Dr. Derek Hopko
Health Psychology and Emotional Disorder Research Lab Group
Research Lab 2006
(Back) From left to right:Jennifer Smith,
Maria Armento, Dr. Hopko, Jessica Benton-Wills, Nicole Wolf, Brad
Rozell, Sarah Robertson
(Front) From left to right:Melissa Hunt, Meredith
Schwartzman, Christen Mullane, Tabitha Miles, Britany Crouch, Sara
Smith, Nicole Yonkee
Research Lab 2001
From left to right: Amy Renfro, Melissa
Cantu, Laura Chambers, Jen Engle, Meredith Schwartzman,
Maria Armento, Allison Germain, Jodi Beene, Derek Hopko, Rob Bare,
Cara Wright, Julie Crittendon, Kristin Kirksey, Melissa Hunt
Current Graduate Students
Maria E.A. Armento
Fifth Year
Maria is a fifth year student in the clinical program. She
successfully graduated with her Masters degree in the Fall of 2006
after
defending her thesis which focused on developing the Environmental
Reward Observation Scale (EROS) and investigating its validity and
reliability. Her main research interest is in depression, utilizing a
behavioral model for understanding its etiology and treatment. She is
currently working as a therapist and project director for Dr. Hopko's
research study focused
on evaluating and treating depression in breast cancer patients using
Behavioral Activation and Problem-Solving Therapies. Her other
interests include the specific tailoring
and utilization of a Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression in
lower SES communities, and the relationship between religiosity and
negative affect.
Christen Mullane
Fourth Year
Christen is currently a fourth year student in the clinical program.
She
graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2005 (B.A.). She has broad
research interests that include studying the relations of body image,
weight, and psychopathology (i.e., eating disorders,
depression and anxiety). She recently defended her Master's thesis
(2008) that
focused on the relationship of Body Mass Index (BMI) and engagement in
overt behaviors. She also is working with Dr. Hopko on
his grant-funded study that examines the behavioral treatment of
depression in cancer patients.
Michael Gawrysiak
Fourth Year
Mike is currently a Fourth year student in the clinical program. He
graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in 2005. He
spent four years working at SIUC in a neuroscience laboratory studying
psychology and addictive behaviors. His current research interests
include neurobiological models of depression, and research supported
treatments of depression. Mike is currently working with Dr. Hopko on
his grant-funded study that examines the behavioral treatment of
depression in breast-cancer patients.
John P. Carvalho
Third Year
John is currently a third year student in the clinical program. He
graduated from Providence College in 2004 and spent two years working
for the Mood Disorders Research Program at Butler Hospital in
Providence, RI. His research interests include depression and anxiety,
specifically etiological factors related to the two disorders, such as
cognitive vulnerability and the impact of life stressors
and traumatic events. He is currently assisting Dr. Hopko in his study
of treatment outcome in
depressed breast cancer patients.
Lindsey Colman
Third Year
Lindsey is a third year student in the clinical program at UT. She
graduated from The University of Tennessee with a B.A. in Psychology in
2006. Her research interests include cognitive deficits in depression
and their impact on problem-solving ability and the relationships
between depressive symptoms and early maladaptive schemas. Lindsey is
currently working on Dr. Hopko's grant-funded study that examines the
behavioral treatment of depression in cancer patients and also on a
project that examines how a brief treatment of test anxiety impacts IQ
performance scores for college undergraduates.
Marlena Ryba
First Year
Marlena is a first year student in the clinical psychology program at
UT. Her primary research interests pertain to anxiety and depression as
they relate to medical conditions. More specifically, she is interested
in coping menchanisms of cancer patients who are experiencing anxiety
and depression as well as the inter-relations among depression,
substance abuse, and social skills.
Graduates
Julie Crittendon
Masters Degree
Julie successfully defended her Master's Thesis Summer 2004,
investigating worry in persons over sixty years of age, specifically,
confusion within this population when taking an established worry
scale. This study was a modification of the full scale into a revised,
more age appropriate scale. Julie completed her clinical training and
earned a clinical psychology doctoral degree from the University of
Mississippi. She is now on internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute
and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Rob Bare
Clinical Psychologist
Rob successfully defended his dissertation Spring 2006, investigating
the relationship between psychopathic traits, anxiety, impulsivity, and
executive functioning in a nonforensic population. Dr. Bare is
currently working on a post-doc in Atlanta, GA.
Meredith P.
Schwartzman
Clinical Psychologist
Meredith successfully defended her dissertation in the Spring of 2006,
examining insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in children and looking
at affective, behavioral, and social consequences. She completed her
pre-doctoral internship at River Valley Services in Middletown, CT and
received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2007. Dr. Schwartzman completed her post-doctoral
fellowship at the Institute of Living in Hartford, CT. She is now working
as a Treatment Manger for the Institute of Living's Eating Disorders
Program and provides individual, group, and family therapy for
adolescents and adults with eating disorders. She continues to
collaborate with the Pediatric Endocrinology Department of the
Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, CT and is currently
researching the effects of parent-adolescent teamwork on diabetes
management.
Melissa K. Hunt
Clinical Psychologist
Melissa successfully defended her dissertation Summer 2007, predicting
high school truancy among students in the Appalachian South. Dr. Hunt
completed her post-doc at the Virginia Treatment Center for
Children in Richmond, VA. She currently is a Psychologist for the
Assessment and Diagnostic Service at the Region Ten Community Service
Board
in Charlottesville, Virginia. In this position she provides
comprehensive psychological and family assessment for children and
adolescents who are at risk for out of home placement (e.g., foster
care, residential treatment, juvenile detention).
Sarah Robertson
Internship
Sarah is currently on internship at Northwestern University's Medical
Center. She earned her Master's degree at the University of Colorado,
and her doctoral degree from the University of
Tennessee in 2008. Her doctoral dissertation focused on experiential
avoidance across the the lifespan, with a focus on its impact on
psychopathology and narrative production.
More Pictures
Dr. Hopko with Erick and Melissa
Dr. Hopko with Farrah Hughes