Dr. John Gunstad studies the effects of medical conditions on neurocognitive functioning and how health behaviors (e.g., diet and exercise) influence cognition.

Dr. Mary Beth Spitznagel studies caregiver burden, burden transfer, dementia, wellness, occupational stress and burnout

Our group maintains an active research program, with multiple projects underway at all times. Primary areas of focus for our program include:

• Understanding neurocognitive effects of medical conditions like obesity and heart disease
• Developing non-pharmacologic interventions to reduce the risk of neurological disorders
• Understanding caregiver burden and finding ways to better help individuals providing informal care for their loved ones

Graduate students build clinical skills across multiple settings, including hospital-based inpatient and outpatient neuropsychology evaluations, academic testing in the KSU Psychology Clinic, concussion programs for Kent State University athletes, and memory screenings at community centers.  A wide variety of presenting problems are seen through these activities, including dementia (e.g., Alzheimer's disease), stroke, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and head injury.

Specialized coursework helps students develop expertise in clinical neuropsychology, including courses in Neuropsychological Assessment, Neuroanatomy, and Psychopharmacology. Additional classes are available to better understand mind-body connections, including such courses as Psychophysiological Psychology, Psychobiological Aspects of Health, Clinical Aspects of Health Psychology, among many others.

• Elle Brennan, Ph.D. – Akron Children’s Hospital
• Katy Darling, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Fellow, Alpert Medical School of Brown University
• Nicole Dempster, Ph.D. – Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Robert Dempster, Ph.D. – Program Director, Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding Program, Nationwide Children's Hospital; Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Ohio State University College of Medicine
• Petra Duran, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics – Psychology Sect

• Faculty and students have access to recently renovated lab space in the department.
• Competitive, intramural student awards are available through the department’s Applied Psychology Center (APC) as well as University’s Department of Graduate Studies.
• The research labs at KSU include state of the art equipment (e.g., observational, Podcasting), software (e.g., Direct RT, Mplus), and technology for delivering interventions.
• Faculty and graduate students actively collaborate with a range of interdisciplinary professionals (e.g., physicians, psychologists, socia

Dr. Yossi Ben-Porath (Assessment): MMPI-2 and MMPI-A applications in a variety of settings (clinical, correctional, forensic, and pre-employment screening) and computerized adaptive testing with the MMPI instruments.

Dr. Jeffrey Ciesla (Adult psychopathology) - The processes and course of depressive disorders.

Dr. Clarissa Thompson - Investigates ways children learn, develop strategies to solve problems, generalize knowledge to novel contexts, and remember information.

Dr. Sarah Black - Developmental psychopathology, with particular interest in risk for mood disorders during childhood and adolescence. Currently, investigating how parenting behaviors and parental psychopathology may influence the development of emotional regulation abilities during middle childhood and adolescence.  Research also considers how the normative hormonal, social, and environmental events of childhood and adolescence can be disrupted and lead to increased risk for emotional dysregulation.

Students are encouraged to become involved in undergraduate teaching. During the beginning of the 3rd year, students are enrolled in a teaching seminar and, with the supervision of a faculty member, teach one or several undergraduate courses (e.g. child psychology, social and personality development, cognitive development, adolescent psychology)