Welcome to the Laboratory for Personality, Psychopathology and Psychotherapy Research!

Our research focuses on personality disorders, psychodynamic theory (e.g., object relations, attachment theory), and psychotherapy process and outcome. At the most basic level, we examine how mental representations consolidate and change, and how different forms of psychotherapy improve functioning. We also examine the role of impaired or distorted mental representations as a mechanism underlying symptoms of psychopathology such as emotion dysregulation, impulsive behaviors, and interpersonal difficulties. Ultimately, we want to understand the psychological processes that influence healthy and impaired personality development, so that we can apply that knowledge in psychotherapy.