Overview: Who we are and what we do

The Depression Research and Treatment (DRT) Program is a clinical research program that focuses on the psychosocial aspects of mood disorders. The program is directed by John E. Roberts, Ph.D., who is an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University at Buffalo.

Dr. Roberts and his students are interested in a number of psychological and environmental factors that may be involved in the onset, maintenance and recovery from these disorders. A number of our past research studies have focused on the roles of stressful life events, cognitive style, and ruminative attention in depression.  Some of our more recent studies have explored “rapid sudden gains” during the course of treatment, autobiographical memory specificity, how cognitive style moderates the impact of rumination on depression, and how interpersonal style contributes to the generation of stressful life events during the course of clinical depression. At a more basic level, we are interested in questions related to the structure of mood disorders, such as whether they exist on a continuum with normal functioning or if they are qualitatively distinct, and have begun a series of taxometric and factor analytic studies to address these questions. The long range goal of this research is to improve our understanding of the psychological and environmental contributions to depression so that more effective treatment and prevention interventions might be developed.

We are also developing projects to investigate the roles of life stress and depression in health-related behavior (e.g., treatment adherence) among HIV-positive individuals at the Erie County Medical Center. Preliminary studies from our lab suggest that attachment style is associated with degree of risky behavior and that stress and depression work together in contributing to poor treatment adherence. This research is conducted in collaboration with Immunodeficiency Services at Erie County Medical Center and the Pharmacy Practice Program at the University at Buffalo. We hope that this line of research contributes to the development of programs designed to improve health and emotional well-being among HIV-positive individuals, as well as to reduce behavior that contributes to the transmission of HIV.

Are you looking for treatment for depression?

Currently the DRT Program is not taking on new clients seeking treatment for depression. If you think you may be suffering from depression and are interested in therapy, we recommend that you contact our affiliated university training clinic, the Psychological Services Center, at 716-645-3697.