Sherryl GoodmanSamuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology

Dr. Goodman received her B.A. with honors in Psychology from Connecticut College in 1972 (Magna Cum Laude). She completed her Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical; APA-approved) at the University of Waterloo in 1978. Her clinical training included: Summer Intern at New York University Medical Center, Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, New York in 1973; Summer Intern at Oxford Mental Health Center, Woodstock, Ontario in 1974; Student staff member for the Psychology Clinic, University of Waterloo, Ontario from 1974 to 1976; and Psychology Intern at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina from 1976 to 1977. Dr. Goodman joined the faculty in the Department of Psychology at Emory University in 1977. She is a licensed practicing psychologist in the State of Georgia. She is currently a Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor in the Department of Psychology at Emory University.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine

Research Interests

Developmental psychopathology, models of risk for the development of psychopathology in children of depressed mothers, the roles of affective, psychophysiological, neuroendocrine, behavioral, and cognitive processes in the transmission of risk for psychopathology, and the development of children’s understanding of sadness in others.

Current Projects

• Maternal depression as an early life stress for infants
• Relative contributions of pre- and post-natal depression for infant functioning
• Testing models of association between depression, perceived parenting self-efficacy, and parenting qualities in mothers
• Sensitive parenting by mothers with depression
• Developing and testing the feasibility and effectiveness of a form of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, adapted specifically for pregnant women, in reducing depression and associated problems such as stress, anxiety, and pregnancy and birth related complications
• Vulnerabilities to depression in preschool- and school-aged children of depressed mothers
• The development of children’s understanding of sadness and other emotions in others, especially in their parents
• Effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for children

Currently Funded Projects

• 2017-2021, Consultant (Kaya de Barbaro, P.I.), High-density markers of mother-infant bio-behavioral activity in the wild": Developing a mobile-sensing paradigm to examine transmission of mental health risks NIMH 1K01MH111957-01A1
• 2018 – 2023, Consultant (Sona Dimidjian, P.I.), Preventing Depressive Relapse in Pregnant Women with Recurrent Depression NIMH 1 R01 MH 117251 - 01
• 2018-2023, Consultant (Heidemarie Laurent, P.I.), Maternal Depression Calibrates Infants’ Neuroendocrine, Autonomic, and Inflammatory Stress Responsiveness, R01HD093627-01A1
• 2019 – 2021, Consultant (Brandon Gibb, P.I.), Attentional Biases for Affective Cues in Infants of Depressed Mothers, 1R21MH119823-01A1

• PSYC 190: Freshman Seminar in Psychology
• PSYC 315: Psychology of Family Relationships
• PSYC 547: Intervention II: Evidence-Based Practices for Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
• PSYC 750R: Clinical Supervision
• PSYC 770R: Topical Seminars: Psychology

• Google Scholar
• PubMed

• Gender parity review of psychological science shows progress and problems (Emory News, October 13, 2020)
• Well of Questions (Emory Report, November 7, 2005)