Sean Lauderdale, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Sean Lauderdale earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Texas Tech University and completed his clinical internship and postdoctoral studies in Geropsychology at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System in Palo Alto, California. 

Dr. Lauderdale’s research program focuses on a range of clinical and societal issues, including investigating issues experienced by veterans, such as public stigma for mental health conditions and military sexual trauma as well as transitional experiences associated with military discharge. Dr. Lauderdale has also developed program evaluation strategies for veterans’ courts and jail-based therapeutic rehabilitation communities for veterans. His other research has focused on mental health of police officers, bias in AI-generated mental health information, and how bias affects school-based disciplinary procedures. Dr. Lauderdale also investigates anxiety-related indecisiveness, cognitive risks for anxiety, and perception of negative future outcomes anticipated by individuals with anxiety. Finally, Dr. Lauderdale evaluates assessment of mental health conditions experienced by older adults and the experiences of carepartners of people with neurocognitive disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease).

Dr. Lauderdale specializes in evidence-based psychoeducation, assessment, and psychotherapy. He specifically focuses on transdiagnostic approaches for people with anxiety, veterans, and carepartners of people with neurocognitive disorders. Dr. Lauderdale also has extensive experience working with older veterans with neurocognitive disorders and their carepartners at home and in care facilities.

Dr. Lauderdale is committed to mentoring students in the Clinical Psychology master’s and Health Service Psychology doctoral programs. As a new faculty member, he is building an active research lab and will be accepting doctoral students for the 2023-2024 academic year.

---

Areas of Expertise

• Clinical psychology
• Clinical geropsychology
• Veterans
• Anxiety disorder and related cognitive processes
• Mental health stigma
• Neurocognitive disorders

---

Publications

• Staley, G., Zaidan, A., Henley, K., Childers, L. G., Daniel, R., Lauderdale, S., & McGuire, A. P. (2022). Commending rather than condemning veterans: Moral elevation and stigma for veterans with military sexual trauma and substance use. BMC Psychology.
• Lauderdale, S. (2022). People with dementia and their interaction with the police. In M. P. Bratina (Ed.), Forensic mental health: Framing integrated solutions (2nd ed.). New York, New York: Taylor and Francis/Routledge.
• Lauderdale, S. A., Martin, K. J., Oakes, K. R., Moore, J. M., & Balotti, R. J. (2022). Pragmatic screening of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and substance misuse in older adults. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.
• Lauderdale, S. A., & Oakes, K. R. (2021). Factor structure of the revised Indecisiveness Scale and association with risks for and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attentional control. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

---

Courses (Current Academic Year)

• PSYC 6531 & 7531 Psychopathology
• PSYC 7936 Evidence-based Clinical Supervision Practices

---

Research Projects

• Mental health stigma
• Veterans' mental health
• Anxiety-related indecisiveness
• Cognitive risk for anxiety
• Anxiety experienced by older adults
• Carepartners' experience

---