Dean Cruess

Dean Cruess is a Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Connecticut. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Miami (1998) and conducts research at the intersection of clinical, health, and personality psychology. His work examines how psychosocial factors like stress, depression, anxiety, and personality traits influence mental and physical health outcomes across diverse populations including psychiatric inpatients, people with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients, and cardiovascular disease patients.

Dr. Cruess's research program focuses on:

• Psychophysiological mechanisms linking psychological states to health outcomes
• Development of behavioral interventions for chronic illness populations
• Personality factors in treatment adherence and health behaviors
• Stress-disease pathways in vulnerable clinical groups

He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 2300), Adult Psychopathology (PSYC 5301), and Adult Psychotherapy Practicum (PSYC 6301).

His publication trends (2020-2025) show consistent focus on:

• Mental-physical health comorbidities in clinical populations
• Personality predictors of psychiatric outcomes
• Behavioral interventions for chronic conditions
• Methodologically rigorous approaches including randomized trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews
• Specialized work in HIV psychology, cardiac health, and inpatient psychiatry