Biography
Dr. Suzuki is an Assistant Professor and directs the Integrative Psychopathology and Personality Research (INSPIRE) lab at the University of Michigan. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University in 2019, completed his clinical internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Suzuki’s research aims to better characterize and understand the processes that underlie various forms of psychopathology. To this end, he uses broad transdiagnostic dimensional frameworks and multiple methods of data collection. Traditionally, psychopathology has been defined using the categorical approach and diagnoses (e.g., schizophrenia, personality disorder, depression). However, decades of research demonstrates several limitations of this categorical approach and suggests that psychopathology is better characterized by a transdiagnostic (spectrums that are not bound by categorical disorders) and dimensional (conceptualizing psychopathology as an extreme manifestation of normative experiences) approach. Using this approach, Dr. Suzuki’s graduate work at Purdue University focused on characterizing traditional categorical personality disorders within a general personality framework (the Five-Factor Model). At the University of Michigan, Dr. Suzuki is conducting research aiming to understand psychosis spectrum disorders and negative affect.
No one method of data collection is sufficient to understand the complexity of psychopathology. Therefore, Dr. Suzuki utilizes a multiple method approach, primarily using self-report questionnaires to understand subjective experiences and electroencephalogram (EEG) to understand the brain processes, as well as laboratory (one-time assessment) and ecological momentary assessments (multiple daily follow-ups).
By using multiple methods, Dr. Suzuki aims to leverage the strengths of each approach and to integrate knowledge from multiple research areas to better understand the processes underlying the experiences of individuals affected by psychopathology.
Areas of Interest
Characterization of psychopathology within broad transdiagnostic dimensional framework. Processes underlying the interaction of individual differences (e.g., personality, symptoms, risk factors) and context (e.g., stressful events), with an emphasis on personality and individuals with psychosis spectrum disorder. Leveraging multi-method approach (e.g., questionnaires, electroencephalogram) and statistical modeling (e.g., factor analyses).
Clinical Interests
Assessment and treatment of psychosis spectrum disorders (e.g., early psychosis, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder) and personality disorders.
Credentials
Michigan State University, B.S. in Psychology and Physiology; Villanova University, M.S. in Psychology; Purdue University, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology; University of Mississippi Medical Center, Internship in Clinical Psychology; University of Michigan Michigan Medicine, Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology.
