Google scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=WD5esBUAAAAJ&hl=en

Research Interests

Dr. Murphy directs the Cognitive Analogues and Therapies For Improving Southern Health (CATFISH) Lab.

Dr. Murphy’s research examines mechanisms of change in psychotherapy. This work has primarily focused on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression, in addition to studies identifying transdiagnostic mechanisms. This work ranges from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of full-length treatments to the use of small-scale analogue designs to focally compare therapy strategies. This line of research directly informs the rural mental health research that is a joint focus of the CATFISH lab, as findings from RCTs and analogue experiments are used to develop strategies to expand the reach and effectiveness of psychological treatment. Dr. Murphy’s clinical and research interests also include personality disorders and serious mental illness.

Education

A.A., Psychology, Solano Community College

B.S., Psychology, Sociology, Montana State University

M.A., Psychology, Ohio State University

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Ohio State University

Doctoral Internship, Underserved Populations Track, University of Kansas Medical Center

Representative Publications 

Murphy, S. T., Cheavens, J. S., & Strunk, D. R. (2024). The friends and family for mental health program: A pilot study of a cognitive behavioral therapy skills intervention for rural adults. Rural and Remote Health, 24, 9066. https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH9066

Murphy, S. T., Vittorio, L. N., & Strunk, D. R. (2023). Vindicating Pollyanna? An experimental test of cognitive restructuring and positive thinking interventions. Psychotherapy Research, 33, 696-703. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2022.2152397

Murphy, S. T., Cooper, A. A., Hollars, S. N., & Strunk, D. R. (2021). Who benefits from a cognitive vs. behavioral approach to treating depression? A pilot study of prescriptive predictors. Behavior Therapy, 52, 1433-1448. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2021.03.012