Dissertations & Publications
2024 Dissertations
Shifting from In- Person to Teletherapy: Client Experiences in Teletherapy during Covid-19. (Daisy (Cheryl) Ort, 2024; Sponsor; Barry Farber, PhD)
Regulatory flexibility and psychological adjustment: A three-study multi-method investigation (Shuquan Chen, 2024; Sponsor; George Bonanno, PhD)
Relational spirituality as a foundation for mindfulness, self-compassion and love: Three latent profile analyses on mindfulness, self-compassion and experiences of love and their differential associations with spirituality, psychopathology, well-being (Fabio Marcovksi, 2024; Sponsor; Lisa Miller, PhD)
Avoidance motivation and bias toward negative information in individuals with and without symptoms of depression and anxiety (Cheskie Rosenzweig, 2024; Sponsor; Barry Farber, PhD)
Emotion regulation therapy for distressed adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: Examining trajectories and predictors of response following a blended telehealth intervention (Phillip Spaeth, 2024; Sponsor; Douglas Mennin, PhD)
2023 Dissertations
A qualitative study of therapist dishonesty (Mandy Newman, 2023; Sponsor; Barry Farber, PhD)
Facial expressions as predictors of long-term outcomes following a traumatic event: Comparing automated and manual coding systems (Charlotte Pfeffer, 2023; Sponsor; George Bonanno, PhD)
Building on the symptom network: An examination of symptom networks, expanded networks, and racial network comparisons to understand the relationship between COVID-19-related stressors and postpartum psychopathology (Dalal Alhomaizi, 2023; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Burnout among environmental activists in New York: A mixed methods preliminary study (Jillian Arenz, 2023; Sponsor, Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Mistreatment in childbirth: A mixed-methods approach to understand the mental health sequelae of mistreatment in maternity care among a diverse cohort of birthing persons in New York City (Anika Alix, 2023; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Supporting sexual and gender minority college student wellness: Investigating differential needs and outcomes in a spiritual-mind-body intervention (Elisabeth Mistur, 2023; Sponsor; Lisa Miller, PhD)
Cognitive changes after high volume lumbar puncture versus 72-hour external lumbar drain in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (Musya Herzog, 2023; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Assessing dissemination and implementation science outcomes for three session interpersonal counseling (IPC-3) for student veterans experiencing psychological distress (Kati Lake, 2023; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
2022 Dissertations
The cultivation of a relationship with the natural world in children and adolescents: A grounded theory multiple-case study (Lauren Foley, 2022; Sponsor; Lisa Miller, PhD)
“Humanizing work” -- psychosocial risk and resilience model for burnout and psychological distress among humanitarian aid workers in Bangladesh: A mixed methods study (Cheryl Foo, 2022; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Pathways of psychological adjustment to physical health-related stressors: Understanding heterogeneous responses to acute cardiovascular events and the COVID-19 pandemic (Laura Meli, 2022; Sponsor; George Bonanno, PhD)
Tracking emotion intensity and lability after hospital discharge: An ecological momentary assessment study of suicidal teens (Katherine Tezanos, 2022; Sponsor; Christine Cha, PhD)
Modeling mechanisms of human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infections contraction among serodiscordant couples (Amar Mandavia, 2022; Sponsor; Randall Richardson, PhD)
Coping with depression: A dynamic networks approach to the study of social network constellation, cohesion and conflict (Srishti Sardana, 2022; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Training NYC providers in interpersonal psychotherapy for perinatal depression: Assessing feasibility, acceptability, preliminary effectiveness, and sustainability of a training model and intervention (Anne Renaud, 2022; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
The impact of selective attention on energy and its implications for health (Simon Choi, 2022; Sponsor; Lisa Miller, PhD)
2021 Dissertations
The experience of mental health clinicians working with undocumented immigrants from Latin America in California: Post 2016 election landscape (Marina Marcus, 2021; Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Enhancing spiritual awareness among undergraduate students: Improving physiological reactivity to and recovery from everyday stressors (Micheline Anderson, 2021; Sponsor; Lisa Miller, PhD)
Clients’ internal representations of their psychotherapists across different treatment modalities (Liat Graber, 2021; Sponsor; Barry Farber, PhD)
Religious community involvement in adolescence: The profundity of lived religion for teens (Alexandra Jordan, 2021; Sponsor; Lisa Miller, PhD)
The effects of a web-based cognitive training induction on problem solving among suicidal young adults (Eleonora Guzman, 2021; Sponsor; Christine Cha, PhD)
Ostracism, loneliness, and the potential psychological impact of the civilian-military divide: An experimental study (Meaghan Mobbs, 2021; Sponsor; George Bonanno, PhD)
Investigating a spirituality mind-body intervention for enhanced and healthier perception in an undergraduate population: An open-trial pilot study (Suza Scalora, 2021; Sponsor; Lisa Miller, PhD)
Layers of flexibility and the prediction of adaptation to major life stressors (Sandy Huang, 2021; Sponsor; George Bonanno, PhD)
2019-2020 Dissertations
Risk and protective processes in the face of loss and potential trauma. (Kan Long, 2020; Sponsor: George Bonanno, PhD)
The nature, motives, and perceived consequences of therapist dishonesty (Devlin, Jackson, 2020; Sponsor: Barry Farber, PhD)
Content Analysis of Spiritual Life in Contemporary USA, India, and China (Elsa Lau, 2019; Sponsor: Lisa Miller, PhD)
Symptom Networks of Common Mental Disorders in an Adult Primary Care Sample in India (Cemile Ceren Sonmez 2019; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Differences in Maternal Behaviors Affecting Child Health Status in Probably Depressed and Non-Depressed Mothers in Rural Uganda
(Arielle Jean Pierre 2020; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Examining Social Networks of Infant and Young Child Caregiving in Uganda and Its Association with Maternal Depression (Chien-Wen (Jen) Kao; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)
Context Sensitivity: A Prognostic Patient Characteristic for Digital Psychotherapy (Thomas Derrick Hull; Sponsor: George A. Bonanno, PhD)
Psychological Adjustment to Disability: Heterogeneous Trajectories of Resilience and Depression Following Physical Impairment or Amputation (Jed McGiffin; Sponsor: George A. Bonanno, PhD)
The Structure of Mental Health in Haiti: A Latent Class Analysis of Common Mental Disorders, Severe Mental Disorders, Neurological Conditions, Clinical Symptoms, and Functional Impairment
(Larissa Portnoff; Sponsor: Helen Verdeli, PhD)
2018 - 2019
The Psychological Factors and Neural Substrates Associated with Metacognition among Community-Dwelling and Neurologic Cohorts of Older Adults (Leigh Colvin, 2019, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Yoga and Self-Psychology: An Open Trial Pilot Study (Jennifer Drapkin, 2019, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
Sex, Dishonesty, and Psychotherapy (Melanie Love, 2019, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
In-session Predictors of Self-harm Behavior in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (David Lynch, 2019, Sponsor: Randall Richardson, Ph.D.)
Linguistic Context Sensitivity as a Predictor of Prolonged Grief Symptoms (Catherine Stolove, 2019, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
Perseveration and Health: An Experimental Examination of Worry and Relaxation on Autonomic, Endocrine, and Immunological Processes (Megan Renna, 2019, Sponsor: Douglas Mennin, Ph.D.)
Demographic and Psychiatric Correlates of Suicide Attempt in a Nationally Representative Sample (Adam Rossi, 2019, Sponsor: Randall Richardson, Ph.D.)
Intrinsic Spirituality and Acute Stress: Neural Mechanisms Supporting the Relationship Between Spirituality and Reduced Stress Responsivity (Clayton McClintock, 2019, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
2017 - 2018
Best Self Visualization Method: Clinical Implications and Physiological Correlates (Lorne Schussel, 2018, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
Client Engagement in Psychotherapy: The Roles of Client and Beginning Therapist Attachment Styles (Nicole Yoskowitz, 2018, Sponsor: Lena Verdeli)
Adolescent Depression and Suicidality in the USA: A Look at YRBS Profiles and Health Risk Behaviors as Predictors in the Past 10 Years (Bryan Cheng, 2018, Sponsor: Lena Verdeli, Ph.D.)
The Centrality of Sadness: Networks of Depression, Grief, and Trauma Symptoms in a Spousally Bereaved Sample (Matteo Malgaroli, 2018, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
Measuring Change in Social Communication Behaviors: Reliability, Validity, and Application (Rebecca Grzadzinski, 2018, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D., Catherine Lord, Ph.D.)
Trained, Peer Mentorship and Veteran Support Organization Membership to Assist Transitioning Veterans: A Multi-arm, Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial
(A Preliminary Investigation) (Joseph Geraci, 2018, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
Resilience and Psychopathology among Homeless Young Women (Marina Mazur, 2018, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
Self-Concealment, Psychological Flexibilty and Severity of Eating Disorders (Zoe White, 2018, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
A Qualitative Investigation of Psychotherapy Clients' Perceptions of Positive Regard (Jessi Suzuki, 2018, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
2016 - 2017
Factors Impacting Psychological and Health Outcomes in Mothers and Infants Following NICU Hospitalization of the Infant (Jenny Lotterman, 2017, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
Investigating the Mental Health Needs of Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in Removal Proceedings: A Mixed Methods Study (Charlie Baily, 2017, Sponsor: Lena Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Chemotherapy for Cancer and the Aging Brain: Blessing or Burden? (Ruth Morin, 2017, Sponsor: Liz Midlarsky, Ph.D.)
Concealment of Suicidal Ideation in Psychotherapy (Matt Blanchard, 2017, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
A Qualitative Investigation of the Nature of 'Informal Supervision' Among Therapists-in-Training (Sidney Coren, 2017, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
The Relationship of Attachment to Religiosity, Spirituality, and Mindfulness in Secular and Religious Populations in Israel (Ellie Cobb, 2017, Sponsor: Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Spirituality, Character and Spiritual Development in Middle School Adolescents in Israel: A Longitudinal Study of Positive Development (Ariel Kor, 2017, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
Loneliness and Emotional Flexibility Deficits in Bereavement (Oscar Yan, 2017, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
2015 – 2016
Measuring Ability to Enhance And Suppress Emotional Expression: The Flexible Expression Regulation Ability Scale. (Charles Burton, 10/2016, Sponsor: George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
Expressive Flexibility and Affective Flexibility and the Effects of Practice and Feedback Instructions. (Zhoying Zhu, 10/2016, Sponsor: George Bonnano, Ph.D.)
Yoga and Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (Sarah Zoogman, 10/2016, Sponsor: Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
2014 – 2015
The Relationship Between Sibling Relationship Quality and Psychological Outcomes in Emerging Adulthood. (Ashley Kronen Marotta, 10/2015, Sponsor: Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)
Social Preference Among Affluent Middle School Students: Implications for Short-Term and Long-Term Adjustment. (David Rowe, 10/2015, Sponsor: Suniya Luthar, Ph.D.)
2013 – 2014
Patient Change Trajectories over a Year of Psychoanalytic Therapy and Psychoanalysis. (Alex Behn, 10/2014, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
The Impact of Emotional Distress on Cognitve Performance in Borderline Personality Disorder. (Sarah Bellovin-Weiss, 10/2014, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
The Role of Relatedness and Expressive Flexibility in the Prediction of Complicated Grief. (Monica Brooker, 10/2013, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
The Investigation of Helping Behavior in the Virtual World. (Debaki Chakrabarti, 10/2013, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)
Association between Adversity and Prosociality in Children Exposed to Trauma in Four Sites in West Africa. (Monica Ghailian, 10/2013, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
The Effects of Shared Reality on Educational Experience and Regulation. (Valery Hazanov,10/2014, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Spirituality and Depression in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse. (Martha Jacobs, 10/2014, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
Interpersonal Religious Struggles within Orthodox Jewish Families in Israel. (Steven Pirutinsky, 10/2014, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)
Interpersonal Distress and Interpersonal Problems Associated with Depression. Bonita Schneider, 2/2014, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Psychological Distress among mothers of young children in rural Uganda and its association with child health and nutritional status. (Eleni Vousoura, 6/2014, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Predictors of Obesity in Adults: The Roles of Demographic Factors, Body Dissatisfaction, Depression and Life Stress. (Dmitri Young , 10/2013, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)
In the Moment; Prenatal Mindful Awareness and its’ Relationship to Depression, Anxiety, and Birth Experience. (Sara Zoeterman, 2/2014, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
2012 – 2013
Neuropsychological Test Performance and Other Predictors of Adult Outcome in a Prospective Follow-up Study of Children with ADHD. (Erica Roizen, 10/2012, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
The Expression and Regulation of Sadness in Complicated Grief. (Ashley Bullock, 10/ 2012, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
The Impact of Outness and Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Formation on Mental Health. (Sarah Feldman, 10/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Religious Affiliation and Gender: Differences in the Association Between Religiousness and Psychological Distress. (Joseph McGowan, 10/2012, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D.)
Effects of Exposure to Parental Divorce on the Sibling Relationship in Emerging Adults. (George Nitzburg 10/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
The Temperament-Psychopathology Link; How Does Difficult Temperament Predict Risk for and Presentation of Major Depression Among Offspring at High and Low Risk for Depression. (Brian Sherman, 10/2012, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
2011 – 2012
Investigating Objective Markers of ADHD across Development: Micromovements and Reaction Time Variability. (David Anderson, 10/2011, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Attitudes Towards the Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression Among South Asian Muslim Americans. (Sadia Chaudhury , 10/2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Relational Spirituality in Adolescents: Exploring Associations with Demographics, Parenting Style, Religiosity, and Psychopathology. (Alethea Desrosiers ,10/2011, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
That’s Not What Your Friends Say: Does Self-Reported Post Traumatic Growth Translate into Friend Ratings of Improvement? (Laura Goorin, 10/2011, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
Anger Expression and Adaptation to Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Role of Disclosure Context. (Sumati Gupta, 10/2011, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
A Pilot Fidelity Study of Listen-Empathize-Agree- Partner (LEAP) with Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Mental Health Clinicians. (Mia Ihm, 5/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Effects of Parental or Caregiver Death Prior to Age Eighteen on Depressive Symptoms and Grief Following Miscarriage. (Anitha Iyer- Kothari, 10/2011, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Affective Cultural Countertransference Reactions to Asian American Clients: A Mixed Methods Study. (Sherrie Kim, 5/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Community Impact of Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy in Rural Uganda. (Eric Lewandowski, 10/2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Religiosity and Depression: A Ten Year Follow-up of Offspring at High and Low Risk Depression. (Mia Sage, 10/2011, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
The Experienced Self and Others Scale: A Technique for Assaying the Experience of One’s Self in Relation to the Other. (Erel Shvil, 10/2011, Sponsor; Elizabeth Midlarsky, Ph.D. )
Patterns of Symptom Improvement among Depressed Adolescents Treated with Interpersonal Psychotherapy Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST) in School Based Clinics. (Vijayeta Kumari Sinh, 10/2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
The Identity Formation of Psychotherapists in Training: A Dialectical and Personal Process. (Liat Caspi, 2/2012, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D. )
2010 – 2011
Postpartum Flourishing: Motherhood as an Opportunity for Positive Growth and Self-Development. (Aurelie Athan, 2/2011, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
Mapping Longitudinal Trajectories of Adjustment Throughout College: A Latent Growth Mixture Model Approach. (Isaac Galatzer-Levy, 10/2010, Sponsor; George Bonanno, Ph.D.)
Spirituality and Depression in Gay Men and Gay Fathers: Understanding the Cultural Contradiction. (Justin Jones, 10/2010, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Incorporating Evidence –Based Practices into Psychotherapy Training in Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Programs. (Rebecca Kennedy, 10/2010, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Factors Predicting Maternal Perceptions of Child’s Temperament in a Group of African-American and Dominican Women at Risk for Psychological Distress: Constructing a Model from Recalled Early Maternal Bonding, Adult Maternal Attachment and Maternal Demoralization. (Maria Beatriz Plaza, 10/2010, Sponsor; Barry Farber, Ph.D.)
Mindfulness and Self-Compassion in the Transition to Motherhood; A Prospective Study of Postnatal Mood and Attachment. (Jeanette Sawyer Cohen, 10/2010, Sponsor; Lisa Miller, Ph.D.)
Grief and Depression Following Miscarriage: Examining Unique and Shared Correlates and Patterns of Change at Six Months Post-Loss. (Karen Shoum, 02/ 2011, Sponsor; Helen Verdeli, Ph.D.)
Blanchard, M., & Farber, B. A. (2015). Lying in psychotherapy: Why and what clients don’t tell their therapist about therapy and their relationship. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 1-23.
Bonanno, G. A., & Malgaroli, M. (2020). Trajectories of grief: Comparing symptoms from the DSM‐5 and ICD‐11 diagnoses. Depression and anxiety, 37(1), 17-25.
Cobb, E.F., Kor, A., & Miller, L.M. (2015). Support for adolescent spirituality: Contributions of religious practice and trait mindfulness. Journal of Religion and Health, 54 (3), 862-870.
Coren, S. (2015). Understanding and Using Enactments to Further Clinical Work: A Case Study of a Man Unable to Experience Intimacy. Journal of clinical psychology, 71(5), 478-490.
Geraci, J. C., Mobbs, M., Edwards, E. R., Doerries, B., Armstrong, N., Porcarelli, R., Duffy, E., Loos, C. M., Kilby, D., Juanamarga, J., Cantor, G., Sutton, L., Sokol, Y., & Goodman, M. (2020). Expanded Roles and Recommendations for Stakeholders to Successfully Reintegrate Modern Warriors and Mitigate Suicide Risk. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1907.
Henry, B. F., Mandavia, A. D., Paschen-Wolff, M. M., Hunt, T., Humensky, J. L., Wu, E., ... & El-Bassel, N. (2020). COVID-19, mental health, and opioid use disorder: Old and new public health crises intertwine. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(S1), S111.
Mandavia, A. D., & Bonanno, G. A. (2019). When Natural Disaster Follows Economic Downturn: The Incremental Impact of Multiple Stressor Events on Trajectories of Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, 13(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2018.12
Moorin, R.T., & Midlarsky, E. (2016). Social support, mastery, and psychological distress in black and white older adults. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 82, 209-228.
Suzuki, J. Y., Mandavia, A., & Farber, B. A. (2019). Clients’ perceptions of positive regard across four therapeutic orientations. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration. Advance online publication.
Sweetland, A. C., Norcini Pala, A., Mootz, J., Kao, J. C.-W., Carlson, C., Oquendo, M. A., Cheng, B., Belkin, G., & Wainberg, M. (2019). Food insecurity, mental distress and suicidal ideation in rural Africa: Evidence from Nigeria, Uganda and Ghana. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 65(1), 20–27.