Prof. Mark Whisman

Background

Prof. Mark Whisman’s research interests focus on:

• Relationship Functioning and Psychopathology – bidirectional effects of relationship functioning and psychopathology; role of relationship functioning in the etiology, course, and treatment of psychopathology; evaluating and improving the efficacy of couple therapy as a treatment for psychopathology.
• Cognitive and Interpersonal Aspects of Depression – studying the interplay between cognitive and interpersonal vulnerabilities and stressful life events in the onset and course of depression.
• Process and Outcome for Cognitive Therapy of Depression – moderators and mediators of cognitive therapy for depression; processes of cognitive therapy (e.g., homework adherence).
• Cognitive-Behavioral Theory and Treatment of Relationship Distress – developing new methods for assessing relationship distress and relationship cognitions; evaluating and improving the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment for relationship distress, particularly relationship distress that co-occurs with psychopathology.

Publications

Whisman, M. A. (Ed.). (2008). Adapting cognitive therapy of depression: Managing complexity and comorbidity. New York: Guilford.

Snyder, D. K., & Whisman, M. A. (Eds.). (2003). Treating difficult couples: Helping clients with coexisting mental and relationship disorders. New York: Guilford Press.

Whisman, M. A. (2010). Loneliness and the metabolic syndrome in a population-based sample of middle-aged and older adults. Health Psychology, 29, 550-554.

Whisman, M. A., Uebelacker, L. A., & Settles, T. D. (2010). Marital distress and the metabolic syndrome: Linking social functioning with physical health. Journal of Family Psychology, 24, 367-370.

Whisman, M. A., & Beach, S. R. H. (2010). Models for understanding interpersonal processes and relationships in anxiety disorders. In J. G. Beck (Ed.), Interpersonal processes in the anxiety disorders: Implications for understanding psychopathology and treatment (pp. 9-35). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Whisman, M. A., & Schonbrun, Y. C. (2010). Marital distress and relapse prevention for depression. In C. S. Richards & M. G. Perri (Eds.), Relapse prevention for depression (pp. 251-269). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Whisman, M. A., & Schonbrun, Y. C. (2009). Social consequences of borderline personality disorder features in a population-based survey: Marital distress, marital violence, and marital disruption. Journal of Personality Disorders, 23, 410-415.

Whisman, M. A., Snyder, D. K., & Beach, S. R. H. (2009). Screening for marital and relationship discord. Journal of Family Psychology, 23, 247-254.

Whisman, M. A., & Uebelacker, L. A. (2009). Prospective associations between marital discord and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. Psychology and Aging, 24, 184-189.

Whisman, M. A., Whiffin, V. E., & Whiteford, N. (2009). Couples therapy for depression. In J. H. Bray & M. Stanton (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of family psychology (pp. 650-660). Oxford, England: Wiley-Blackwell.

Whisman, M. A., Beach, S. R. H., & Snyder, D. K. (2008). Is marital discord taxonic and can taxonic status be assessed reliably? Results from a national representative sample of married couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 745-755.

Whisman, M. A., & Kaiser, R. (2008). Marriage and relationship issues. In K. S. Dobson & D. J. A. Dozois (Eds.), Risk factors in depression (pp. 363-384). San Diego: Academic Press.

Whisman, M. A. (2007). Marital distress and DSM-IV psychiatric disorders in a population-based national survey. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116, 638-643.