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Biography

Dr. Mausbach obtained his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, CA. He completed his clinical psychology internship at the VA Black Hills Healthcare System, after which he received post-doctoral training at both Stanford University and UCSD with a specialization in Geropsychiatry. He has been a member of the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at UCSD since July 2007. Dr Mausbach’s research interests lie in both Health Psychology and Psychopathology. In the area of Health Psychology, he has investigated the links between, stress, mood disturbance, and disease risk, as well as psychological resiliency factors that may have protective effects on health outcomes. His research in this area has recently extended to examining the psychological and health benefits of behavioral psychotherapies, with an emphasis on biomarkers of disease risk. In the realm of psychopathology, he has examined predictors of functional capacity and functional outcomes in schizophrenia. This research has focused primarily on the development and refinement of performance-based measures of functional capacity, including the use of mobile technology applications for assessing functioning in schizophrenia. Dr Mausbach has also examined the use of mobile technology as a means of enhancing skills-training interventions for middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia.

Research InterestsDr. Mausbach's research focuses on bridging basic scientific research with clinical services in two domains. The first examines the links between stress/coping and health outcomes, with an emphasis on positive psychological states (e.g., mastery, self-efficacy) and their association with health outcomes and well-being. This research has led Dr. Mausbach to test psychosocial interventions designed to improve emotional and physical well-being in chronically stressed populations (e.g., Alzheimer’s caregivers).

Dr. Mausbach’s second research domain is the assessment and treatment of middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia. He has sought novel methods of assessing functional capacity in this population, with coinciding development of treatments to improve functioning.

Dr Mausbach is also interested in the role of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, on cancer treatment outcomes and use of medical services, as well as the role of valuable coping mechanisms to promote positive health outcomes in persons with cancer.

More of Dr. Mausbach's research interests

Clinical Focus

Dr. Mausbach is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in behavioral treatments for a) caregiver stress and b) improving functioning in patients with schizophrenia.