Stapper, N., Elwyn, R., Kepecs, D., Nakasujja, N., & Whiteside, U. (2026). Clinical updates: Assessment and management of suicidal ideation in adults. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 393, e086834.
Consistently ranked among the best in the nation, this clinical science program emphasizes the integration of research and practice in training, activities and experience, bringing together the rich scholarly resources and offerings of a Department of Psychology located in a College of Sciences (SDSU) and a Department of Psychiatry located in a School of Medicine (UC San Diego).
Students are actively involved in clinical research activities throughout their stay in the program. We regard the development of research skills and attitudes as a basic feature in the training of clinical psychologists who will have duties encompassing teaching, research, diagnosis, treatment, consultation, and program evaluation and design, and who will need to apply research skills and knowledge to varied content areas and settings.
The SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology has been consistently accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1990. See Student Admissions, Outcome, and Other Data.
Major Areas of Study
Behavioral Medicine
Study the effectiveness of interventions for chronic health conditions like cancer, HIV and diabetes.
Experimental Psychopathology
Inform treatment of anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia and affective disorders in children and adults.
Neuropsychology
Collect and analyze spatiotemporal data to better understand alcoholism, autism, fibromyalgia and more.
Research Excellence
Our doctoral students regularly publish first-author articles in prestigious journals. Here are some of their recent publications:
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Stapper, N., Sun, Y., Poorganji, M., Dhami, P., Hadas, I., Bailey, N. W., Kaewpijit, P., Zomorrodi, R., Kohn, J. N., Fitzgerald, P. B., Farzan, F., Rodriguez, F. V., Downar, J., Blumberger, D. M., Appelbaum, L. G., Daskalakis, Z. J., & Weissman, C. R. (2026). TMS-EEG correlate of suicidal ideation in individuals with depression: A multi-site synthesis. Brain Stimulation, 19(6), 103206.
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Spaulding, I. G., Stein, M. B., & Taylor, C. T. (2026). Differential associations of childhood abuse and neglect with neural responses to social reward and punishment in adults with anxiety or depression. Translational Psychiatry.
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Spaulding, I. G., Yang, R., Cotter, G., Duran, A., Kathman, G., Stein, M. B., Taylor, C. T., & Wiggins, J. L. (2026). Associations and mechanisms between childhood adversity and irritability or trait anger across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Mood & Anxiety Disorders, 16, 100204.
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Snow, M. B., Wang, J., Gamst, A. C., Li, S., & Zhu, S.-H. (2026). Adolescents are less likely to attempt to quit cannabis than tobacco: The potential role of lower risk perception. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 288, 113356.
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Silverman, I. H., Kaur, D., Campbell, L. M., Mahmood, Z., Keller, A. V., & Twamley, E. W. (2026). Demographic moderators of the relationship between psychiatric diagnosis and functional capacity in people with serious mental illness. Psychiatry Research, 365, 117386.
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Rassaby, M., Spaulding, I. G., Stein, M. B., & Taylor, C. T. (2026). Examining the relationship between pre-treatment anhedonia and treatment outcomes in individuals with anxiety or depression: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 408, 120733.
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Prescott, M. R., Chentsova, V., Delgado, J., Dung, D., Shoptaw, S., Aarons, G. A., Moore, D. J., Grelotti, D., & Montoya, J. (2026). Multi-method analysis of implementation determinants and strategies to support the implementation of contingency management for methamphetamine use in an HIV care setting. AIDS and Behavior.
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Pedrahita, S., Linke, A., Cordova, M., Wilkinson, M., Hau, J., Toro, G., Alemu, K., Kohli, J., Müller, R. A., & Carper, R. (2026). Decreased BOLD signal variability in middle‐aged and older adults on the autism spectrum. Autism Research.
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McBride, L. E., Baker, H., Fulginiti, A., Thomas, M. L., Lee, E. E., Granholm, E., Taylor, C. T., & Depp, C. A. (2026). Understanding intentions to disclose suicidal thoughts and intent. Crisis, 47(2), 95–104.
Practicum Placements
All students complete their first clinical practicum at the SDSU Psychology Clinic. After the first practicum year at SDSU, students move to work within the broad array of practicum sites and diverse patient populations available to us through both universities and the affiliated VA San Diego Healthcare System and Rady Children’s Hospital. Clinical activities, integrated with more formal instruction at all levels, increase in responsibility and independence in the later years of the program as students acquire greater clinical proficiency.
Veterans Affairs San Diego Health Care
Rady Children's Hospital
UC San Diego Health Centers