Kate Harkness
Department Head, Professor
Department of Psychology
- B.Sc., (Hon.) University of Toronto, 1993
- M.S., University of Oregon, 1995
- Ph.D., University of Oregon, 1998
Name Pronunciation Guide:
"Kait Haarknehss"
Click below to hear pronunciation
Research Interests
My primary research focus is the role of stress and early trauma in the etiology and ongoing pathology of major depression in adolescence and adulthood. My current work focuses on neurohormonal, social cognitive, and motivational/reward factors that increase the sensitivity to, and generation of, stress in major depression.
Selected Publications
Allen, T., Harkness, K., Lam, R., Milev, R., Frey, B., Mueller, D., … Quilty, L. (in press). Neuroticism and Stressful Life Events Predict Response to Pharmacotherapy for Major Depression: A CAN-BIND 1 Report. Personality and Mental Health.
Chakrabarty, T., Harkness, K. L., McInerney, S. J., Quilty, L. C., Milev, R., Kennedy, S. H.,…Lam, R. W. (2020). Childhood maltreatment and cognitive functioning in patients with major depressive disorder: A CAN-BIND-1 report. Psychological Medicine, 50, 2536-2547.
Vallati, M., Stewart, J. G., Larocque, C., Mazurka, R., Milev, R., Bagby, R. M., Kennedy, S., & Harkness, K. L. (in press). Childhood maltreatment and the clinical characteristics of major depressive disorder in adolescence and adulthood. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.
Chakrabarty, T., Harkness, K. L., McInerney, S. J., Quilty, L. C., Milev, R., Kennedy, S. H.,…Lam, R. W. (in press). Childhood maltreatment and cognitive functioning in patients with major depressive disorder: A CANBIND-1 report. Psychological Medicine.
Shamblaw, A., Benson, J., Harkness, K. L., & Sabbagh, M. A. (2019). Lifetime maternal depression and children’s false belief understanding. Social Development, 28, 927941.
Monroe, S. M., Anderson, S. F., & Harkness, K. L. (2019). Life Stress and Major Depression: The Mysteries of Recurrences. Psychological Review, 126, 791816.
Cunningham, S., Goff, C., Bagby, R. M., Stewart, J. G., Larocque, C., Mazurka, R., Ravindran, A., & Harkness, K. L. (2019). Maternal versus Paternal-Perpetrated Maltreatment and Risk for Sexual and Peer Bullying Revictimization in Young Women with Depression. Child Abuse and Neglect, 89, 111121.
Hudson, C. C., Shamblaw, A., Wilson, G. A., Roes, M. M., Sabbagh, M.A., & Harkness, K. L. (2018). Theory of mind, excessive reassurance-seeking and stress generation in depression: A social-cognitive integration. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37, 725-750.
Rnic, K., Sabbagh, M. A., Washburn, D., Bagby, R. M., Ravindran, A., Kennedy, J. L.,… & Harkness, K. L. (2018). Childhood neglect and physical abuse are associated with theory of mind decoding accuracy in young adults with depression. Psychiatry Research, 286, 501-507.
Mazurka, R., Wynne-Edwards, K. E., & Harkness, K. L. (2018). Sex Differences in the Cortisol Response to the Trier Social Stress Test in Depressed and Non-depressed Adolescents. Clinical Psychological Science, 6, 301-314.
Stewart, J. G., & Harkness, K. L. (2017). Testing a Revised Interpersonal Theory of Depression Using a Laboratory Measure of Excessive Reassurance-Seeking. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73, 331-348.
Harkness, K. L., & Monroe, S. M. (2016). The Assessment and Measurement of Human Life Stress: Basic Premises, Operational Principles, and Design Requirements. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 125, 727-745. (invited)
Mazurka, R. M., Wynne-Edwards, K. E., & Harkness, K. L. (2016). Stressful life events prior to depression onset and the cortisol response to stress in youth with first episode versus recurrent depression. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44, 1173-1184.
Holshausen, K., Bowie, C., & Harkness, K. L. (2016). Childhood sexual abuse associated with psychotic features in adolescent major depression. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 45, 241-247.
Zahavi, A. Y., Sabbagh, M. A., Washburn, D., Mazurka, R., Bagby, R. M., … Harkness, K. L. (2016). Serotonin and Dopamine Gene Variation and Theory of Mind Decoding Accuracy in Major Depression: A Preliminary Investigation. PLOSOne. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0150872
Harkness, K. L., Strauss, J., Bagby, R. M., Stewart, J. G., Larocque, C., Mazurka, R., Ravindran, A., Wynne-Edwards, K. E., Rector, N. A., & Kennedy, J. (2015). Emotional Maltreatment Moderates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Serotonin Transporter Polymorphisms on Depression Symptoms. Psychiatry Research, 229, 609-612.
Harkness, K. L., Bagby, R. M., Stewart, J. G., Larocque, C. L., Mazurka, R., Strauss, J. S.,…Kennedy, J. L. (2015). Childhood Emotional and Sexual Maltreatment Moderate the Relation of the Serotonin Transporter Gene to Stress Generation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 124, 275-287.
Larocque, C., Harkness, K. L., & Bagby, R. M. (2014). The Differential Relation of Childhood Maltreatment to Stress Sensitization in Adolescent and Young Adult Depression. Journal of Adolescence, 37, 871-882.
Harkness, K. L., Theriault, J. E., Stewart, J. G., & Bagby, R. M. (2014). Exposure to Acute Life Events and Chronic Stress Predicts One-Year Recurrence in Adult Outpatients with Residual Depression Symptoms Following Acute Treatment. Depression and Anxiety, 31, 1-8.
Stewart, J. G., Mazurka, R. Bond, L., Wynne-Edwards, K. E., & Harkness, K. L., (2013). Rumination and Impaired Cortisol Recovery Following a Social Stressor in Adolescent Depression. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 41, 1015-1026.
Harkness, K. L., Bagby, R. M., & Kennedy, S. (2012). Childhood Maltreatment and Differential Treatment Response and Recurrence in Episodic Major Depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80, 342-353.
Harkness, K. L., Jacobson, J. A., Sinclair, B., Chan, E., & Sabbagh, M. A. (2012). For Love or Money? What Motivates People to Know Others’ Minds? Cognition and Emotion, 26, 541-549.
Monroe, S. M., & Harkness, K. L. (2011). Recurrence in Major Depression: A Conceptual Analysis. Psychological Review, 118, 655-674.
Harkness, K. L., Washburn, D., Theriault, J., Lee, L., & Sabbagh, M. A. (2011). Maternal history of depression is associated with enhanced theory of mind ability in depressed and non-depressed women. Psychiatry Research, 189, 91-96.
Harkness, K. L., Stewart, J. G., & Wynne-Edwards, K. E. (2011). Cortisol Reactivity to Social Stress in Adolescents: Moderation by Depression Severity and Child Maltreatment. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36, 173-181.
Bulmash, E., Harkness, K. L., Stewart, J. G., & R. M. Bagby. (2009). Personality, Stressful Life Events, and Treatment Response in Major Depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 1067-1077.
Lumley, M. N., & Harkness, K. L. (2009). Childhood Maltreatment and Depressotypic Cognitive Organization. Cognitive Therapy & Research, 33, 511-522.
Harkness, K. L., Lumley, M. N. & Truss, A. E. (2008). Stress generation in adolescent depression: The moderating role of childhood adversity. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36, 421-432.
Lumley, M. N., & Harkness, K. L. (2007). Specificity in the relations among childhood adversity, early maladaptive schemas, and symptom profiles in adolescent depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 31, 639-657.
Harkness, K. L., Bruce, A. E., & Lumley, M. N. (2006). The role of childhood abuse and neglect in the sensitization to stressful life events in adolescent depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 115, 730-741.
Lee, L., Harkness, K. L., Sabbagh, M. A., & Jacobson, J. A. (2005). Mental state decoding abilities in clinical depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 86, 247-258.
Harkness, K. L., Sabbagh, M. A., Jacobson, J., Chowdrey, N., & Chen, T. (2005). Sensitivity to subtle social information in dysphoric college students: Evidence for an enhanced “theory of mind”. Cognition and Emotion, 19, 999-1026.
Monroe, S. M. & Harkness, K. L. (2005). Life stress, the ‘kindling’ hypothesis, and the recurrence of depression: Considerations from a life stress perspective. Psychological Review, 112, 417-445.
Harkness, K.L., & Monroe, S. M. (2002). Childhood adversity and the endogenous versus non-endogenous distinction in women with major depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 387-393.
Harkness, K. L., & Luther, J. (2001). Clinical risk factors for the generation of life events in major depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 110, 564-572.
Harkness, K. L., Monroe, S. M., Simons, A. D., & Thase, M. E. (1999). The generation of life events in recurrent and non-recurrent depression. Psychological Medicine, 29, 135-144.