Dr. Saunders teaches undergraduate general psychology, abnormal psychology, and clinical psychology, as well as graduate courses in psychotherapy, interviewing skills, and advanced research methods.
Dr. Saunders research interests include all aspects of the "mental health services delivery system," which include who needs, who obtains, who delivers, and who pays for mental health (especially psychotherapy) treatment. Saunders has published studies on the effect of the therapeutic alliance on treatment effectiveness in psychotherapy; on practical aspects of measuring treatment effects within real-world clinical settings; and evaluating whether involving spiritualility in alcohol treatment improves effectiveness (a nationally funded study).
A major research interest is the help-seeking process in mental health. Studies in this area include how persons determine that they need professional help for a psychological problem, how persons with a mental health problem (such as depression or alcoholism) get into treatment, the effect of insurance on seeking treatment for alcohol problems, and barriers experienced while seeking treatment.
Graduate students who have studied with Saunders have conducted research into the stigma associated with mental illness (Lynn Servais, Ph.D.), the effects of "wraparound" treatment programs (Erik Seybold, Ph.D.), emergency room personnel attitudes towards PTSD (see Lee & Saunders, in press; Warren, Lee & Saunders, 2003), and practical aspects of using a questionnaire in mental health clinics (Close-Goedjen & Saunders, 2002; Zygowicz & Saunders, 2003).
