Overview
Professor Strauman's research focuses on the psychological and neurobiological processes that enable self-regulation, conceptualized in terms of a cognitive/motivational perspective, as well as the relation between self-regulation and affect. Particular areas of emphasis include: (1) conceptualizing self-regulation in terms of brain/behavior motivational systems; (2) the role of self-regulatory cognitive processes in vulnerability to depression and other disorders; (3) the impact of treatments for depression, such as psychotherapy and medication, on self-regulatory function and dysfunction in depression; (4) how normative and non-normative socialization patterns influence the development of self-regulatory systems; (5) the contributory roles of self-regulation, affect, and psychopathology in determining immunologically-mediated susceptibility to illness; (6) development of novel multi-component treatments for depression targeting self-regulatory dysfunction; (7) utilization of brain imaging techniques to test hypotheses concerning self-regulation, including the nature and function of hypothetical regulatory systems and characterizing the breakdowns in self-regulation that lead to and accompany depression.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
·
2006 - Present
Psychology & Neuroscience,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
·
2021 - Present
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Adult Psychiatry & Psychology,
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Affiliate of the Center for Brain Imaging and Analysis
·
2007 - Present
Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center,
Institutes and Centers
Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
·
2008 - Present
Duke Institute for Brain Sciences,
University Institutes and Centers
Affiliate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society
·
2014 - Present
Duke Science & Society,
University Initiatives & Academic Support Units
Affiliate of the Center for Child and Family Policy
·
2015 - Present
Center for Child and Family Policy,
Sanford School of Public Policy
Recent Publications
Evaluating effects of animal-assisted therapy on pediatric dental care patients: A pilot clinical trial
Journal Article Journal of the American Dental Association · June 1, 2025 Background: An estimated 6% through 22% of children have dental anxiety, which can contribute to disruptive behavior and oral health care avoidance. Evidence from medical settings indicate reductions in pain and stress after therapy dog implementation. To ... Full text CiteA software-based observational coding approach for evaluating paediatric dental pain, anxiety, and fear.
Journal Article International journal of paediatric dentistry · March 2025 BackgroundDental practitioners desire non-pharmacological methods to alleviate anxiety, fear, and pain in children receiving dental care; high-quality evidence, however, is required to evaluate methods' efficacy.AimThis study aimed to dev ... Full text CiteIntrinsic functional connectivity of motor and heteromodal association cortex predicts individual differences in regulatory focus.
Journal Article PNAS nexus · May 2024 Regulatory focus theory (RFT) describes two cognitive-motivational systems for goal pursuit-the promotion and prevention systems-important for self-regulation and previously implicated in vulnerability to psychopathology. According to RFT, the promotion sy ... Full text Open Access CiteRecent Grants
Couple Communication Skills Training for Advanced Cancer
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2025Duke Roybal Center
ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2025Assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a Time Restricted Feeding intervention among older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2023 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
New York University ·
1987
Ph.D.
The University of Chicago ·
1979
M.A.
Duquesne University ·
1978
B.A.