Marc Karver
Marc Karver
Associate Professor
Contact
Office: PCD 4107
Phone: 813/974-7443
Email:
Links
Education
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 2000
Teaching
Ph.D. Area: Clinical Program
Research
Clinical child psychology; Child and adolescent psychotherapy and mental health services research; Psychotherapy treatment process research; Clinician behaviors and decision making; Assessment of child and adolescent strengths; Child and adolescent suicidality; Suicide prevention.
Research Synopsis
My research interests include the evaluation and improvement of the quality of real world mental health services for children and adolescents. I focus on the three areas that define quality mental health services: structure (the characteristics of mental health institutions and service delivery systems that lead to positive outcomes – e.g. school based counseling, school based prevention services), the measurement of treatment processes (what goes on inside of treatment that leads to positive outcomes) and outcomes (both positive and maladaptive). I take a close look at how mental health clinicians make decisions, what treatment techniques that they use, and how they form therapeutic relationships with their clients. I am interested in learning how to improve the work of experienced clinicians and to discover better ways to train novice clinicians. I am particularly interested in studying the provision of mental health services to “at risk” populations such as suicidal adolescents. I have been involved with several studies of adolescent suicidality. I examined MHPs’ ability to evaluate high risk adolescents and make placement decisions. I studied approximately 1000 children receiving mental health services and examined predictors of suicide attempts over the next six months. I conducted a study looking at crisis line clinicians’ ability to predict suicide attempts. I collaborated with Dr. Spirito and Dr. Shirk to study treatment processes with suicidal adolescents. I have also been involved in several studies looking at treatment processes related to engaging adolescents in treatment. I recently collaborated with Dr. Shirk and with the Cherry Creek and Denver school districts to start a school based counseling program utilizing a multiple stage screening process to identify and treat depressed adolescents. Currently, I have a grant with SAMHSA to help develop and evaluate the suicide prevention program of the Albuquerque School district.
Current Courses