Student Driven Publication 2017
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Student Driven Publication 2017 Newsletter Team: Xia Allen, University of Notre Dame Gail Corneau, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Docia Demmin, Rutgers University Annaleis Giovanetti, University of Notre Dame Rebecca Kazinka, University of Minnesota Tierney McMahon, University of Buffalo Erik Nook, Harvard University Jacob Pine, Ohio State Katerina Rnic, University of Western Ontario Shirley Wang, Harvard University Newsletter Coordinators: Randy P. Auerbach, Kristin Gainey, and Vijay Mittal Lee Anna Clark, Ph.D. University of Notre Dame Zubin Award Winner Shirley Wang, Harvard University Tierney McMahon, University of Buffalo r. Lee Anna DSM-III was published, Clark, the 2017 which included personality D Zubin Award disorders for the first time. winner, is a pioneer in She remembered feeling the field of personality excited that these disorders disorders. With over 160 were being recognized, but publications, she has puzzled by the approach to helped advance our assessment. Although understanding of personality disorders were assessment, etiology, defined as dysfunctional and treatment of personality traits, the personality disorders. disorders were assessed via Moreover, she brings an unbridled loosely defined prototypes and passion to her work, which has inspired symptoms. During the same period researchers in the field. when the DSM-III was published, Dr. Clark and her now-husband and long- After teaching English in Japan for one time colleague, Dr. David Watson, were year and subsequently obtaining a learning about Dr. Auke Tellegen’s Master’s in East Asian Studies from development of the Multidimensional Cornell University, Dr. Clark completed Personality Questionnaire, a test her doctoral degree in clinical designed to assess normal personality psychology at the University of functioning. Given Dr. Clark’s interest in Minnesota under the mentorship of Dr. personality measurement and her James Butcher. Perhaps not concerns with the diagnostic approach surprisingly, Dr. Clark’s dissertation to personality disorders, she began focused on translating the MMPI into developing the Schedule for Japanese, “I think [Dr. Butcher] knew Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality what my dissertation would be before I (the SNAP), with the hope that it could even arrived to graduate school.” While serve as a valid assessment of Dr. Clark was in graduate school, the personality pathology. In light of Dr. Clark’s life work, she is a strong advocate for an empirically supported diagnostic system, and she believes it is critical to help insurance companies understand that disorders exist along a continuum and thus, treatment should be provided, accordingly. As a member of the Personality Disorders Working Group for the ICD, Dr. Clark is working to ensure that this issue does not continue to slip through the cracks in future revisions of the diagnostic system. Throughout her work, Dr. Clark has strongly advocated for a dimensional, When asked about her advice to current trait-based model for characterizing graduate students and early career personality pathology, investigators, Dr. Clark provided 4 insightful recommendations. First, she “If we can describe someone on stated that aspiring academics should 5-15 traits and point out what is be certain this is the career path they most problematic or needs to be want, as research and academic careers are not easy, nor always rewarding. addressed, that is much more Second, she suggested that students useful than a prototype model. A create healthy habits early on, as these prototype model cannot inform habits will help during times of stress what needs to be addressed.” that are inevitable throughout graduate school and an academic research Although categorical models may be career. Third, she advised students to easier to understand in the abstract, a think about both short-term and long- single category can describe two very term goals. Fourth, Dr. Clark reminded different presentations, reducing the us to remain “balanced.” She stated reliability and validity of diagnoses. that this balance might fluctuate from Thus, Dr. Clark’s research has time to time, but emphasized that we consistently underscored the should never let the pendulum swing importance of a dimensional approach, too far in any direction. Dr. Clark spoke which may provide more optimal of times in her own life when her career information for identifying points of demands necessitated that she “miss intervention. out on a soccer game” and other times when she conversely chose to spend time with her family, rather than stay late to work on a project, “We can have it all, but we cannot always have it all at once.” Finally, Dr. Clark provided a special piece of advice to female aspiring academics: Don’t adjust your career or family aspirations because of outside pressure. Dr. Clark has repeatedly referred to her husband and strongest collaborator, Dr. David Watson, as her partner. She knew they were a team and although it was difficult to ensure they remained together as their careers developed, they agreed that they would not sacrifice their partnership. In sum, Dr. Clark’s passion for research is clear. Her drive towards dimensional assessment of personality disorders and empirically based diagnostic criteria continues to have an immense impact on the field. Dr. Clark’s lifelong research on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of personality disorders has greatly contributed to the understanding of psychopathology, and we are excited to follow her future pursuits. Theodore Beauchaine, Ph.D. Ohio State University Gail Corneau, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Jacob Pine, Ohio State Erik Nook, Harvard University n a pleasant exploring the fields of afternoon chemistry, physics, and Oduring the engineering at Portland annual SRP meeting State University, Dr. this September, we Beauchaine discovered were fortunate to sit that none of these down with Dr. Ted subjects fully aligned Beauchaine over with his intellectual coffee and discuss interests. He decided to his research, career leave school and worked development, and as a Teamster for several advice for aspiring years before returning to psychologists. A professor at The Portland State to study psychology, Ohio State University and Director of a subject that resonated more the Lifespan Adjustment Project, Dr. strongly with him. Through work with Beauchaine’s research examines his undergraduate mentors, Drs. developmental pathways to Cathleen Smith and Thomas psychopathology. Specifically, his Kindermann, Dr. Beauchaine work focuses on how biological and developed a fascination with child contextual variables contribute to and adolescent development, which behavioral impulsivity, emotion was to be one day be paired with a dysregulation, and subsequent focus on externalizing disorders. internalizing and externalizing With encouragement of his mentors, disorders in children and Dr. Beauchaine decided to apply to adolescents. graduate school to further pursue these topics. Dr. Beauchaine took a non- traditional path to a career in In 1994, he entered the Clinical psychological research. Hailing from Psychology program at Stony Brook a working class family in Oregon, he University. Dr. Beauchaine spoke was the first of his family to seek an fondly of the Department and his advanced degree. However, while time there, recounting the high quality mentorship provided by He ultimately decided to take the faculty––including Drs. Edward faculty position, but he speculated Katkin, Daniel Klein, Susan O’Leary, that his career would likely have Zvi Strassberg, and Everett Waters–– taken a different direction had he whose research guided and shaped made a different decision. This was a his own. Dr. Beauchaine discussed point that Dr. Beauchaine returned how synthesizing the contributions to in our conversation: Sometimes it of multiple advisors was pivotal to is not clear which choice is “right,” his career, as combining multiple and young scientists should methods and theoretical nevertheless continue to take steps perspectives led to new perspectives to pursue their interests. Such quiet on developmental and biological and consistent dedication will lead underpinnings of psychopathology. to success in the long run. Indeed, this approach has brought Dr. Beauchaine much success. His research underscores the importance of carefully delineating genetic, neural, and psychological processes that underlie development of psychiatric disorders. He focuses on endophenotypes—biological markers that convey vulnerability to Dr. Beauchaine completed his or indicate the presence of predoctoral internship at the psychopathology. In light of University of California at San Diego research indicating that many School of Medicine. He was then biomarkers of psychopathology offered both a postdoctoral position transcend diagnoses, Dr. at UCSD and a faculty position in the Beauchaine has suggested that Child Clinical Area at the University endophenotypes may be most of Washington. Dr. Beauchaine useful when examined in relation to struggled with this choice. On one specific neural functions, as opposed hand, the postdoctoral position to observable behaviors. would grant him the opportunity to Additionally, his research learn about emerging neuroimaging incorporates contextual variables, methods, whereas the faculty which can affect how certain position would allow him to launch endophenotypes ultimately give rise his career in academia right away. to psychological symptoms. In short,