David Langer, Ph.D., ABPP, is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. Dr. Langer’s research explores the efficacy and effectiveness of psychosocial treatments for youth psychopathology and the processes through which psychosocial treatments work. He is currently working on developing novel approaches to personalize psychosocial treatments for youth by supporting active collaboration between clinicians and families throughout the treatment planning process (i.e., shared decision-making). This is a 5-year project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health to study how families make decisions about mental health treatment. Dr. Langer’s research has a history of federal funding and has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international research conferences. Dr. Langer’s research involves graduate and undergraduate students at all levels, and Dr. Langer mentors graduate and undergraduate students in the development and execution of their own research studies, as well as providing clinical training and supervision.

Dr. Langer graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Washington University in St. Louis in 2003, with a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2009. He completed his pre-doctoral internship in child psychology at the UCLA Semel Institute and Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, and his post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard University. Dr. Langer’s expertise is in the treatment of childhood anxiety and depression, co-morbid anxiety and autism spectrum disorders, social skills training, and disruptive behavior disorders. In his spare time, Dr. Langer enjoys listening to and making music, listening to lots of podcasts, reading, and above all, spending time with his family.

Selected Publications:

• Kemp, G. N., Langer, D. A., & Tompson, M. C. (in press). Childhood depression & behavior problems: An ecological analysis of the effects of neighborhoods characteristics. Journal of Community Psychology.
• Langer, D. A., Mooney, T. K., & Wills, C. E. (2015). Shared decision-making for treatment planning in mental health care. In P. Nathan (Ed.), Oxford Handbooks Online (November, 2015).
• Langer, D. A., Wood, J. J., Wood, P. A., Garland, A. F., Landsverk, J., & Hough, R. L. (2015). Mental health service use in schools and non-school-based outpatient settings: Comparing predictors of service use. School Mental Health, 7, 161-173.
• Tompson, M. C., O’Connor, E. E., Kemp, G. N., Langer, D. A., & Asarnow, J. R. (2015). Depression in childhood and early adolescence: Parental expressed emotion and family functioning. Annals of Depression and Anxiety, 2, 1070-1077.
• Galla, B. M., Wood, J. J., Har, K., Chiu, A. W., & Langer, D. A. (2014). A longitudinal multilevel model analysis of the within-person and between-person effect of effortful engagement and academic self-efficacy on academic performance. Journal of School Psychology, 52, 295-308.
• Freed, R. D., Chan, P. T., Langer, D. A., Tompson, M. C. (2013). Depression, bipolar disorder and suicidality in children and adolescents. In S. G. Hoffman, D. Dozois, J. A. Smits, & W. Rief (Eds.), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Complete Reference Guide. Wiley Publishing.
• Chiu, A. W., Langer, D. A., McLeod, B. D., Har, K., Drahota, A., Galla, B. M., Jacobs, J., Ifekwunigwe, M., & Wood, J. J. (2013). Effectiveness of modular cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety in schools: A randomized, controlled trial. School Psychology Quarterly, 28, 141-153.
• Tompson, M. C., Langer, D. A., & Davilla, J. (2012). Maternal behavior and cognitive vulnerability in early adolescence. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 5, 268-282.
• Weisz, J. R., Chorpita, B. F., Palinkas, L. A., Schoenwald, S. K., Miranda, J., Bearman, S. K., Daleiden, E. L., Ugueto, A. M., Ho, A., Martin, J., Gray, J., Alleyne, A., Langer, D. A., Southam-Gerow, M. A., Gibbons, R. D., and the Research Network on Youth Mental Health. (2012). Testing standard and modular designs for psychotherapy with youth depression, anxiety, and conduct problems: A randomized effectiveness trial. Archives of General Psychiatry, 69, 274-282.
• Galla, B. M., Wood, J. J., Chiu, A. W., Langer, D. A., Jacobs, J., Ifekwunigwe, M., & Larkins, C. (2012). One year follow-up to modular cognitive behavioral therapy for treatment of child anxiety disorders in elementary school settings. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 43, 219-226.
• Wood, J. J., Lynn, S., Langer, D. A., Wood, P., Clarke, S., Ialongo, N., & Eddy, M. (2012). School absenteeism as a predictor of subsequent psychopathology. Child Development, 83, 351-366. 
• Langer, D. A., McLeod, B. D., & Weisz, J. R. (2011). Do treatment manuals undermine youth-therapist alliance in youth clinical practice? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79, 427-432.
• Weisz, J. R., Chorpita, B. F., Frye, A., Ng, M. Y., Lau, N., Bearman, S. K., Ugueto, A., Langer, D. A., & Hoagwood, K. (2011). Youth top problems: Using idiographic, consumer-guided assessment to identify treatment needs and to track change during psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79, 369-380.
• Langer, D. A., Wood, J. J., Bergman, L., & Piacentini, J. (2010). Construct validity of youth anxiety disorders: A multitrait-multimethod examination. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 41, 549-561.
• Langer, D. A., Chiu, A. W., Asarnow, J. R. (2009). How to use CBT. In Rey, J. M., & Birmaher, B. (Eds.), Treating Childhood Depression (pp. 100–113). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.
• Weisz, J. R., Southam-Gerow, M. A., Gordis, E. B., Connor-Smith, J. K., Chu, B. C., Langer, D. A., McLeod, B. M., Jensen-Doss, A., Gelbwasser, A., & Weiss, B. (2009). Cognitive-behavioral therapy versus usual clinical care for youth depression: An initial test of transportability to community clinics and clinicians. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 383-396.
• Wood, J. J., Drahota, A., Sze, K. M., Har, K., Chiu, A., & Langer, D. A. (2009). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders: A randomized, controlled trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50, 224-234.
• Eifert, G. H., Forsyth, J. P., Arch, J., Espejo, N., Keller, M., & Langer, D. A. (2009). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxiety disorders: Three case studies exemplifying a unified treatment protocol. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 16, 368-385.