Kelly Rohan

Heinz and Rowena Ansbacher Green and Gold Professor in Psychology

kelly.rohan@uvm.edu
(802) 656-0798
Kelly, smiling for the camera, in an office type setting
kelly.rohan@uvm.edu
+18026560798

2 Colchester Avenue
John Dewey Hall, Rm 224
Burlington, VT 05405-0134
United States
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Study
Alma mater(s)
  • B.A. Saint Bonaventure University, 1993
  • Ph.D. University of Maine, 1998
Affiliated Department(s)

Clinical Psychology

BIO

My primary research interests are the psychopathology and treatment of adult mood disorders, including:

  • cognitive-behavioral models of depression onset, maintenance, and recurrence.
  • cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression.
  • subtypes of recurrent depression including seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and menstrual distress.
  • treatment mediators/moderators

Rohan Laboratory

The Rohan Laboratory has recently completed a multi-year randomized clinical trial, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, in which 141 community adults with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) were treated with either SAD-tailored cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-SAD) or with light therapy and followed over 2 years. This project applied the experimental therapeutics approach to determine the mechanisms through which CBT-SAD and light therapy work and to identify the best candidates for each. We are currently in the data processing and research dissemination phase. We are working on papers examining whether theoretically-derived candidate biomarkers of each treatment’s target and effect are prescriptive of better outcomes in one treatment vs. the other. We are working with data collected through pupillometry, EEG, and actigraphy. 

Publications

Google Scholar - Kelly Rohan

Bio

My primary research interests are the psychopathology and treatment of adult mood disorders, including:

  • cognitive-behavioral models of depression onset, maintenance, and recurrence.
  • cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression.
  • subtypes of recurrent depression including seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and menstrual distress.
  • treatment mediators/moderators

Rohan Laboratory

The Rohan Laboratory has recently completed a multi-year randomized clinical trial, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, in which 141 community adults with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) were treated with either SAD-tailored cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-SAD) or with light therapy and followed over 2 years. This project applied the experimental therapeutics approach to determine the mechanisms through which CBT-SAD and light therapy work and to identify the best candidates for each. We are currently in the data processing and research dissemination phase. We are working on papers examining whether theoretically-derived candidate biomarkers of each treatment’s target and effect are prescriptive of better outcomes in one treatment vs. the other. We are working with data collected through pupillometry, EEG, and actigraphy. 

Publications

Google Scholar - Kelly Rohan

Publications

Terman, J. M., Rohan, K. J., Castillo Cruz, R., & Greenberger, E. (in press). Ultra-brief cognitive-behavioral therapy (UB-CBT) for routine primary care visits: Feasibility and acceptability of a brief provider training workshop. Families, Systems, & Health. https://doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000862

 

Evans, M., Rohan, K. J., Meyerhoff, J. J., Norton, R. J., & Sibold, J. (in press). Cognitive vulnerability to mood deterioration in an exercise cessation paradigm. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2021-0088

 

Rohan, K. J., Terman, J. M., Iyiewuare, P., Perez, J., Camuso, J. A., Postolache, T. P., DeSarno, M. J., & Vacek, P. M. (2024). Prospectively assessed summer mood status in major depression, recurrent with seasonal pattern: Evidence for SAD’s construct validity. Journal of Affective Disorders, 349, 32-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.070

 

Rohan, K. J., Burt, K. B., Norton, R. J., Perez, J., Iyiewuare, P., & Terman, J. M. (2023). Change in seasonal beliefs mediates the durability advantage of cognitive-behavioral therapy over light therapy for winter depression. Behavior Therapy, 54(4), 682-695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2022.11.002 (Note: Authors Rohan & Burt contributed equally).

 

Rohan, K. J., Terman, J. M., Norton, R. J., McCormick, B. M., Vacek, P. M., & DeSarno, M. J. (2023). Antidepressant medication status as a moderator of winter depression recurrence following cognitive-behavioral therapy and light therapy: Is there evidence of an iatrogenic effect? Cognitive Therapy and Research, 47(2), 295-301. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-022-10344-7

 

Rohan, K. J., Franzen, P. L., Roeckelin, K. A., Siegle, G. J., Kolko, D. J., Postolache, T. T., & Vacek, P. M. (2022). Elucidating treatment targets and mediators within a confirmatory efficacy trial: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy vs. light therapy for winter depression. Trials, 23, 383. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06330-9