My research focuses on the relationship between cognition and abnormal emotional states, particularly the emotional states characteristic of Major Depressive Disorder. I have worked to address several questions in this domain, including: How do treatments for depression, such as Cognitive Therapy (CT), achieve their effects? What is the role of cognitive change in these treatments? How might treatments be adapted to best suit different patients? What kinds of changes predict resistance to relapse and recurrence following treatment? I have also been addressing more basic questions, such as: what kinds of cognitive biases are evident among depressed people? Thus, my work has focused on three related areas: (1) investigations of how treatments for depression achieve their effects; (2) how treatment strategies for depression can be refined and integrated to better serve depressed patients; and (3) investigations of the nature of cognitive biases associated with depression.

To learn more about the research in my lab, please follow the link to the Depression Research Lab page, which includes a list of publications. A few example publications are listed below.

Awards, Honors and Recognition

2023: Fellow, American Psychological Association. Nominated by Division 29: Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy
2020: Distinguished Teaching Award, The Ohio State University Department of Psychology
2012: Distinguished Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, The Ohio State University Undergraduate Research Office
2003: Student Travel Award, Society for Psychotherapy Research
1999: Outstanding Senior in Psychology, Outstanding Graduate in Philosophy, and Recognition for Scholastic Excellence in Psychology, Northern Kentucky University
1998: Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award, Northern Kentucky Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society
1998: First Place, Undergraduate Research Competition, Kentucky Academy of Science
1998: Travel Grant, Michael F. Zalla Foundation
1997: First Place, Ernest Meyer Competition for Undergraduate Research, Kentucky Psychological Association

Selected Publications

Ezawa*, I. D., & Strunk, D. R. (in press). Working with Black vs. White patients: An experimental test of therapist decision-making in cognitive behavioral therapy for depression. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

Murphy*, S. T., Cooper*, A. A., Hollars*, S. N., & Strunk, D. R. (in press). Who benefits from a cognitive vs. behavioral approach to treating depression? A pilot study of prescriptive predictors. Behavior Therapy.

Whelen*, M. L., & Strunk, D. R. (in press). Does cognitive behavioral therapy for depression target positive affect? Examining affect and cognitive change session-to-session. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Goldstein*, L. A., Adler Mandel*, A. D., DeRubeis, R. J., & Strunk, D. R. (2020). Outcomes, skill acquisition, and the alliance: Similarities and differences between clinical trial and student therapists. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 129, 103608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2020.103608

Schmidt*, I. D., Pfeifer*, B. J., & Strunk, D. R. (2019). Putting the “cognitive” back in cognitive therapy: Sustained cognitive change as a mediator of in-session insights and depressive symptom improvement. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 87, 446-456. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000392

Strunk, D. R., Adler*, A. D., & Hollon, S. D. (2017). Cognitive therapy of depression. In R. J. DeRubeis and D. R. Strunk (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Mood Disorders (pp. 411 – 422). New York: Oxford University Press.

Adler*, A. D., Strunk, D. R., & Fazio, R. H. (2015). The nature of change in cognitive therapy: Skill acquisition or belief change? Behavior Therapy, 46, 96-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2014.09.001

Sasso*, K. E., Strunk, D. R. Braun*, J. D., DeRubeis, R. J., & Brotman, M. A. (2015). Identifying moderators of the adherence-outcome relation in cognitive therapy for depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83, 976-984. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000045

Strunk, D. R., Cooper*, A. A., Ryan*, E. T., DeRubeis, R. J., & Hollon, S. D. (2012). The process of change in cognitive therapy for depression when combined with antidepressant medication: Predictors of early inter-session symptom gains. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80, 730-738. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029281

Strunk, D. R., Brotman, M. A., DeRubeis, R. J., & Hollon, S. D. (2010). Therapist competence in cognitive therapy for depression: Predicting subsequent symptom change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78, 429-437. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019631

Strunk, D. R., & Adler*, A. D. (2009). Cognitive biases in three prediction tasks: A test of the cognitive model of depression. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47, 34-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2008.10.008

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. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.75.4.523

* student working with Dan Strunk

Links