Biography
Dr. Granholm is Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Center for Mental Health Technology at UC San Diego, and Chief of Psychology and Co-Section Chief of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Services at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1991, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. At UCLA, he conducted research on neuropsychology, pupillometry, social skills training and family therapy for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Since joining the faculty at UCSD in 1993, Dr. Granholm has been an active basic and clinical researcher in the areas of neuropsychology, pupillometry, ecological momentary assessment, mobile interventions and cognitive behavior therapy in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. He developed Cognitive-Behavioral Social Skills Training (CBSST) for schizophrenia and has conducted several CBSST clinical trials.
Research Interests
Dr. Granholm’s recent research has primarily focused on (1) clinical trials of interventions to improve functioning and recovery outcomes in schizophrenia; and (2) early detection of risk and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. He developed an intervention called Cognitive-Behavioral Social Skills Training (CBSST), which combines two evidence-based psychotherapy interventions, cognitive-behavior therapy and social skills training, and has conducted several clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of CBSST for improving negative symptoms and functioning in schizophrenia. His mobile interventions research, uses ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and interventions (EMI), which involve smartphone delivery of assessment questionnaires and cognitive-behavioral interventions in real time, real world contexts to improve motivation and functioning, and reduce social isolation and loneliness in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Granholm’s basic neurocognitive and psychophysiology research has focused on the broad investigation of the relationships between neurocognition and aging, symptoms, and community functioning in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. His current basic research examines (1) associations between dysfunctional attitudes, amotivation, and goal-directed task effort, using pupillary responses as an index of task effort allocation; (2) early detection of risk for age-related cognitive decline; and (3) relationships between dysfunctional attitudes, motivation, neurocognition, and functioning in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Clinical Focus
Dr. Granholm is a clinical psychologist at the Center Of Recovery Education (CORE) program at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. The CORE is a psychosocial rehabilitation program that provides comprehensive evidenced-based psychotherapy and skills training, supported employment, wellness activities, family interventions and medication management within a recovery model orientation for Veterans with psychotic disorders. His primary clinical focus is on cognitive-behavioral and social skills training interventions and neuropsychological assessment for seriously mentally ill consumers. He is also an active clinical supervisor and teacher of psychology interns, JDP practicum students, psychiatry residents, and post-graduate fellows from multiple disciplines (psychology, social work, vocational rehabilitation, occupational therapy, psychiatric nursing, and psychiatry).