College of Arts & Sciences Clinical Psychology

Raluca Gaher

Raluca Gaher
Assistant Professor
Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
Phone: 605-677-5353
Teaching Interests:
Teaching undergraduate and graduate classes related to psychopathology, psychotherapy, personality, and psychological research.
Research Interests:
Dr. Gaher's research interests include (1) risk and resiliency factors among OEF/OIF veterans (particularly the mediating and moderating mechanisms explaining the co-occurrence between PTSD and substance use), (2) personality disorders and substance use, (3) military sexual trauma, (4) alcohol related problems among college students, and (5) pathological gambling.
Education:
  • Ph D, Specialty track in Clinical/Disaster Psychology, USD, 2007
  • MS, Counseling and Human Resources, (CACREP Accredited), SDSU, 2002
  • BS, Psychology & French, SDSU, 1999
Research:
  • Traumatic Stress: Neurophysiology, Genomics, and Culture, Division of Services and Intervention Research National Institute of Mental Health
  • , NRSA Fellow, (2004 - 2006)
Grants:
  • Traumatic Stress and alcohol problems: Between- and within- person associations, NIAAA, (2012 - 2016)
  • Neural and behavioral correlates of PTSD and alcohol use, Department of Defense, (2010 - 2012)
Publications:
  • Shishido, H., Gaher, R., Simons, J., (2013), I don’t know how I feel, therefore I act: Alexithymia, urgency and alcohol problems, Addictive Behaviors, vol. 38, pp. 2014-2017.
  • Gaher, R., Hofman, N. L., Simons, J., Hunsaker, R., (2013), Emotion regulation deficits as mediators between trauma exposure and borderline symptoms, Cognitive Therapy and Research, vol. 37, pp. 466-475.
  • Arens, A. M., Gaher, R., Simons, J., (2012), Child maltreatment and deliberate self-harm among college students: Testing mediation and moderation models for impulsivity, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, vol. 82, pp. 328-337.
  • Simons, J., Gaher, R., Wray, T. B., Reed, R. N., (2012), College student drug use: Prevalence and consequences, Wiley, pp. 3-52.
Awards and Honors:
  • 2012-2014 Loan Repayment Program Award for Clinical Researchers, National Institute of Health (NIH) , NIH, 2012
  • Loan Repayment Program Award for Clinical Researchers, National Institute of Health (NIH) , 2010
  • Loan Repayment Program Award for Clinical Researchers, National Institute of Health (NIH) , 2008
  • APA/NIAAA Early Career Investigators Award, 2006
  • APA/NIDA Early Career Investigators Award, 2005
  • Morgan Fellow, Disaster Mental Health Institute, USD, 2004
  • NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein , National Research Service Award (NRSA) , 2004
  • Morgan Fellow, Disaster Mental Health Institute, USD, 2003
  • DMHI Fellow, Disaster Mental Health Institute, USD, 2002
  • DMHI Fellow, Disaster Mental Health Institute, USD, 2001
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, SDSU, 2000
Presentations:
  • Gaher, R., Arens, A., Child maltreatment and self-injury: A structural equation model for mediating constructs. Presented at the American Psychological association, Honolulu, Hawaii.
  • Reed, R. N., Simons, J., Gaher, R. (2013, August). Effects of PTSD symptom severity on attentional tuning. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Associaiton, Honolulu, HI.
  • Arens, A. M., Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2013, August). Child maltreatment and self-injury: A structural equation model for mediating constructs. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.
  • Hunsaker, R., Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2013, August). Journaling, emotional intelligence, and health benefits. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.
  • Olson, D., Baugh, L. A., Gaher, R., Simons, J., Magnotta, V., Forster, G. (2012). Neural Imaging: The Effects of Alcohol Use on Emotional Processing in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).. Presented at the School of Health Sciences Research Conference.
  • Gaher, R., Nicole, H. (2012, August). Social Support, Emotional Intelligence, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Mediation Analysis.. Presented at the American Psychological Association, Orlando, FL.
  • Gaher, R., Hofman, N., (2012, July). Social support,emotional intelligence,and PTSD: A mediation analysis. Presented at the American Psychological Association, Orlando, FL.
  • Wray, T. B., Simons, J., Dvorak, R. D., Gaher, R. (2012, June). An affective model of alcohol-related risk behaviors in college students.. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Reseaerch Society on Alcoholism, San Francisco, CA.
  • Olson, D., Baugh, L. A., Gaher, R., Simons, J., Magnotta, V., Forster, G. (2012, May). Neural Imaging: The Effects of Alcohol Use on Emotional Processing in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).. Presented at the Sanford-USD Research Symposium, Vermillion.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2011, August). PTSD Symptoms and Alcohol Problems among OEF/OIF Veterans: An Experience Sampling Study. . Presented at the American Psychological Association, Orlando.
  • Reed, R., Hunsaker, R., Gaher, R., Simons, J., Wills, T. A. (2011, August). Self-control, marijuana-related problems, and age of use initiation. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.
  • Arens, A. M., Simons, J., Gaher, R. (2010, August). Impulsivity as a Mediator between Child Maltreatment and Self-harm.. Presented at the American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA.
  • Arens, A. M., Gaher, R., Shishido, H., Hofman, N. L., Simons, J. (2010, August). Positive and Negative Affect Mediation between Chold ABuse and Alexithymia. Presented at the American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA.
  • Arens, A. M., Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2010, August). Impulsivity as a mediator between childmaltreatment and self-harm. Presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, San Diego, CA.
  • Arens, A. M., Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2010, August). Impulsivity as a mediator between childmaltreatment and self-harm. Presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, San Diego, CA.
  • Arens, A. M., Gaher, R., Shishido, H., Hofman, N. L., Simons, J. (2010, August). Positive and negative affect mediation between child maltreatment and alexithymia. Presented at the the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, San Diego, CA.
  • Gaher, R., O'Brien, C., Smiley, P. (2008, August). Alexithymia as a predictor of coping style in a sample of veterans who experienced military sexual trauma. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association Convention, Boston, MA.
  • Gaher, R., O'Brien, C., Smiley, P., Pope, C. (2007, November). Difficulty identifying feelings predicts the persistence of trauma symptoms in a sample of veterans who experienced military sexual trauma. Presented at the Annual Meeting of Association for Advancement of Cognitive and Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2007, August). Sense of control, distress tolerance and cigarettes smoking among college students. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2007, August). Sense of control, distress tolerance, and nicotine dependence among college students.. Presented at the Annual Covnvention of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2006, August). Expectancies and evulations of alcohol problems.. Presented at the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2006, August). Expectancies and evaluations of alcohol problems. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA.
  • Simons, J., Gaher, R., Oliver, M., Bush, J. A., Palmer, M. A. (2005, November). An experience sampling study of associations between affect and alcohol use and problems among college students. Presented at the Annual Meeting of Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, DC.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2005, November). Desire for control and alcohol problem recognition among college students. Presented at the Annual Meeting of Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, DC.
  • Simons, J., Gaher, R., Oliver, M. N., Bush, J. A., Palmer, M. A. (2005, November). An experience sampling study of asssoctiaons between affect and alochol use and problems among college students.. Presented at the Annual Meeting of Association for Behavioral and Cogitive Therapies, Washington, DC.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. (2005, November). Desire for control and alcohol problem recognition among college students.. Presented at the Annual Meeting of Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Washington, DC.
  • Simons, J., Gaher, R., Correia, C. J., Bush, J. A. (2005, August). Club drug use among college students.. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
  • Simons, J. S., Gaher, R., Jacobs, G. A., Meyer, D., Johnson-Jimenez, E. (2004). Alcohol and PTSD symptoms among Red Cross workers following 9/11/2001. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.
  • Simons, J., Gaher, R. (2004, November). The Distress Tolerance Scale: Development and validation of a self-report measure.. Presented at the Annual Meeting of Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, LA.
  • Simons, J., Gaher, R., Jacobs, G. A., Meyer, D., Johnson-Jimenez, E. (2004, August). Alcohol and PTSD Symptoms Among Red Cross Workers Following 9/11/2001.. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J., Jacobs, G. A., Meyer, D., Johnson-Jimenez, E. (2004, August). Alcohol Coping Motives Among Red Cross Workers Following 9/11/2001 Response.. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J., Jacobs, G. A., Meyer, D., Johnson-Jimenez, E. (2004, August). Alcohol coping motives among Red Cross workers following the 9/11/2001 response. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.
  • Gaher, R., Simons, J. S. (2004, April). Attitudes toward alcohol among college students.. Presented at the Forum for Graduate Student Research and Creative Work.
  • Simons, J. S., Neal, D. J., Gaher, R., Oliver, M. (2003, August). Risk for marijuana-related problems: An application of zero-inflated poisson regression. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association , Toronto, OT.
  • Simons, J., Neal, D. J., Gaher, R., Oliver, M. N. (2003, August). Risk for Marijuana-Related Problems: An Application of Zero-Inflated Poisson Regression.. Presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, OT.
  • Gaher, R., Reyes, G. (2003, March). Mental health issues among refugee women: Characteristics associated with risk and resiliency. Presented at the One Step Forward: Assessing the Status and Treatment of Women in a New Century.
  • Simons, J. S., Gaher, R. (2002, March). Attitudes toward alcohol and drug-free experience: Relations with alcohol consumption and related Problems. Presented at the Nebraska Symposium on Motivation and Emotion, Lincoln, NE.
  • Simons, J., Gaher, R. (2002, March). Attitudes Toward Alcohol and Drug-free Experience: Relations with Alcohol Consumption and Related Problems.. Presented at the Nebraska Symposium on Motivation and Emotion, Lincoln, NE.
  • Gaher, R. (2001, April). Refugee mental health. Presented at the South Dakota Counseling Association Annual Conference, Rapid City, SD.