I received my undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in 1977 and my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kansas in 1983. In 1982 I spent a year at the University of Minnesota in the Health Care Psychology Program completing a clinical internship. In 1983 I returned to San Diego State University to assume a faculty position in the Department of Psychology where I remained until 2000. I currently hold the rank of Professor at Southern Methodist University. In 1987 I was awarded the New Researcher Award by the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy and in 1990 I was awarded by the American Psychological Association the Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contributions to Psychology. I currently serve as the Editor for Cognitive Therapy and Research.
My research interests focus on the role of information processing in depression. Within this broad arena I pursue three interrelated lines of research: 1) the use of information processing theoretical constructs and methods to understand depression, 2) cognitive specificity in depression and anxiety, and 3) cognitive vulnerability to depression. These interests led to the development of the Cognitive Clinical Assessment Lab, which initiated a number of research projects pertaining to depression, information processing, cognitive specificity or vulnerability.