Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Biomedical Studies

Biography

Dr. Stanford joined the Baylor faculty in 2003. Prior to coming to Baylor in 2003, he was a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Orleans for nine years. He is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) and serves as director of the Mental Health Grace Alliance, mhgracealliance.

Academic Interests and Research

I oversee two independent lines of research: 1) the first looks at the neurobiological substrates of impulsive and aggressive behavior. We have developed a reliable and valid set of techniques (semi-structured interview, behavior checklist, self-report instrument) for characterizing an individual's aggressive behavior as either predominately impulsive or predominately premeditated in nature. Research in our lab has demonstrated significant neurocognitive deficits in individuals who display impulsive aggressive behavior. In studies completed thus far individuals who tend to plan their aggressive behavior (premeditated) do not appear to differ on neuropsychological and cognitive psychophysiological measures compared to non-aggressive controls. A broad set of assessment techniques are used in the lab include personality, neuropsychological and psychophysiological (e.g., event-related potentials, heart rate, eye-blink startle) measures. Impulsive and aggressive study participants are recruited and referred from a number of agencies and institutions including domestic violence treatment programs, local mental health clinics, probation/parole and substance abuse treatment programs. This line of research also includes the further development and validation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11); 2) a second line of research looks at the interplay between psychology and issues of faith specifically how the mentally ill interact with the local church. Our work has resulted in the development of a mental health training experience for clergy and a model for how clinical doctoral programs might partner with non-profit community organizations to provide psychological services to the poor and marginalized.

Recent Publications

Impulsivity and Aggression

Steinberg, L., Sharp, C., Stanford, M.S. and Tharp, A.T.(in press). New tricks for an old measure: The development of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Brief (BIS-Brief).Psychological Assessment.

Anderson, N.E. and Stanford, M.S. (2012). Demonstrating emotional processing difference in psychopaths using affective ERP modulation. Psychophysiology,49, 792-806.

Lake, S.L. and Stanford, M.S. (2011). Comparison of impulsive and premeditated female perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Partner Abuse, 2, 284-299.

Anderson, N.E., Wan, L., Young, K.A. & Stanford, M.S. (2011). Psychopathic traits predict startle habituation but not modulation in an emotional faces task. Personality and Individual Differences, 50, 712-716.

Teten, A.L., Sharp, C., Stanford, M.S., Lake, S.L., Raine, A. & Kent, T.A. (2011). Correspondence of aggressive behavior classifications among young adults using the Impulsive/Premeditated Aggression Scale and the Reactive Proactive Questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 50, 279-285.

Psychology and Issues of Faith

Rogers, E.B., Yuvarajan, E., and Stanford, M.S. (in press). The clergy-psychologist relationship: Suggestions for building an interprofessional collaboration. Journal of Family and Community Ministries.

Breuninger, M. and Stanford, M.S. (in press). A practical guide to meeting the needs of the mentally ill in the local church. Healing Ministry.

Rogers, E.B., Stanford, M.S., Dolan, S.L., Clark, J., Martindale, S.L.k Lake, S.L., Baldridge, R.M., and Sejud, L.R. (2012). Helping people without homes: Simple steps for psychologists seeking to change lives. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43, 86-93.

Rogers, E.B., Stanford, M.S. & Garland, D.R. (2012). The effects of mental illness on families within faith communities. Mental Health, Religion and Culture,15, 301-313.

Stanford, M.S. & Philpott, D. (2011). Baptist senior pastors' knowledge and perceptions of mental illness. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 14, 281-290.

Current Ph.D. Students

Sarah Lake, Pacific Lutheran University
Brian Rundle, Baylor University

Current Psy.D. Students

Elil Yuvarajan, Washington University, St. Louis
Ed Rogers, Catholic University of America
Matthew Breuninger, University of Scranton
Will Hunter, Davidson College

Former Ph.D. and Psy.D. Students

Charles Mathias, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
Rebecca Houston, Ph.D.: Research Scientist, Research Institute on Addictions, SUNY Buffalo
Nicole Villamarette-Pittman, Ph.D.: Research Core Director for the LSUHSC Epilepsy Center of Excellence
Sarah Conklin, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Allegheny College
Laura Helfritz, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Psychology, College of St. Benedict, Saint John's University
Amanda Colby, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for Brain Health, University of Texas at Dallas
Melissa Auringer, Psy.D.: Postdoctoral Fellow in Women's Services, Miami University
Nathaniel Anderson, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.
Robyn Baldridge, Ph.D.: Lecturer, Baylor University - Honors College

Primary Courses

• PSY 2405 – Research Methods in Psychology
• PSY 5323 – Biological Foundations of Behavior