Biography
Like most undergraduates who major in psychology, Scott Braithwaite eagerly anticipated one day being a psychotherapist; however, when he began to participate in a productive research lab, he became even more excited about the potential impact of science in our world. Dr. Braithwaite began to see that a clinician can do much for an individual patient, but a scientist’s work can improve the lives of millions. Since then he has begun his own program of prevention research that aims to reduce the incidence of marital dysfunction and the physical and mental health problems that attends it.
Research Interests
Dr. Braithwaite's primary research interests center on preventing marital distress and divorce as well as enhancing marital health. Much of his work focuses on novel methods of delivering premarital interventions so they can be disseminated broadly, especially to those who have historically been less likely to receive them. He also studies basic processes that help us understand why some marriages thrive while others fail; for example, he is interested in partner selection and how the processes related to it influence marital health and stability. Dr. Braithwaite is also interested in the association between close relationships and physical or mental health.
He developed ePREP, which is a preventive intervention that has been adapted for computerized administration for the purpose of maximizing the likelihood of widespread dissemination. Novel methods of dissemination like ePREP can considerably extend the reach of prevention efforts. By embracing new technologies and using them to supplement more traditional forms of delivery, the gap between the need for empirically supported treatments and our ability to provide them will continue to narrow.
See professor Scott Braithwaite's website here.