معرفی
Timothy W. Smith is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah's College of Social and Behavioral Science. His research examines personality and social risk factors for cardiovascular disease, applying interpersonal theory to psychosocial mechanisms of disease. Key areas include marital interactions, social determinants of health, and physiological stress responses.
He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kansas (1982), completed pre-doctoral training at Brown University, and has held faculty positions at Utah since 1983, serving as Department Chair (1996-2002) and Director of Clinical Training (1992-1996, 2006-2009).
Research focuses on:
- Personality and social-environmental transactions in health
- Psychophysiological mechanisms linking relationships to cardiovascular disease
- Marital adjustment in chronic illness
- Interpersonal dimensions of hostility and health behavior
Publication analysis reveals sustained focus on cardiovascular psychophysiology, with recent work expanding into sleep quality, PTSD, and health disparities. Methodological approaches include ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, laboratory stressors, and longitudinal designs.
Honors include:
- Outstanding Contributions to Health Psychology (APA Division 38, 2016)
- Distinguished Scientist Award (Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2003)
- University of Utah Distinguished Research Award (1998)
- American Psychosomatic Society Early Career Award (1992)
He mentors extensive graduate trainees, with 28 Ph.D. students completed since 1983. Current research teams investigate suicide cognition pathways, marital conflict physiology, and social determinants of health disparities.
