Thomas R Lynch, Associate Professor and Director, Cognitive Behavior Research

Thomas R Lynch

Associate Professor and Director, Cognitive Behavior Research
PhD, Kent State University, 1996
mailing address: 2213 Elba Street
Room 119 Durham, NC 27705
office: Civitan, 2213 Elba St
email:

research interests | research | publications | lab web site | curriculum vita

Research Summary:
 Research interests are in the understanding and treatment of mood and personality disorders (e.g., borderline personality disorder) among adult and older adult populations using a “translational” line of inquiry. The overall goal is to combine basic science and behavioral laboratory findings with the most recent technological advances in intervention research, in order to develop and test more effective behavioral interventions for treatment refractory clients. A major focus has been an interest in understanding emotion and emotion regulation (e.g., thought suppression, experiential avoidance) using psychophysiological and behavioral laboratory paradigms. A second major research focus revolves around the treatment of co-morbid mood and personality disorders. A NIH funded randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy for older adult personality disorders has just been completed. He currently is the PI on two NIDA R01s; a multi-site study of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder with opiate dependence and a virtual reality study examining novel methods to enhance cue exposure treatment for cocaine addiction. In addition, studies examining the use of mindfulness and acceptance based interventions are in progress in collaboration with the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine.

Representative Publications:   (More Publications)

  1. Lynch, T.R., Chapman, A.L., Rosenthal, M.Z., Kuo, J.R., & Linehan, M.M. (in press). Mechanisms of change in dialectical behavior therapy: Theoretical and empirical observations. Journal of Clinical Psychology.
  2. Keefe, F.J., McKee, D., & Lynch, T. The Role of Depression Screening in Lumbar Disc Herniations and Spinal Stenosis: A Comment on Levy, Hanscom, & Boden (2002).  Spine,.2002, 27: 1237..
  3. Lynch, T.R., & Aspnes, A. (in press). ). Individual and Group Psychotherapy.  In D. Steffens, D.Blazer, & E. Busse (Eds.) American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Geriatric Psychiatry, Third Edition.  American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., Washington, D.C..
  4. Lynch, T.R., Cheavens, J.S., Morse, J.Q., & Rosenthal, M.Z. (2004). A model predicting suicidal ideation and hopelessness in depressed older adults: The impact of emotion inhibition and affect intensity. Aging and Mental Health, 8, 1-12.
  5. Krause, E.D., Mendelson, T., & Lynch, T.R. (in press). Childhood emotion invalidation and adult psychological distress: The mediating role of emotion inhibition. Journal of Child Abuse & Neglect..
  6. Lynch, T.R., & Vitt, C.M. (2002). Psychotherapy of depression and dysthymia. In D.Blazer, M.Abou-Saleh, & J.Copeland (Eds.) Principles and Practice of Geriatric Psychiatry-Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd..
  7. Lynch, T.R., Morse, J.Q., Mendelson, T., & Robins, C.J. (2003). Dialectical Behavior Therapy for depressed older adults: A randomized pilot study. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 11, 1-13.
  8. Lynch, T.R., Morse, J.Q., Mendelson, T., & Robins, C.J. (in press). Dialectical Behavior Therapy for depressed older adults: A randomized pilot study. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry..
  9. Lynch, T. R., Compton, J.S., Mendelson, T., Robins, C.J., & Krishnan, K.R.K.  (2000).  Anxious depression among the elderly: Clinical and phenomenological correlates. Aging and Mental Health, 4, 268-274..
  10. Reynolds, C.F., Arean, P.A., Lynch, T.R., Frank, E. (in press). Psychotherapy in Late-Life Depression: Progress and Challenges.  Late Life Depression.  Oxford University Press.
  11. Rosenthal, M.Z., & Lynch, T.R. (in press). Dialectical behavior therapy. In B.J. Sadock & V.J. Sadock, (Eds.). Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins..
  12. Lynch, T.R., Robins, C.J., Morse, J.Q., & Krause, E.D. (2001). A mediational model relating affect intensity, emotion inhibition, and psychological distress. Behavior Therapy, 32, 519-536.
  13. Morse, J.Q. & Lynch, T.R. (2004). A preliminary investigation of self-reported personality disorders in late life: Prevalence, predictors of depressive severity, and clinical correlates. Aging and Mental Health, 8, 307-315.
  14. Keefe, F.J., Lumley, M., Anderson, T., Lynch, T.R., Studts, J., Carson, K.L. (2001). Pain and emotion: New research directions. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 57, 587-607..
  15. Krause, E. D., Robins, C.J., & Lynch, T.R. (2000). A mediational model relating sociotropy, ambivalence over emotional expression and eating disorder symptoms. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24, 328-335..
  16. Koons, C.R., Robins, C.J., Tweed, J.L., Lynch, T.R., Gonzalez, A.M., Morse, J.Q., Bishop, G. K., Butterfield, M.I., Bastian, L.A. (2001). Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy in women veterans with borderline personality disorder. Behavior Therapy, 32, 371-390..
  17. Lynch, T.R., Robins, C.J., & Morse, J.Q. (2001). Couple functioning in depression: The roles of sociotropy and autonomy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 93-103.
  18. Morse, J.Q., & Lynch, T.R. (2000). Personality disorders in the elderly. Current Psychiatry Reports, 2, 24-31..
  19. Lynch, T.R., Krause, E.D., Mendelson, T. (2003). Childhood emotion invalidation and adult psychological distress: The mediating role of emotion inhibition. Child Abuse & Neglect, 27, 199-213.
  20. Lynch, T.R., & Aspnes, A., (2001). Personality disorders in older adults: Diagnostic and theoretical issues. Clinical Geriatrics, 9, 64-70..
  21. Lynch, T. R., Johnson, C. S., Mendelson, T., Robins, C. J., Krishnan, K. R. R. & Blazer, D. G. (1999). Correlates of suicidal ideation among an elderly depressed sample. Journal of Affective Disorders..
  22. Lynch, T.R., Robins, C.J., & Morse, J.Q. (2001) Couple functioning in depression: The roles of sociotropy and autonomy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57,1-11..
  23. Lynch, T. R., Johnson, C. S., Mendelson, T., Robins, C. J., Krishnan, K. R. R. & Blazer, D. G. (in press). New onset and remission of suicidal ideation among depressed adult sample. Journal of Affective Disorders..
  24. Lynch, T.R., Johnson, C., Mendelson, T., Robins, C.J., Krishnan, K.R.R., & Blazer, D.G. (1999). New onset and remission of suicidal ideation among a depressed adult sample. Journal of Affective Disorders, 56, 49-54.
  25. Lynch, T.R., Robins, C.J., Morse, J.Q., & Krause, E.D. (2001). A mediational model relating affect intensity, emotion inhibition, and psychological distress. Behavior Therapy, 32, 519-536..
  26. Lynch, T. R., Mendelson, T., Robins, C. J., Krishnan, K. R. R., George, L.K., Johnson, C. S., & Blazer, D. G. (in press). Perceived social support among depressed elderly, middle-aged, and young adult samples: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Journal of Affective Disorders.
  27. Vitt, C. M. & Lynch, T.R. (2001) [Review of What Psychotherapists Should Know About Disability]. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 51, 706..
  28. Lynch, T. R. (2000). Treatment of elderly depression with personality disorder comorbidity using dialectical behavior therapy. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice,7, 468-477..
  29. Lynch, T. R., Compton, J.S., Mendelson, T., Robins, C.J., & Krishnan, K.R.K.  (2000).  Anxious depression among the elderly: Clinical and phenomenological correlates. Aging and Mental Health, 4, 268-274..
  30. Lynch, T. R., Johnson, C. S., Mendelson, T., Robins, C. J., Krishnan, K. R. R. & Blazer, D. G. (in press). Perceived social support among depressed elderly, middle-aged, and young adult samples: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses..
  31. Lynch, T. R. & Robins, C. J. (1997). Treatment of borderline personality disorder using Dialectical Behavior Therapy. The Journal of California Alliance for the Mentally Ill, 8 47-49..
  32. Lynch, T. R., Wildman, B. G. & Smucker, W. D. (1997). Parental disclosure of child psychosocial concerns: Relationship to physician identification and management. Journal of Family Practice, 44 (pp. 273-280)..
  33. Robins, C. J., Bagby, M. R., Rector, N. A. & Lynch, T. R. (1997). Sociotropy, autonomy, and patterns of symptoms in patients with major depression: A comparison of dimensional and categorical approaches. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 21 43-58..