Lab Director
Dr. Stuart’s program of research has a particular emphasis on the role of substance use in intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization. His work addresses a broad spectrum of factors that are relevant to the etiology, classification, assessment, prevention, maintenance, and treatment of intimate partner violence. His research has shown that intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization are overrepresented in populations of individuals in treatment for substance misuse, and that substance misuse is overrepresented in men and women court mandated to attend batterer intervention programs. His work has also shown that the probability of intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization is higher on substance use days relative to days of no substance use, and his work explores the proximal and distal variables that help to explain this relationship. His work examines the impact of treatment for substance misuse on the prevalence and frequency of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and psychological aggression, as well as the effects of substance treatment on other domains of relationship and family functioning. Dr. Stuart’s work also examines whether including substance use treatments in batterer intervention programs improves outcomes for men and women arrested for domestic violence. Dr. Stuart is interested in conducting treatment outcome research in general, and specifically for family violence and substance misuse. His lab has also examined genetic predictors of intimate partner violence, substance misuse, and treatment outcomes.
Dr. Stuart has received numerous awards for mentoring, teaching, and research from the University of Tennessee and other professional organizations. For example, he received mentoring awards from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), the American Psychological Association (APA), Brown University, and from the University of Tennessee (e.g., Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award, Graduate Education Award, Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year Award). Research awards include the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Faculty Achievement Award, the Excellence in Research Award, Chancellor’s Award in Research and Creative Achievement, and many others.
Graduate Students
Alyssa is a seventh year Clinical Psychology doctoral student who completed her predoctoral internship at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Prior to enrolling at UT, she received her B.A. in Psychology at Wake Forest University and worked as a research coordinator at Duke University Medical Center and the Durham VA Healthcare System. Alyssa’s research interests include alcohol and nicotine use and misuse and PTSD, with a focus on improving comorbid diagnoses treatment outcomes. Specifically, she is interested in examining factors that may contribute to more targeted interventions to support minoritized populations who experience these comorbid diagnoses. In her free time, Alyssa can be found spending time with her cat, practicing yoga, and watching reality television.
Jackie Sullivan is a 7th year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program and completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She earned her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University and her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia. She is broadly interested in understanding how early child experiences and individual factors (e.g., biological predispositions, emotion regulation) may influence socio-emotional development and contribute to the development of psychopathology. She is particularly interested in exploring the factors that may be associated with the development of anxiety and depression, and how internalizing disorder development may relate to impulsive or emotion-avoidant behaviors (e.g., medication model of substance misuse). In her free time, she enjoys running, reading for leisure, and hanging out in local coffee shops.
Evan is a sixth-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student who is completing his predoctoral internship at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Prior to enrolling at UT, he received his B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Cleveland State University. Evan’s research interests include intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use prevention among sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults. In particular, he is interested in examining how traumatic and minority stressors synergistically contribute to risk for IPV and substance use. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with friends, practicing yoga, and going to concerts.
Chrissy Jensen is a 5th-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student at UT. She completed her B.A. in Psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville before continuing her graduate education at her alma mater. Her research interests include the intersection between suicide and substance use, particularly among sexual and gender minority young adults. She enjoys going to the gym, running, and painting in her free time.
Stella is a fourth-year Clinical Psychology graduate student at UT. Prior to joining UT, she received her B.A. in Psychology and Criminology, Law and Justice from the University of Iowa and worked as a visiting student scholar in South Korea. Her research interests involve how different interpersonal violence victimizations (e.g., sexual violence, IPV, and bullying) and risk and resilience factors influence survivors’ psychological and social well-being. In her free time, Stella enjoys binge-watching crime shows, spending time with friends, and hanging out with her cats.
Emma is a third-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student at UT. Before enrolling at UT, she received her B.S. in Psychology and Criminology from the University of Miami and worked as a participant coordinator for the OurRelationship program. Emma is interested in understanding how individual factors exacerbate or reduce cycles of conflict in couples, with a specific interest in how individual emotion regulation interacts with substance use to predict intimate partner violence. Emma enjoys spending time with friends, trying new restaurants, swimming, and ice skating in her free time.
Jae Eun is a second-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student at UT. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology and M.A. in Psychology from NYU. Before UT, she managed Columbia University’s Title IX and Protection of Minors offices, served as a lab manager at Baruch College, and volunteered as a survivor advocate. She is interested in examining how IPV and internalized stigma are associated with substance use. In her free time, she enjoys reading, taking walks, and spending time with her cat.
Matthew is a first-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student at UT. He holds a B.S. in Psychology from Stevenson University. Additionally, he received his M.A. and C.A.S. in school psychology from Towson University. Matthew’s research interests include investigating the roles of moral injury and trauma-related shame in the relationship between intimate partner violence and substance use, examining the neurological consequences of these variables, and psychometrics. In his free time, Matthew enjoys listening to and creating music, hiking, and spending time with his friends.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Kristen is a graduate of U.T. studying psychology in the honors concentration, with a minor in child and family studies. Following graduation, Kristen hopes to pursue a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology to research the comorbidity of trauma-related disorders with subsequent substance use and suicidality, specifically to work with military and veteran populations. Outside of class, Kristen enjoys her work at the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, reading, photography, trips to the mountains, and connecting with friends.
Quincey is a graduate of the University of Tennessee who majored in psychology with a minor in child and family studies. Her research interests include the interplay between substance use and eating disorders, specifically on college campuses. After graduation, she hopes to purse a Psy.D. with the intention of working in clinical assessments. In her free time, Quincey loves to line dance at The Cotton Eyed Joe, play piano, and binge watch reality TV!
Talley is a senior at UTK studying Psychology with minors in Human Development and Family Science and Interpersonal Development. Her research interests center on personality disorders, relationship aggression and dynamics, and addictive behaviors. Following graduation, she hopes to continue pursuing psychology through a master’s or doctorate program. Outside of academics, you can find Talley rock climbing, hiking, thrifting, or dancing at local music venues.