Catherine Dempsey

Catherine Dempsey, PhD., MPH is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland. She serves as a Research Psychologist at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, where she conducts critical research on trauma-related psychological outcomes in military populations. Her work is primarily focused on understanding risk and protective factors for adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes related to trauma exposure.

Dr. Dempsey received her 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 completed her internship and postdoctoral training at the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. VA Medical Centers, building a strong foundation in clinical psychology with a focus on military populations.

Dr. Dempsey's research program is multidisciplinary, spanning public health, epidemiology, and clinical psychology. She is particularly known for her expertise in suicide prevention research among service members, with a special focus on firearm-related suicide risk and prevention strategies. Her work examines the complex interplay between trauma exposure, psychological outcomes, and behavioral health in military personnel. As a content expert in diagnostic assessment in military populations, she contributes to the development and validation of assessment tools for PTSD and other trauma-related conditions.

Through her extensive publication record, Dr. Dempsey has established herself as a leading researcher in military mental health, particularly in understanding suicide risk factors among service members. Her recent work has focused on firearm safety practices, social support as a protective factor against suicide, and the relationship between stressful life experiences and suicide risk in military populations. She employs mixed methods approaches, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to address critical questions in military behavioral health.

• Principal Investigator, Firearms Behavioral Practices and Suicide Risk in Servicemembers
• CoInvestigator, CAPS-5 Validation Protocol
• CoInvestigator, Army STARRS and STARRS-LS
• CoInvestigator, RECONTROL

As a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Dempsey brings clinical expertise to her research, ensuring that her work has practical applications for improving mental health services for service members. Her research has direct implications for suicide prevention programs and clinical interventions within the military healthcare system.

Dr. Dempsey is affiliated with the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, a leading research center focused on understanding and addressing the psychological consequences of trauma in military populations. Her work contributes to the center's mission of advancing knowledge and developing evidence-based approaches to improve psychological health and resilience among service members.