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Faculty Member - Counseling Psychology

Steven Richards, Ph.D.

Name and Position:

C. Steven Richards, Professor of Psychology, Texas Tech University, 1990-present

Education:

Ph.D., State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1973 (clinical psychology, APA-accredited)

Contact:

Phone: (806) 742-3711, ext. 254

Fax: (806) 742-0818

Email: steven.richards@ttu.edu

Previous Positions:

Professor, Syracuse University, 1984-1990

Assistant Professor to Professor, University of Missouri at Columbia, 1973-1984

Administrative Positions: 14 positions since 1976, including:

  • Director of Graduate Studies
  • Department Chair
  • Doctoral Program Director
  • Psychology Clinic Director
  • Director of Introductory Psychology Course
  • Director of Planning and Assessment
  • University Task Force Member

Awards and Honors:

Teaching Award: Department of Psychology, TTU, 2007-2008

Teaching Honor: Member, Teaching Academy, TTU, 1999-present

Service Awards: 7 Appreciation Awards & 3 Major Service Nominations, 1976-present

Professional Service:

Journal Editorial Boards: 9 / e.g., currently an editorial board member for the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (2009- )

Ad-Hoc Reviewer: 31 Journals (1971-present)

Ad-Hoc Reviewer: National Institutes of Health, Educational Testing Service, Head Start, American Psychological Association, University Health Science Centers, Academic Book Publishers, Community Agencies, Professional Groups, etc. (1969-present)

Member: University, Community, National, and Professional Association Committees: 350+ (1971-present)

Research Support:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), American Cancer Society, Head Start, Missouri Department of Mental Health & Local and Regional Agencies (1981-present)

Research Interests:

My primary research interest is on depression. For example, we have recently conducted research on depression and comorbidity (e.g., its association with eating disorders), depression and close relationships (e.g., its effects following the end of a relationship), depression and proximity (e.g., distance from friends and home), depression and contagion (e.g., the transfer of depression to close friends or family members), depression and self-help (e.g., depressed people coping with depression on their own), and depression and chronic health problems (e.g., the impact of depression on adherence to diabetes treatment regimens, and depression and cancer). I have also written and edited numerous reviews regarding specific topics in depression, usually working with student and faculty colleagues.

Selected Research:
  • Richards, S., & Perri, M. (Editors). (2010). Relapse prevention for depression. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  • Jorgensen, R., Dusek, J., Richards, S., & McIntyre, J. (2009). An experimental investigation of consistency in female undergraduates’ reports of coping efforts for the same vs. different situations. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 41, 51-54.
  • Santos, M., Richards, S., & Bleckley, K. (2007). Comorbidity between depression and disordered eating in adolescents. Eating Behaviors, 8, 440-449.
  • Richards, S., & Perri, M. (2002). Depression. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
  • Richards, S., & O’Hara, M. (Editors). (in progress). The Oxford Handbook of Depression and Comorbidity. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Richards, S., et al. (in progress). Several studies on depression. Journals TBA.
  • Total of about 60 publications to date, 2011.

Teaching Interests and Activities:

Graduate Courses:

  • Psychotherapy Practicum (65+ semesters)
  • Psychopathology
  • Depression Seminar
  • Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Chair of 29 Dissertations and Member of 500+ Dissertation Committees (1973-present)

Undergraduate Courses:

  • Introduction to Psychotherapy
  • Abnormal Psychology

Teaching Philosophy:

In my teaching, I work hard to be effective, helpful, and gracious. I believe that good teachers must be knowledgeable, well-prepared, organized, clear, respectful, enthusiastic, and professional. And I want the students to know that I really care. I also believe in careful mentoring, since this can make a huge difference in the professional lives of our students and colleagues. I build discussions of diversity, ethics, and professional issues into all of my teaching. My goals for students include learning the subject matter, of course. But I also want them to learn about the human side of being a psychologist—what the experience is like—to instruct with passion and sincerity like a gifted teacher, to think and act like an accomplished scientist, to serve and mentor like a generous advisor, to feel and help like a sensitive clinician, and to strive and work hard like a strong professional—with skill, compassion, and integrity.

Clinical Interests 
and Activities:

Depression, Comorbidity, Relapse Prevention, Brief and Interdisciplinary Interventions, Crisis Intervention, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Health Promotion, Self-Help, & Evidence-Based Therapies

Student Research In Progress:

Student research on topics such as depression and the following issues:

Depression and Self-Help, Close Relationships, Contagion, Depression and Stigma, Comorbidity, Multicultural Issues, Gender Roles, Proximity to Friends and Home, Chronic Health Problems (Diabetes, Cancer, Chronic Pain, etc.), Eating Disorders, Depressive Rumination, Depression and Extreme Internet Use, & other relevant topics for research on depression