Health Psychology This specialty focuses on developing and integrating knowledge and techniques in behavioral and biomedical science with application to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of a wide range of health conditions. Current faculty interests include health disparities, quality of life, chronic illness care and prevention, cultural and gender bias, factors in disease prevention and treatment and tobacco use. Students in this track may obtain an M.P.H. in addition to their Ph.D. through a cooperative relationship with the SDSU Graduate School of Public Health.
Experimental Psychopathology Experimental Psychopathology is the study of the causes, characteristics, and treatment of psychological dysfunction. Theory and research in this area emphasize assessment and treatment of both childhood and adult disorders. Experimental psychopathology is broadly defined to provide students flexibility in deciding upon a particular area for emphasis. Current faculty interests include anxiety disorders, chronic depression disorders, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, cultural issues in service delivery, child maltreatment, and mental health services for children.
Neuropsychology Clinical neuropsychology is a scientific discipline encompassing identification, description, multivariate quantification, and remediation of psychological impairments resulting from central nervous system disease and trauma. The neuropsychological specialization provides a systematic program in human clinical neuropsychology. Current faculty interests include environmental impact on test performance, substance use and the neurological effects, cognitive function, and Alzheimer’s disease. Faculty and students have access to all of the latest imaging techniques for use in their research.
Child/Developmental Psychology While there is not a specialization track in child or developmental psychology, there are any number of faculty from both campuses who have strong research interests in children and family issues. It is therefore possible to be fully trained in one of the three existing specializations, using this population as the focus of interest within your chosen specialization.
After completing the core curriculum, formal training in the specialization includes: a) A year long seminar in the scientific and clinical aspects of the specialty area; b) Advanced clinical and didactic training and experience related to the specialization; and c) Continued research and mentoring and experience in the specialty area.
