Erin A. Kaufman
No Rating Available
(Learn About Our Rating System)

Erin A. Kaufman, PhD

Languages spoken: English

  • Erin Kaufman, PhD, Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Whitman College and MS and PhD degrees in Clinical Psychology at the University of Utah, where she specialized in the Clinical Child and Family Track. She completed her psychology internship at Western Psychiatric Institute at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center, before completing a T32 psychology research fellowship there. She served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Ontario from 2019 until 2022. Dr. Kaufman’s research focuses on interrupting pathogenic factors that contribute to self-inflicted injury (SII), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and suicide. She uses the developmental psychopathology perspective as a framework for conceptualizing and studying these complex problems. Her work builds on existing research that identifies both (a) markers of biological vulnerability to SII and BPD, and (b) environmental risk factors (e.g., coercive family processes, emotion invalidation) that shape vulnerabilities into more advanced and difficult-to-treat patterns of stress reactivity over time. She incorporates biological, self- and informant-report, behavioral, and ecological momentary assessment methods into her research designs.

    Specialties

  • Erin Kaufman, PhD, Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Whitman College and MS and PhD degrees in Clinical Psychology at the University of Utah, where she specialized in the Clinical Child and Family Track. She completed her psychology internship at Western Psychiatric Institute at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center, before completing a T32 psychology research fellowship there. She served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Ontario from 2019 until 2022. Dr. Kaufman’s research focuses on interrupting pathogenic factors that contribute to self-inflicted injury (SII), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and suicide. She uses the developmental psychopathology perspective as a framework for conceptualizing and studying these complex problems. Her work builds on existing research that identifies both (a) markers of biological vulnerability to SII and BPD, and (b) environmental risk factors (e.g., coercive family processes, emotion invalidation) that shape vulnerabilities into more advanced and difficult-to-treat patterns of stress reactivity over time. She incorporates biological, self- and informant-report, behavioral, and ecological momentary assessment methods into her research designs.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Psychiatry -Assistant Professor
    Academic Divisions Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

    Education history

    Undergraduate Psychology - Whitman College B.A.
    Graduate Training Clinical Psychology - University of Utah M.S.
    Doctoral Training Clinical Psychology - University of Utah Ph.D.
    Internship Clinical Psychology - University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Intern
    Fellowship Psychology - University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Postdoctoral Research Fellow

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Kaufman EA, Clerke AS, Meddaoui (2022). Translating core intervention strategies into action: Interpersonal validation among self-injuring adolescents and their mothers. Journal of clinical psychology, (Read full publication)
    2. Victor SE, Schleider JL, Ammerman BA, Bradford DE, Devendorf AR, Gruber J, Gunaydin LA, Hallion LS, Kaufman EA, Lewis SP, Stage D (2022). Leveraging the Strengths of Psychologists With Lived Experience of Psychopathology. Perspectives on psychological science, 17456916211072826. (Read full publication)
    3. Kaufman EA, Graves JL, Wallace ML, Lazarus SA, Stepp SD, Pedersen S (2021). Associations between physiological and self-reported indices of emotion dysregulation across varying levels of alcohol use among individuals with and without borderline personality disorder. Biological psychology, 160, 108044. (Read full publication)
    4. Mohamed Ali O, Gabel LN, Stanton K, Kaufman EA, Klein DN, Hayden E (2021). Observational measures of early irritability predict children's psychopathology risk. Development and psychopathology, 1-13. (Read full publication)
    5. Kaufman EA, Victor SE, Hipwell AE, Stepp S (2020). Reciprocal Influences of Parent and Adolescent Borderline Personality Symptoms Over 3 Years. Journal of personality disorders, 34(Suppl B), 130-145. (Read full publication)
    6. Scott LN, Victor SE, Kaufman EA, Beeney JE, Byrd AL, Vine V, Pilkonis PA, Stepp S (2020). Affective Dynamics Across Internalizing and Externalizing Dimensions of Psychopathology. Clinical psychological science, 8(3), 412-427. (Read full publication)
    7. Kaufman EA, Puzia ME, Godfrey DA, Crowell S (2020). Physiological and behavioral effects of interpersonal validation: A multilevel approach to examining a core intervention strategy among self-injuring adolescents and their mothers. Journal of clinical psychology, 76(3), 559-580. (Read full publication)
    8. Kaufman EA, Perez J, Lazarus S, Stepp SD, Pedersen S (2020). Understanding the association between borderline personality disorder and alcohol-related problems: An examination of drinking motives, impulsivity, and affective instability. Personality disorders, 11(3), 213-221. (Read full publication)
    9. Kaufman EA, Puzia ME, Crowell SE, Price C (2019). Replication of the Self-Concept and Identity Measure (SCIM) Among a Treatment-Seeking Sample. Identity (Mahwah, N.J.), 19(1), 18-28. (Read full publication)
    10. Verschueren M, Luyckx K, Kaufman EA, Vansteenkiste M, Moons P, Sleuwaegen E, Berens A, Schoevaerts K, Claes (2017). Identity Processes and Statuses in Patients with and without Eating Disorders. European eating disorders review, 25(1), 26-35. (Read full publication)
    11. Crowell SE, Kaufman E (2016). Development of self-inflicted injury: Comorbidities and continuities with borderline and antisocial personality traits. Development and psychopathology, 28(4pt1), 1071-1088. (Read full publication)
    12. Kaufman EA, Puzia ME, Mead HK, Crowell SE, McEachern A, Beauchaine T (2017). Children's Emotion Regulation Difficulties Mediate the Association Between Maternal Borderline and Antisocial Symptoms and Youth Behavior Problems Over 1 Year. Journal of personality disorders, 31(2), 170-192. (Read full publication)
    13. Chou WP, Ko CH, Kaufman EA, Crowell SE, Hsiao RC, Wang PW, Lin JJ, Yen C (2015). Association of stress coping strategies with Internet addiction in college students: The moderating effect of depression. Comprehensive psychiatry, 62, 27-33. (Read full publication)
    14. Bride DL, Crowell SE, Baucom BR, Kaufman EA, O'Connor CG, Skidmore CR, Yaptangco (2014). Testing the effectiveness of 3D film for laboratory-based studies of emotion. PloS one, 9(8), e105554. (Read full publication)
    15. Voss WD, Kaufman E, O'Connor SS, Comtois KA, Conner KR, Ries R (2013). Preventing addiction related suicide: a pilot study. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 44(5), 565-9. (Read full publication)
    16. Kaufman EA, McDonell MG, Cristofalo MA, Ries R (2012). Exploring barriers to primary care for patients with severe mental illness: frontline patient and provider accounts. Issues in mental health nursing, 33(3), 172-80. (Read full publication)
    17. McDonell MG, Kaufman EA, Srebnik DS, Ciechanowski PS, Ries R (2011). Barriers to metabolic care for adults with serious mental illness: provider perspectives. International journal of psychiatry in medicine, 41(4), 379-87. (Read full publication)
    18. Kaufman EA, Beeney JE, Stepp S (2022). Self-Report Response Style Bias and Borderline Personality Pathology. Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.),
    19. Bogaerts A, Luyckx K, Bastiaens T, Kaufman EA, Claes (2021). Identity impairment as a central dimension in personality pathology. Journal of psychopathology and behavioral assessment, (43), 33-42.
    20. Kaufman EA, Douaihy A, Goldstein T (2021). Dialectical behavior therapy and motivational interviewing: Conceptual convergence, compatibility, and strategies for integration. Cognitive and behavioral practice, (28), 53-65.
    21. Kaufman EA, Crowell S (2018). Biological and behavioral mechanisms of identity pathology development: An integrative review. Review of general psychology, 22(3), 245-263.
    22. Bogaerts A, Claes L, Verschuern M, Bastiaens T, Kaufman EA, Luyckx (2018). The Dutch Self-Concept and Identity Measure (SCIM): Factor structure and associations with identity dimensions and psychopathology. Personality and individual differences, 123, 56-64.
    23. Kaufman EA, Xia M, Fosco G, Skidmore C, Yaptangco M, Crowell S (2016). The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF): Validation and replication in adolescent and adult samples. Journal of psychopathology and behavioral assessment, 38, 443-455.
    24. Kaufman E A, Cundiff JM, Crowell S (2015). The development, factor structure, and validation of the Self-Concept and Identity Measure (SCIM): A self-report assessment of clinical identity disturbance. Journal of psychopathology and behavioral assessment, 9(1), 122-133.
    25. Kaufman EA, Montgomery MJ, Crowell S (2014). Identity-related dysfunction: Integrating clinical and developmental perspectives. Identity, 14(4), 297-311.
    26. Kaufman EA, Baucom KJ (2014). Treating comorbid social anxiety and major depression: The challenge of diagnostic overshadowing. Clinical case studies, 13, 265-282.
    27. Kaufman EA, Wiese D (2012). Skin tone preferences and personal-representation in Hispanic children. Early Child Development and Care, 182, 277-290.
    28. Kaufman EA, Crowell SE, Coleman J, Puzia ME, Gray DD, Strayer D (2018). Electroencephalographic and cardiovascular markers of vulnerability within families of suicidal adolescents: A pilot study. Biological psychology, 136, 46-56. (Read full publication)
    29. Kaufman EA, Meddaoui B, Seymour NE, Victor S (2022). The Roles of Minority Stress and Thwarted Belongingness in Suicidal Ideation among Cisgender and Transgender/Nonbinary LGBTQ+¿Individuals. Archives of suicide research, 1-16. (Read full publication)
    30. Godfrey DA, Kaufman EA, Crowell S (2022). Non-suicidal Self-injury History Moderates the Association Between Maternal Emotional Support and Adolescent Affect During Conflict. Child psychiatry and human development, (Read full publication)
    31. Stewart JG, Meddaoui B, Kaufman EA, Björgvinsson T, Beard (2023). Changes in suicide capability during short-term partial hospital treatment. . Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 12,
    32. Reisch AA, Bessette KL, Jenkins LM, Skerrett KA, Gabriel LB, Kling LR, Stange JP, Ryan KA, Schreiner MW, Crowell SE, Kaufman EA, Langenecker S (2023). Human emotion processing accuracy, negative biases, and fMRI activation are associated with childhood trauma. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1181785. (Read full publication)
    33. Chung, J. J. & Kaufman, E. A (2024). Borderline personality features and self-injurious urges: The roles of self-concept clarity and bedtime self-criticism. Identity,
    34. Roberts, H., Westlund Schreiner, M., Pocius, S.L., Dillahunt, A.K., Farstead, B., Feldman, D. A., Bessette, K. L., Kaufman, E. A., Slatteryb, W., Rachel. H. Jacobs, R. H., Jago D., Crowell, S. E., Watkins, E. R. & Langenecker, S. A (2024). State rumination predicts inhibitory control failures and dysregulation of default, salience, and cognitive control networks in youth at risk of depressive relapse: Findings from the RuMeChange trial. Journal of affective disorders reports, 16,
    35. Meddaoui B, Iddiols BC, Kaufman E (2023). The Controllability of Suicidal Thoughts (CoST) Scale: Development, factor structure, and initial validation. . Psychological assessment, 35(10), 880-887.
    36. Langenecker SA, Westlund Schreiner M, Bessette KL, Roberts H, Thomas L, Dillahunt A, Pocius SL, Feldman DA, Jago D, Farstead B, Pazdera M, Kaufman EA, Galloway JA, Kerig PK, Bakian A, Welsh RC, Jacobs RH, Crowell SE, Watkins E (2023). Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy reduces rumination and targeted cross-network connectivity in youth with a history of depression: Replication in a pre-registered randomized clinical trial. Biological psychiatry global open science,
    37. Roberts H, Schreiner MW, Pocius S, Dillahunt AK, Farstead B, Feldman D, Bessette KL, Kaufman EA, Slattery W, Jacobs RH, Jago D, Crowell SE, Watkins ER, Langenecker S (2024). State rumination predicts inhibitory control failures and dysregulation of default, salience, and cognitive control networks in youth at risk of depressive relapse: Findings from the RuMeChange trial. Journal of affective disorders reports, 16, (Read full publication)
    38. Coon H, Shabalin A, DiBlasi E, Monson ET, Han S, Kaufman EA, Chen D, Kious B, Molina N, Yu Z, Staley M, Crockett DK, Colbert SM, Mullins N, Bakian AV, Docherty AR, Keeshin (2024). Absence of nonfatal suicidal behavior preceding suicide death reveals differences in clinical risks. medRxiv, (Read full publication)
    39. Hare C, Leslie AC, Bodell LP, Kaufman EA, Morton JB, Nicolson R, Kelley E, Jones J, Ayub M, Crosbie J, Schachar R, Anagnostou E, Segers M, Stevenson R (2024). Sex and intelligence quotient differences in age of diagnosis among youth with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The British journal of clinical psychology, 63(4), 627-645. (Read full publication)
    40. DiBlasi E, Kaufman, EA, Webster S, Hagn EE, Shabalin AA, Chen D, Han S, Jawish R, Monson ET, Staley M, Keeshin BR, Docherty AR, Bakian AV, Okifuji A, Coon (2024). Phenome-wide diagnostic comparison among suicide deaths and living individuals with chronic pain diagnoses. BMC medicine, 22, 568.
    41. Kaufman EA, Coon H, Shabalin AA, Monson ET, Chen D, Staley M, Keeshin BR, Docherty AR, Bakian AV, DiBlasi E (2024). Diagnostic profiles among suicide decedents with and without borderline personality disorder. . Psychological medicine, 1-10.
    42. Meddaoui B., Stewart J. S., Kaufman E. A (2025). Identity Disturbance and Emptiness as Novel Predictors of Suicidal Ideation. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 55(1), e13164.
    43. Westlund Schreiner M., Jacobsen A.M., Farstead B., Miller R.H., Jacobs R.H., Thomas L.R., Bessette K.L., Pazdera M., Crowell S.E., Kaufman E.A., Feldman D.A., Roberts H., Welsh R.C., Watkins E.R., & Langenecker S.A (2025). Rumination induction task in fMRI: Effects of rumination focused cognitive behavioral therapy and stability in youth. Journal of Affective Disorders, 372, 608-615.
    44. Bouwmeister D. R., Chung J. J., Kaufman E. A (2025). Identity-related problems: Direct and indirect associations with emotional intelligence and childhood environment. Advances in Mental Health, 1-14.
    45. Rasmussen S., Kaufman E. A., Kaniuka A., Meddaoui B. M., Miller R. H., Kinnard R., Stage D. L., Cramer R. J (2025). “I wanted to be proud of myself, not ashamed”: A qualitative investigation of suicide and self-injury inflection points. Death studies, 1, 1-16.
    46. Coon, H., Shabalin, A., DiBlasi, E., Monson, E. T., Han, S., Kaufman, E. A., Chen, D., Kious, B., Molina, N., Yu, Z., Staley, M., Crockett, D. K., Colbert, S. M., Mullins, N., Bakian, A. V., Docherty, A. R., & Keeshin, B (2025). Absence of nonfatal suicidal behavior preceding suicide death reveals differences in clinical risks. Psychiatry Research, 347, 116391. . Psychiatry research, 347, 116391.
    47. Hiatt, L., Ofori-Atta, B. S., Bakian, A. V., Mihalopoulos, N. L., Keeshin, B. R., Docherty, A., Staley, M., Fraser, A., Sullivan, E., Kaufman, E. A., Coon, H., & Kirby, A. V (2025). Unveiling health disparities: Diagnostic prevalences in a transgender cohort versus matched controls. PloS one, 20(8), e0329849.
    48. Colbert, S., Monson, E., Andreasson, O., Ayinde, O., Barr, P., Bejan, C., Ceja, Z., Coon, H., DiBlasi, E., Edenberg, H., Gelernter, J., Hatoum, A., Izotova, A., Johnson, E., Kaufman, E. A., Kranzler, H., Koromina, M., Lehto, K., Myung, W., Nurnberger, J., Serretti, A., Smoller, J., Stein, M., Zai, C., Erlangsen, A., Gaine, M., Martorell, L., Sud, R., Toma, C., Suicide Working Group Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Bigdeli, T. B., Kimbrel, N., Ruderfer, D., Docherty, A., Mann, J. J., & Mullins, N (2025). Defining suicidality phenotypes for genetic studies: Perspectives of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Suicide Working Group. . Molecular psychiatry, 30, 6144¿6154.
    49. Coon, H., Shabalin, A. A., Monson, E. T., DiBlasi, E., Han, S., Baird, L. M., Kaufman, E. A., Tharp, D., Staley, M. J., Yu, Z., Li, Q. S., Colbert, S. M., Bakian, A. V., Docherty, A. R., McIntosh, A. M., Whalley, H. C., Amaro, D., Crockett, D. K., Mullins, N., & Keeshin, B. R (2025). (2025). Genetic Liabilities to Neuropsychiatric Conditions in Suicide Deaths with No Prior Suicidality. JAMA network open, 8(10), e2538204.
    50. Monson, E. T., Colbert, S. Barr, P. B., Bejan, C. A., Patel, P. R., DiBlasi, E., Kaufman, E. A., Hilary Coon, H., Harvey, P. D., Aslan, M., Bigdeli, T. B., Kimbrel, N. A., Smoller, J.W., Stein, M. B., Serretti, A., for the Suicide Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) #572, Ruderfer, D., Docherty, A. R., Mullins, N., & Mann, J Defining and Assessing International Classification of Disease Suicidality Phenotypes for Genetic Studies. Psychiatry research,
    51. Kaufman, E. A., Xu, Y., Farstead, B., Westlund Schreiner, M., Prunuski, J., Bakian, A. V., Langenecker, S. A., Watkins, E Parent-child co-rumination and treatment outcomes in a randomized clinical trial of rumination-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy. . Journal of Depression and Therapy,

    Review

    1. Kaufman EA, Meddaoui (2021). Identity pathology and borderline personality disorder: an empirical overview. Current opinion in psychology, 37, 82-88. (Read full publication)
    2. Crowell SE, Kaufman E (2016). Borderline personality disorder and the emerging field of developmental neuroscience. Personality disorders, 7(4), 324-333. (Read full publication)
    3. Skidmore CR, Kaufman EA, Crowell S (2016). Substance Use Among College Students. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 25(4), 735-53. (Read full publication)
    4. Chung J, Heaks M, Kaufman E (2023). The Role of Cognitive Flexibility in Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors: A Systematic Review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice,

    Book Chapter

    1. Kaufman EA, Chung JJ, Meddaoui (2022). The Personality Disorders.
    2. Chapman AL, Kaufman E (2023). Theory of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
    3. Vlisides-Henry RD, Crowell SE, Kaufman EA, Lin (2020). Social processes and dyadic designs.
    4. Kaufman EA, Crowell S (2018). Emotion dysregulation and self-inflicted injury.
    5. Kaufman EA, Crowell SE, Lenzenweger (2017). The development of borderline personality disorder and self-inflicted injury. 642-679.
    6. Kaufman EA, Crowell SE, Stepp S (2015). Self-injury, borderline personality development, and the externalizing spectrum. 61-78.
    7. Crowell SE, Kaufman EA, Beauchaine T (2014). A biosocial model of borderline personality disorder: Theory and empirical evidence. 143-157.
    8. Crowell SE, Kaufman EA, Lenzenweger M (2013). The development of borderline personality disorder and self-inflicted injury. 577-609.

    Editorial

    1. Lind M, Folmo EJ, Kaufman E (2024). Editorial: Self-understanding and other-understanding in personality pathology. Frontiers in psychiatry, 15, 1328860. (Read full publication)