Kevin D. Wu

Research Interests

My research program focuses on dimensional models of adult psychopathology in which symptoms generally exist on a continuum rather than as qualitatively discrete entities. Most of my work addresses several issues related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), such as its assessment and diagnosis, its relations with other phenomena (especially personality and other forms of psychopathology), and cognitive models of symptom development. During the past few years, my lab has begun to target these issues using laboratory-based behavioral tasks and experimental methods; this represents a departure from my previously exclusive focus on questionnaire methodology. Former/current lab members have conducted projects spanning social anxiety, depression and rumination, mindfulness, pathological gambling, thought-action fusion, perfectionism and hoarding. Most recently, projects have addressed cognitive processes implicated in OCD and the equivalence of psychopathology assessment across diverse samples.

Frequently Taught Classes

Undergraduate

PSYC 316: Introduction to Psychopathology
PSYC 413: Clinical Laboratory

Graduate

PSYC 641: Psychopathology
PSYC 642: Personality Assessment
PSYC 654: Clinical Practicum
PSYC 671D: Research Methods

Representative Publications

Conley, S.L., Lee, S.R., Martyn, H.F. and Wu, K.D. (in press). Facets of experiential avoidance differentially predict engagement in a contamination-based behavioral approach task. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders.
Fergus, T.A., Latendresse, S.J. and Wu, K.D. (in press). Factor Structure and Further Validation of the 20-Item Short Form of the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire. Assessment.
Lee, S.R. and Wu, K.D. (2019). Feelings of incompleteness explain symptoms of OCD and OCPD beyond harm avoidance. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 21, 151-157.
Watson, D., Nus, E. and Wu, K.D. (2019). Development and validation of the Faceted Inventory of the Five-Factor Model (FI-FFM). Assessment, 26, 17-44.
Aardema, F.A., Wu, K.D., Moulding, R., Audet, J-S. and Baraby, L-P. (2018). The relationship of inferential confusion and obsessive beliefs with specific obsessive- compulsive symptoms. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 18, 98-105.
Conley, S.L., Faleer, H.E., Raza, G.T., Bailey, B.E. and Wu, K.D. (2018). The moderating effects of rumination facets on the relationship between mindfulness and distress reduction. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 42, 436-446.
Conley, S.L. and Wu, K.D. (2018). Experimental modification of dysfunctional interpretations in individuals with contamination concerns. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 59, 56-64.
Faleer, H.E., Fergus, T.A., Bailey, B.E. and Wu, K.D. (2017). Examination of an experimental manipulation of intolerance of uncertainty on obsessive-compulsive outcomes. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 15, 64-73.
Wu, K.D. and Wyman, S.V. (2016). Examination of racial differences in assessment of OCD symptoms and obsessive beliefs. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 10, 10-18. 2015.
Fergus, T.A., Valentiner, D.P., Wu, K.D. and McGrath, P.B. (2015). Examining the symptom-level specificity of negative problem orientation in a clinical sample. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 44, 153-161.
Paradisis, S.M., Aardema, F.A. and Wu, K.D. (2015). Schizotypal, dissociative, and imaginative processes in a clinical OCD sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 71, 606-624.
Bailey, B.E., Wu, K.D., Valentiner, D.P. and McGrath, P.B. (2014). Thought-action fusion: Structure and specificity to OCD. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 3, 39-45.
Bardeen, J.R., Fergus, T.A. and Wu, K.D. (2013). The Interactive Effect of Worry and Intolerance of Uncertainty on Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 37, 742-751.
Fergus, T.A., Bardeen, J.R. and Wu, K.D. (2013). Intolerance of Uncertainty and Uncertainty-Related Attentional Biases: Evidence of Facilitated Engagement or Disengagement Difficulty? Cognitive Therapy and Research, 37, 735-741.
Fergus, T.A. and Wu, K.D. (2013). The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale: Measurement Invariance, Population Heterogeneity, and its Relation with Worry among Self-Identifying White and Black Respondents. Assessment, 20, 555-564.

Representative Grants

Dissertation Grant

Role: Principal Investigator
Agency: University of Minnesota Press: Minnesota Assessment Instruments
Proposal: “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Symptom structure and relations to personality assessed with the SNAP”
Funding period: July 2001—April 2003.