Catherine L Dempsey

PhD., MPH

Department of Primary Appointment:
School of Medicine
Psychiatry
Title
Research Associate Professor and Research Psychologist at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Location: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Research Interests:
risk and protective factors for adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes related to trauma exposure, including suicidal behaviors and firearm-injury in service members
content expert in diagnostic assessment in military populations, clinical research focused on the development of treatment interventions for PTSD
Office Phone

Education

Dr. Dempsey received a BS and MPH from Emory University, followed by a PhD from the University of Colorado, and Respecialization Certification in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona. She then completed her internship and postdoctoral training at the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. VA Medical Centers.

Biography

Dr. Dempsey’s program of research has focused on risk and protective factors for adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes related to trauma exposure, including suicidal behaviors and firearm-injury in service members. Her research training is multidisciplinary in public health, epidemiology and clinical psychology. She is trained in mixed methods and uses a range of quantitative and qualitative methods to answer critical health questions and is a content expert in treatment for trauma, and diagnostic assessment in military populations. Dr. Dempsey has published articles in high impact journals related to risk and protective factors of suicide, in particular firearm suicide risk and prevention in service members.


Career Highlights: Positions, Projects, Deployements, Awards and Additional Publications

Principal Investigator, Firearms Behavioral Practices and Suicide Risk in Servicemembers

CoInvestigator, CAPS-5 Validation Protocol

CoInvestigator, Army STARRS and STARRS-LS

CoInvestigator, RECONTROL

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Representative Bibliography