SMU Department of Psychology

FACULTY

LECTURERS

ADJUNCT FACULTY

GRADUATE STUDENTS

STAFF

Lorelei Simpson Rowe
Associate Professor of Psychology
Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 2005

TEL 214.768.2395
EMAIL lsimpson (add @smu.edu to all email addresses)
OFFICE 310A Hyer Hall
LAB WEBSITE click to view
CURRICULUM VITAE click to view

RESEARCH SUMMARY

My research interests focus on understanding and treating couples facing behavioral or psychological difficulties. My research program includes evaluation of relationship and individual functioning among couples in which one partner has a severe mental illness and examination of couple therapy outcomes when such issues are present. In particular, I am interested in how aspects of relationship functioning may exacerbate or mitigate individual symptoms and, conversely, how the presence of psychopathology affects the course of intimate relationships. My research also focuses on couples experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), including the dyadic factors likely to set the stage for IPV and the degree to which couple-based therapies may be of use to couples with a history of violence. Other related research include mechanisms of change in couple therapy more broadly and the prevention of sexual violence in dating relationships through assertiveness training.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

Jouriles, E.N., Simpson, L.E., McDonald, R., Platt, C.G., & Gomez, G.S. (2010). Assessing women’s responses to sexual threat: Validity of a virtual role-play procedure. Behavior Therapy, in press.

Doss, B.D., Simpson, L.E., Madsen, J.W., & Carhart, A. (2010). Sudden gains in treatment-as-usual couple therapy for veterans. Behavior Therapy, in press.

Baucom, B.R., Atkins, D.C., Simpson, L.E., & Christensen, A. (2009). Prediction of response to treatment in a randomized clinical trial of couple therapy: A 2-year follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 160-173.

Gattis, K.S., Simpson, L.E., & Christensen, A. (2008). What about the kids? Parenting and child adjustment in the context of couple therapy. Journal of Family Psychology, 22, 833-842.

Simpson, L.E., Atkins, D.C., Gattis, K.S., & Christensen, A. (2008). Low-level relationship aggression and couple therapy outcomes. Journal of Family Psychology, 22, 102-111.

Simpson, L.E., Doss, B.D., Wheeler, J., Christensen, A. (2007). Relationship violence among couples seeking therapy: Common couple violence or battering? Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 33, 268-281.

Simpson, L.E., Christensen, A. (2005). Spousal agreement regarding relationship aggression among treatment-seeking couples. Psychological Assessment, 17(4), 423-432.

Doss, B.D., Simpson, L.E., Christensen, A. (2004). Why do couples seek marital therapy? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35 (6), 608-614.

Gattis, K.S., Berns, S., Simpson, L.E., Christensen, A. (2004). Birds of a feather or strange birds? Ties between personality, similarity, and marital quality. Journal of Family Psychology, 18 (4), 564-574.