About Dr. Connie Beck

Connie J. Beck, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona, Department of Psychology. For the past 20 years, Dr. Beck has conducted research investigating short- and long-term outcomes for divorcing couples experiencing intimate partner violence and mediating their disputes. This work includes a large, longitudinal, archival study through multiple official databases (mediation, superior court, law enforcement). With colleagues from Indiana, Dr. Beck developed a risk assessment instrument for the mediation context and is currently conducting a randomized controlled trial of two models of divorce mediation for highly violent couples (i.e., shuttle and videoconferencing) as compared to those couples returning to court. Dr. Beck's newer research includes a pilot study testing a batterer treatment program adapted for adolescent boys charged with domestic violence against a parent/primary caregiver. She is also involved in research investigating children who repeatedly return to the child welfare system and involuntarily committed individuals who repeatedly return to the civil commitment process. The newest research project is working with a team of lawyer advocates and law professors from across the country investigating the roles of guardians ad litem, best interest attorneys and court appointed advisors in family court and order of protection cases.

 

1999 - Ph.D., University of Arizona

Dual Major in Clinical Psychology and in Psychology, Policy & Law. 

Dissertation: Family Mediation Myths and Facts. Chair: Bruce Sales, Ph.D., J.D.

 

1993 - M.A., University of Arizona

Dual Major in Clinical Psychology and in Psychology, Policy & Law. 

Thesis: A Model of Lawyer Distress. Chair: Bruce Sales, Ph.D., J.D.

 

1989 - B.S., University of Oregon

Psychology.

 

1983 - B.S., Portland State University

Administration of Justice, with Honors.

 

2007 - Junior Professional Development Sabbatical Leave

U of A College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

2004 - Fellowship

Udall Center for Policy Studies, Fall Semester

 

2000- Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology, University of Virginia (Western State Hospital and the Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy): Supervisors David Rawls, Ph.D., and William Stejskal, Ph.D.