Dr. Pössel curriculum vitae [PDF]
Patrick received his doctoral degree with a specialization in Clinical Psychology from the Eberhard-Karls-Universität in Tübingen (Germany) in 1999 and is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Germany and Kentucky. He received his Diploma in Psychology (equivalent to a master’s degree in the US) from the Justus-Liebig-Universität in Giessen, Germany. After receiving his Diploma, he worked as a clinical psychologist in a private practice while he completed his doctoral studies. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Louisville, Patrick worked as Assistant Professor at the University of Tübingen and as Visiting Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. While being at the University of Louisville, Patrick got promoted to Associate Professor in 2010 and to Professor in 2015. Since 2018 he also serves as Director of Cardinal Success, the departmental trainings and research clinics providing pro-bono behavioral-health services (incl. psychological assessments) to uninsured and under-insured clients across the lifespan in the community. Currently, Patrick pursues four independent but interconnected lines of research. First, as part of all his research lines Patrick examines the role of social disparities (i.e., perceived everyday discrimination, subjective social status) in the development and maintenance of mental and physical disorders through the lens of cognitive vulnerability-stress models (Role of Social Disparities). Second, Patrick thrives to integrate different cognitive theories of depression (Beck’s Cognitive Theory of Depression, Hopelessness Model, Response Styles Theory) into one integrated model (Integrated Cognitive Model of Depression) in adults and adolescents. Third, Patrick studies prevention of depression in adolescents and what makes prevention work, for whom, and under what conditions (Prevention of Depression in Adolescents). Finally, Patrick is interested in cognitive vulnerabilities and stressors as factors explaining the associations between depressive symptoms and physical health (Mind-Body Lab).
So far, Patrick received about $6 million of grant funding (direct cost) and authored or co-authored more than 150 journal articles, book chapters, books, etc. Many of those publications are with his students. In fact, students have been first authors on almost 40% and co-authors on 55% of his publications since 2010 (his promotion to Associate Professor). Patrick’s commitment to the professional development of his students also finds its expression in him providing students with a stimulating and challenging learning environment, and encouraging the active engagement and participation of students in his research projects. His focus as a mentor is to help students: (a) develop their own research questions within the above listed research areas, (b) learn how to design and implement studies and analyze data, and (c) develop confidence in presenting their research at conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
Role of Social Disparities
Patrick and students from all his research teams examine the role of social disparities (i.e., perceived everyday discrimination, subjective social status) in the development and maintenance of mental and physical disorders through the lens of cognitive vulnerability-stress models. This research is integrated into all other research lines mentioned below and is one of the links connecting all of them. In addition, Patrick’s research team just concluded a 3-wave online study to the impact of COVID-19 and social disparities on mental health in adults. Finally, in collaboration with Dr Jeffrey Valentine (Professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Louisville) and Dr. Shelby Burton (Post-Doctoral Associate, Assistant Director of the Cardinal Success Program, University of Louisville) Patrick currently conducts a systematic review using meta-analytic methods to examine the role of race on the associations between attribution style and depressive symptoms.
Integrated Cognitive Model of Depression
Starting with his dissertation Patrick examined the impact of cognitive vulnerabilities on the development and maintenance of depression. This interest evolved into the longstanding interest in the integration of cognitive vulnerabilities proposed in three of the most supported cognitive models of depression (Beck’s Cognitive Theory of Depression, Hopelessness Model, Response Styles Theory). Although the influence of many vulnerability factors on depression is well established, the interrelations between them are not well understood. In addition, interactions of these vulnerability factors proposed by different models are rarely presented in the literature. A better understanding of these interrelationships may allow for an integration of different models of depression and for optimizing existing treatment options for depression. Therefore, the research of Patrick’s research team in this area is designed to investigate the relationships of vulnerability factors proposed in the three above mentioned cognitive models and the integration of those models into one model of depression in adolescents and adults. Testing a model that integrates all three cognitive models at once requires a very large number of participants (> 2,000) due to the large number of variables and therefore possible ways in which the vulnerabilities of the models could be related to each other. Thus, so far, Patrick’s research in this area has focused on the integration of two of the original theories at a time. To be able to integrate all three models his team collaborates with colleagues from the University of Louisville and the National University of Singapore on a systematic review using meta-analytic Structural Equation Modeling. Further, Patrick’s team is currently launching a 3-wave longitudinal online study with the necessary sample size to integrate the cognitive vulnerabilities proposed in all three models into one model.
Students and other researchers in this research team:
Prevention of Depression in Adolescents
After developing and evaluating the universal cognitive-behavioral prevention program LARS&LISA; to reduce the incidence of depression in high school students, he is now focusing on why this type of prevention program works, for whom it works, and under what circumstances it works. Having studied multiple mechanisms underlying the effects of prevention, Patrick and his team currently researches how effective prevention works in racially/ethnically diverse groups of adolescents in urban areas. The objective is to improve the effects of prevention in groups that have thus far been shown to receive significantly less benefit. In addition, Patrick’s team is part of a multi-center study financed by PCORI to compare a face-to-face group program with an online program for adolescents with elevated levels of depressive symptoms (https://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/departments/academic-departments/pediatrics/research/path-2-purpose).
Students and other researchers in this research team:
Mind-Body Lab
Several empirical studies indicate that depression increases the risk for physical illnesses (e.g., cancer, coronary heart disease) and vice versa. While these associations are well supported, the mechanisms underlying them remain largely unknown. In addition, the circular nature of the association between depression and physical health raises the question if there are factors that contribute to the development of both. This would cause the (wrong) impression that depression and physical health are directly associated. Patrick and his team investigate whether cognitive vulnerabilities (e.g., attribution style, dysfunctional attitudes, hopelessness, rumination) and stressors underlying depression (i.e., caregiving, perceived everyday discrimination, subjective social status) might be those factors. The team previously used data from epidemiological studies from around the world and focuses now mainly on collecting primary data. These primary studies currently include multiple studies with individual with diverse Background and in different settings. Currently the team analyses data from adolescents participating in the prevention program LARS&LISA;, and adults ages 18-39 years. Further, the team started a single subject design study to examine the causal effect of rumination on mental health (aggression, anxiety, depression, blood pressure, multiple inflammatory markers in saliva)
Students and other researchers in this research team: