What do we do?
The ELEVATE Research Lab studies how to integrate positive psychology principles into treatment for veterans suffering from trauma-related distress (click to expand).
Improving our understanding of prosocial emotions
Adam McGuire is the Director of the ELEVATE Research Lab and currently holds a dual-appointment as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Tyler and an Investigator at the VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research (Department of Veterans Affairs). At UT Tyler, he teaches a clinical foundations course (Applied Counseling and Practice) and leads the Veterans' Mental Health Specialty Track within the Clinical Psychology PhD program. He is also a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Texas. For more details, you can download his vitae here.
PhD in Clinical Psychology, 2017
Seattle Pacific University
MS in Clinical Psychology, 2014
Seattle Pacific University
BA in Psychology, 2011
University of Michigan
Findings indicate it is possible to induce elevation in veterans with significant PTSD symptoms. Additionally, qualitative results highlight specific benefits of elevation and potential targets for treatment integration and future exploration.
This article proposes a theoretical framework for understanding how elevation could benefit veterans and presents preliminary findings from a pilot study, which provides the first known indication that elevation could be linked with psychological health and social functioning in veterans with significant trauma-related distress.
We accept undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in gaining more research experience working with veterans, PTSD or other forms of trauma-related distress, and/or integrating positive psychology with mental health treatment. We offer opportunities to learn more about these specific areas of research, participate in active projects, and gain experience disseminating research.
Dr. McGuire plans to accept a new PhD student to start in Fall 2023 under the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at the University of Texas at Tyler.
The Clinical Psychology PhD program at the University of Texas at Tyler is a funded doctoral program that recently started with its inaugural class in 2019. Our program offers unique opportunities to obtain specialized training in working with underserved populations including veterans, geropsychology, and rural mental health. We are in the process of becoming APA accredited after submitting our self-study to APA last summer, with hopes to secure contingent accreditation by Fall 2023. For more information, please visit the program website here.
The PhD program uses a mentorship model, so students accepted to work with Dr. McGuire will play a significant role in the lab, receive direct supervision from Dr. McGuire through weekly meetings, and are also encouraged to pursue their own line of research consistent with their individual goals and interests.
Please feel free to email Dr. McGuire with any questions about the program, lab, or any other research inquiries. Prospective applicants should also include a brief description of their research interests and CV. Also, please feel free to email current PhD students to inquire about their experiences with the program and lab in general.
Students in the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology program and undergraduate students are also welcome to join the lab. This can be a good opportunity to gain more exposure and experience with research for students who are interested in pursuing additional graduate work and are considering PhD programs in the future. All students are required to (1) volunteer at least four hours per week, (2) attend all lab meetings, (3) produce at least one scientific poster for presentation, and (4) complete at least one science communication project.
Any student who is interested should email Dr. McGuire with a brief description of your interests, your potential career/educational goals, and a CV.