home

program info

clinical faculty

facilities

area talks

recent events

austin

Caryn L. Carlson, Professor
SEA 4.212A
Ph: (512) 475-8493
Email: carlson@psy.utexas.edu

Dr. Carlson does not plan to accept a new graduate student for fall of 2010.

Caryn L. Carlson received her Ph.D. in psychology in 1984 from the University of Georgia. She completed postdoctoral work at Indiana University and was for three years a faculty member in the psychology department at Virginia Tech. She joined the UT faculty in 1989. For most of her career, her research program, funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health, examined a number of aspects of the functioning of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (see selected publications below).

Dr. Carlson in recent years has changed the focus of her work to the field of Positive Psychology and well-being. Positive Psychology is a movement expressive of the outlook that the science of psychology can be utilized not only to reduce human suffering, but also to enhance our potential. The positive psychology approach employs scientific methodology to elucidate factors relevant to understanding and promoting what is good in people -- including positive emotions, character strengths and virtues (e.g., wisdom, valor, and generosity), as well as health, well-being, and life satisfaction. Dr. Carlson has taught seminars in Positive Psychology at both the graduate and undergraduate levels for the past several years. She received the 2009 Raymond Dickson Centennial Endowed Teaching Fellowship, which recognizes teaching excellence in the College of Liberal Arts.

Recent and current undergraduate honor's students supervised by Dr. Carlson include:

Plan II Honor's Students

Owen O'Brien: Thesis, "The influence of community on the efficacy of Positive Psychology exercises."

Sonya Crocker (awarded 2009 UT Outstanding Student of the Year Award): Thesis, "The myth of the "American Dream" and the true pursuit of happiness"

Sherry Yao: Thesis, "Hope, Health, and Healing: Positive Psychology in Advanced Illness."

Psychology Honor's Students

Connie Bogard: Thesis, "The effect of religiosity on perceived stress and depression"

Rachel Berman: Thesis,"Positive affect and couples' conflict resolution: A test of Fredrickson's Broaden-and-Build Model"

Selected publications:

Pliszka, S.R., Carlson, C.L., & Swanson, J.M. (1999). ADHD with comorbid disorders: Clinical assessment and management. NY: Guilford Publications.

Booth, J.E., Carlson, C.L., & Tucker, D.T. (2007). Performance on a neurocognitive measure of alerting differentiates the ADHD Combined and Inattentive subtypes: A preliminary report.  Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 22, 423-432.

Tamm, L., and Carlson, C.L. (2007). Task demands interact with the single and combined effects of medication and contingencies on children with Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.  Journal of Attention Disorders, 10, 372-380.

Canu, W.H., & Carlson, C.L. (2007). Rejection sensitivity and social outcomes of young adult men with ADHD.  Journal of Attention Disorders, 10, 261-275.

Willcutt, E.G., & Carlson, C.L. (2005). The diagnostic validity of ADHD.  Journal of Clinical Neuroscience Research, 5, 219-230. 

McFadden, D.M., Westhafer, J.G., Pasanen, E.G., Carlson, C.L., & Tucker, D.M. (2005). Hypermasculinization of otoacoustic emissions in boys with the inattentive subtype of ADHD.  Journal of Clinical Neuroscience Research, 5, 233-245.

Carlson, C.L., & Mann, M. (2002). Sluggish cognitive tempo predicts a different pattern of impairment in the ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive type.  Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 31, 123-129. 

Carlson, C.L., & Tamm, L. (2000). Responsiveness of children with ADHD to reward and response cost: Differential impact on performance and motivation.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 73-83.

Current / recent funding:

9/01-8/06 Validity of DSM-IV ADHD Subtypes in a Community Sample, National Institute of Mental Health (PI Erik Willcutt; co-PI Caryn Carlson).

9/00-8/03 Neurocognitive functioning in the ADHD subtypes, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health (co-PIs Caryn Carlson and David Tucker).