معرفی
Kevin D. Wu serves as Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Northern Illinois University, where he directs the NIU Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Lab. He teaches undergraduate courses including PSYC 316 (Introduction to Psychopathology) and PSYC 413 (Clinical Laboratory), alongside graduate courses such as PSYC 641 (Psychopathology), PSYC 642 (Personality Assessment), and PSYC 654 (Clinical Practicum).
Dr. Wu earned his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 2004, establishing his research foundation in dimensional psychopathology models. His educational trajectory reflects specialized training in clinical assessment and experimental methodology.
His research program fundamentally investigates psychopathology as continuous dimensions rather than discrete categories, with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as the primary focus. Key research thrusts include:
- Cognitive mechanisms underlying OCD symptoms through laboratory-based behavioral tasks
- Cross-cultural equivalence in psychopathology assessment across diverse populations
- Transdiagnostic processes like intolerance of uncertainty and experiential avoidance
- Experimental modification of dysfunctional cognitive interpretations
Analysis of Dr. Wu's publication record (2013-2025) reveals consistent methodological evolution from questionnaire-based studies to sophisticated experimental paradigms. His work demonstrates growing emphasis on diversity factors in psychopathology assessment while maintaining core focus on OCD symptom structures. The research portfolio shows strong integration of cognitive models with clinical applications, particularly in behavioral approach tasks and cognitive bias modification.
Dr. Wu has secured research funding including a Dissertation Grant as Principal Investigator from the University of Minnesota Press: Minnesota Assessment Instruments (2001-2003) for "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Symptom structure and relations to personality assessed with the SNAP." He mentors lab members conducting projects spanning social anxiety, depression rumination, mindfulness, pathological gambling, thought-action fusion, perfectionism, and hoarding.
The NIU Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Lab operates from PM 311 Education, utilizing dual-method approaches combining self-report questionnaires with experimental behavioral tasks to investigate OCD mechanisms. The lab maintains active collaborations reflected in multi-author publications across clinical psychology journals.
