Justin Dainer-Best

Justin Dainer-Best is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Bard College, where he leads the Affective Science Lab. His clinical work as a licensed psychologist in New York's Hudson Valley focuses on anxiety, depression, trauma, and gender/sexuality-related issues. He employs evidence-based therapies like CBT and ACT in his practice.

• PhD in Clinical Psychology, 2018, The University of Texas at Austin
• Pre-Doctoral Clinical Internship, 2018, The University of Vermont
• BA in Psychology and English, 2009, Haverford College

His research explores how positive and negative emotions shape self-perception, particularly in mood disorders. The Affective Science Lab investigates self-referent cognition, positive imagery training, and brief internet interventions, using online and in-person samples. He has contributed to symptom-level analyses in depression and trauma research.

Recent publications focus on self-referent cognition in depression (2025), positive self-schema changes (2025), comparative ACT vs. trauma-focused CBT for Afghan adolescents (2024), and Bayesian network analyses of depression symptoms (2021). His work spans clinical trials, cognitive theory, and methodological advances in affective science.

Students in his lab assist with participant recruitment, data collection, and study development. He teaches advanced methodology courses, statistics, psychopathology, and trauma-focused seminars, emphasizing inclusive pedagogy. The lab prioritizes diversity in research participation and welcomes underrepresented groups in psychology.