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About Us

The Child Temperament, Thoughts and Emotions Laboratory (CTTE) is housed in the Department of Psychology at the University of Houston and is dedicated to conducting research on temperamental and cognitive-affective mechanisms implicated in anxiety, trauma, and substance use comorbidity. Our research aims to advance our understanding of the covariation between these domains of risk and their effects on anxiety-related responses (e.g., physiology, observable behavior, self-report of behavior/emotion). The CTTE Lab also conducts research on cognitive and emotion-related factors associated with risky behaviors (substance use, self-harm) in individuals with emotional disorders. Although a substantial portion of our research program focuses on youth, studies with adult populations are also conducted, particularly in the area of health disparities among Latinxs. The overarching goal of this program of research is to advance knowledge regarding the causes of emotional disorders and to improve existing treatments. Examples of our work include:

  1. Viana, A. G., Bakhshaie, J., Raines, E. M., Lopez, A., Garza, M., Ochoa-Perez, M., Lemaire, C., Mayorga, N. A., Walker, R., & Zvolensky, M. J. (in press). Anxiety sensitivity and acculturative stress facets among Latinx in primary care. Stigma and Health.
  2. Trent, E. S., Viana, A. G., Raines, E. M., Woodward, E. C., Storch, E. A., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2019). Parental threats and adolescent depression: The role of emotion dysregulation. Psychiatry Research, 276, 18-24.
  3. Viana, A. G., Raines, E. M., Woodward, E. C., Hanna, A. E., Walker, R., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2018). The relationship between emotional clarity and suicidal ideation among trauma-exposed adolescents in inpatient psychiatric care: Does distress tolerance matter? Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 1-15.
  4. Viana, A. G., Palmer, C. A., Zvolensky, M. J., Alfano, C. A., Dixon, L. J. & Raines, E. (2017). Children’s behavioral inhibition and anxiety disorder symptom severity: The role of individual differences in respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Behaviour Research and Therapy,93, 38 – 46.
  5. Viana, A. G., Kiel, E. L., Alfano, C. A., Dixon, L. J., & Palmer, C. A. (2017). The contribution of temperamental and cognitive factors to childhood anxiety disorder symptoms: A closer look at negative affect, behavioral inhibition, and anxiety sensitivity. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26,194-204.