Psychology

• Adolescent depression, self-harm, and suicide
• Developing and testing scalable interventions for depression, self-harm, and suicide
• Clarifying the role of mental imagery in the etiology and treatment of depression, self-harm, and suicide

My program of research aims to (1) understand the role of maladaptive mental imagery in depression, self-harm, and suicide and (2) translate these findings, testing whether integrating mental imagery-based intervention skills improves outcomes. Specifically, I integrate across multiple units of analysis (self-report, experimental tasks, psychophysiology, ecological momentary assessment/interventions) to explain why negative or unhelpful mental imagery is associated with increased risk for depression, self-harm, and suicide and how positive or helpful mental imagery can be incorporated in interventions for mood disorders to enhance treatment effects. I have a particular interest in adolescence given that mental imagery abilities peak and rates of mood disorders surge during this developmental period. In pursuing these aims, I work to center the perspectives of adolescents with lived experience and to develop interventions that can be scaled to reach the many adolescents who need mental health serves but who do not have access.

Dr. Lawrence is not currently looking for undergraduate research assistants to join the Translational Imagery, DEpression, and Suicide (TIDES) Lab. If you are interested in applying to work with us in future terms, please fill out this form: Research Assistant Application