Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Office: 137 Psychology Building
E-mail: strunk.20@osu.edu
Phone: (614) 688-4891
Fax: (614) 688-8261

Research Interests:

I study the role of cognition in abnormal emotional states.  I focus particularly on the role of cognition in the etiology and treatment of depression.  One context for my work is psychotherapy -- especially cognitive therapy for depression.  This treatment purportedly alleviates depressive symptoms through cognitive change.  Some of the work I have conducted has sought to more precisely characterize how cognitive therapy for depression achieves its effects.  Findings to date suggest that therapists' efforts to address cognition in treatment and clients' mastery of cognitive therapy content appear to play an important role in cognitive therapy's acute and long-term effects.

Another related area on which I work is the nature of cognitive biases and the role such biases may play in the etiology and treatment of depression.  Contrary to assumptions underlying cognitive therapy for depression, some research has been taken to suggest that people with depression tend to have accurate rather than negative views.  Some of my work has shown that pessimistic bias does characterize people with the highest levels of depressive symptoms (in their expectations for future events).  I plan to further this work in an effort to better elucidate the nature of cognitive factors associated with depression and what role these factors play in the development and treatment of depression.

Selected Work: 

1. Strunk, D. R., & DeRubeis, R. J. (2001). Cognitive therapy for depression: A review of its efficacy.  Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 15, 289-297. [pdf]

2. Gelfand, L. A., Strunk, D. R., Tu, X., Noble, R. E. S., & DeRubeis, R. J. (2006). Bias resulting from the use of “assay sensitivity” as an inclusion criterion for meta-analysis. Statistics in Medicine, 25, 943-955. [pdf]

3. Strunk, D. R., Lopez, H. L., & DeRubeis, R. J. (2006). Depressive symptoms are associated with unrealistic negative predictions of future life events. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 875-896. [pdf]

4.  Hollon, S.D., Stewart, M.O., & Strunk, D. R. (2006). Enduring effects for cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 285-315. [pdf]

5.  Strunk, D. R., DeRubeis, R. J., Chui, A., & Alvarez, J. A. (2007). Patients’ competence in and performance of cognitive therapy skills: Relation to the reduction of relapse risk following treatment for depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75, 523-530. [pdf]  

6. Huppert, J. H., Strunk, D. R., Ledley, D., Davidson, J.R.T., & Foa, E. B. (in press). Generalized social phobia and avoidant personality disorder: Structural analysis and treatment outcome. Depression and Anxiety.

Note: All articles are the sole copyright of the respective publishers.  pdf files are provided for one copy personal educational use only.

Teaching:

Fall, 2008 Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11am - noon and by appointment (e-mail me to request an appointment)

Links to Associations: