Stanford University · PsychologyEarly Life Stress and Mental Health Lab
Ian H Gotlib · Stanford, California
Research Focus
Dr. Ian Gotlib's lab studies how early life stress affects mental health and brain development from childhood through young adulthood. They focus on understanding the biological mechanisms linking stress to depression and other psychological issues. By examining diverse populations and the impact of events like the COVID-19 pandemic, the lab aims to identify risk factors and improve prevention strategies for youth mental health issues.
early life stressdepressionpsychopathologyadolescenceneurodevelopmentCOVID-19mental healthenvironmental factorsreward sensitivitystress reactivity
Research Aims
5AIM 01Examine how early life stress impacts brain development and mental health outcomes into young adulthood.
AIM 02Explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological functioning and resilience in youth.
AIM 03Compare psychobiological data between Western and non-Western youth to identify cultural influences.
AIM 04Investigate how environmental pollutants interact with early life stress and mental health.
AIM 05Develop targeted prevention programs for adolescents at high risk for depression and suicidality.
Skills the Lab Values
longitudinal study designdata collectionbehavioral assessmentscognitive evaluationssaliva samplingneural assessmentsdata analysis using statistical softwarebiological sample processingmachine learning applicationscross-cultural research methods
Output against the department
Publications744top 2% of dept.7th of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations77ktop 2% of dept.5th of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.