The Optimizing Prediction of Anxiety and Depression (OPAD) Lab is affiliated with Boston University’s Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health. We also closely collaborate with BU’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and Center for Trauma & Mental Health.

The OPAD Lab studies anxiety and mood disorders – also know as internalizing psychopathology. We conduct research within three overlapping aims:

(1) To identify and understand the emotional, psychological, and environmental factors (e.g., personality, emotion regulation, stress, trauma) associated with the development and persistence of internalizing psychopathology.

(2) To develop clinically-usefully risk tools that optimally predict the onset, severity, course, and treatment response of internalizing psychopathology and associated behavioral outcomes (e.g., suicide, violence perpetration/victimization).

(3) To improve the assessment, diagnosis, and classification of internalizing psychopathology