Faculty

Steven R. H. Beach, Ph.D. Professor Clinical Psychology Program Director, Institute for Behavioral Research Ph.D., SUNY-Stony Brook, 1985 Office: Room 510 Boyd Ph: (706) 542-1173 Fax: (706) 542-8048 Email: srhbeach@uga.edu

Research Interests

Epigenetics, Marital and Family processes, marital discord, depression and anxiety in close relationships, self processes in relationships

Selected Publications

Beach, S. R. H., Brody, G. H., Kogan, S. M., Philibert, R. A., Chen, Y., Lei, M. (in press). Change in Caregiver Depression in Response to Parent Training: Genetic Moderation of Intervention Effects. Journal of Family Psychology.

Philibert, R. A., Gunter, T. D., Beach, S. R. H., Brody, G. H., Hollenbeck, N., Andersen, A., Adams, W. (in press). The Role of GABRA2 on risk for Alcohol, Nicotene and Cannabis Dependence in the Iowa Adoption Studies. Psychiatric Genetics.

Bodenmann, G., Plancherel, B., Beach, S. R. H., Widmer, K., Gabriel, B., Meuwly, N., Charvoz, L., Hautzinger, M., Schramm, E. (in press). Effects of Coping-oriented Couple Therapy on Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Fincham, F.D., Beach, S. R. H. (in press). Marriage: A decade in review. Journal of Marriage and the Family.

Brody, G. H., Beach, S. R. H., Philibert, R. A., Chen, Y., Murry, V.M. (in press). Prevention Effects Moderate the Association of 5-HTTLPR and Youth Risk Behavior Initiation: G × E Hypotheses Tested via a Randomized Prevention Design. Child Development.

Brody, G. H., Beach, S. R. H., Philibert, R. A., Chen, Y. Lei, M., Murry, V. M., Brown, A. (in press). Parenting Moderates a Genetic Vulnerability Factor in Longitudinal Increases in Youths' Substance Use. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Beach, S. R. H., Fincham, F. D., Hurt, T. R., McNair, L. M., Stanley, S. M. (in press). Prayer and Marital Intervention: A Conceptual Framework. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

Beach, S. R. H., Fincham, F. D., Hurt, T. R., McNair, L. M., Stanley, S. M. (in press). Prayer and Marital Intervention: Toward an Open Empirically Grounded Dialogue. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

Philibert, R. A., Zadorozhnyaya, O., Beach, S. R. H., & Brody, G. H. (in press). A comparison of genotyping results using DNA obtained from blood and saliva. Psychiatric Genetics.

Whisman, M. A., Beach, S. R. H., Snyder, D. K. (in press). Is Marital Discord Taxonic And Can Taxonic Status Be Assessed Reliably? Results From A National, Representative Sample Of Married Couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Beach, S. R. H., Kogan, S. M., Brody, G. H., Chen, Y., Lei, M. & Murry, V. M. (2008). Change in maternal depression as a function of the Strong African American Families Program. Journal of Family Psychology, 22, 241-252.

Selected Professional Activities

> Fellow, American Psychological Association
> Member, Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy
> Member, Society for Clinical and Preventive Psychology
> Fellow, American Psychological Society
> Member, International Society for the Study of Personal Relationships
> Member, International Network on Personal Relationships

Selected Professional Activities

2008 - Division 43 Distinguished Contribution to Family Psychology Award
2007 - Invited Presentation - University of Fribourg, Switzerland
2007 - Distinguished Research Professorship, University of Georgia
2006 - Clinical Psychology Teaching Award
2005 - Invited Presentation to NIH/NIAAA
2005 - William A. Owens Award
2004 - Who's Who in Social Sciences Higher Education (WWSSHE)

Courses Regularly Taught

Undergraduate

• Marital Therapy Seminar
  
• Abnormal Psychology

Graduate

• Behavior Therapy
  
• Marital Dysfunction and Treatment
  
• Seminar on Epigenetic Processes in Psychology
  

Teaching Interests

I am very interested in working with Undergraduate Psychology Majors. In addition to being fun, working with Undergraduates has provided me with a fresh perspective on many research questions and issues within Psychology. In the Past, my interactions with undergraduates have taken the form of supervising honors projects, directing supervised readings, and supervising research experience.

Currently, research opportunities in my lab involve both experimental and community based approaches. I continue to be interested in studying various aspects of close relationships and emotions within close relationships. Students have the opportunity to see research ideas develop and to discuss those ideas and various methods of psychogical research. I do, however, require that any student involved in directed research experiences with me be available to meet with me and my team. Many of the interesting discussions take place during this time and I view it as an essential part of the learning process. If you are interested in pursuing a research opportunity I would love to hear from you.