BSc (University of Toronto), MA, PhD (Boston University)
Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment (CMHRT)
2006-2016 Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Research
Research interests
My research explores the intersection of social anxiety and the self. I investigate how social anxiety shapes people’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in social contexts, with particular attention to the role of autobiographical memory and self-schema processes. By integrating clinical models of social anxiety disorder with cognitive and neurocognitive approaches, my work seeks to identify the mechanisms that underlie social anxiety and to translate these insights into more effective psychological interventions. I collaborate widely on clinical research with other scientists and clinicians both within and outside UW, including at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest where I hold an Adjunct Scientist position.
Current projects address questions such as:
- How do people with social anxiety appraise themselves and others, and how do these appraisals influence social information processing, perceptions of threat and reward, and the quality of their relationships?
- What are the core psychological problems in social anxiety disorder, and how do individual differences shape symptom expression and treatment outcomes?
- How can advances in learning and memory science inform our understanding of self-schema development and guide strategies for updating negative self-beliefs?
Ultimately, my goal is to advance knowledge about the mechanisms of social anxiety and to leverage that knowledge to develop innovative, evidence-based interventions that improve people’s psychological health and well-being.
Publications
Here is my complete publication list (PDF), last updated in Sept 2025. Please check Google Scholar for article abstracts. You may email me at dmosco@uwaterloo.ca to request copies of any paper.
Anxiety studies
The Anxiety Studies research group was established in 2009. It consists of faculty members and graduate students in Clinical Psychology at the University of Waterloo whose research is dedicated to investigating the nature and treatment of anxiety and its disorders. The Anxiety Studies research model is detailed in the following paper:
- Moscovitch, D.A., Saughnessy, K., Waechter, S., Xu, M., Collaton, J., Nelson, A.L., Barber, K.C., Taylor, J., Chiang, B., & Purdon, (2015). A model for recruiting clinical research participants with anxiety disorders in the absence of service provision (PDF). Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 203, 943-957.
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Research lab
My research lab is typically comprised of several students in our clinical psychology graduate training program, one or two undergraduate honours thesis students, a number of research assistants and volunteers and, occasionally, a postdoctoral fellow. Lab research has been generously funded by the Canada Research Chairs Program, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the National Medical Research Council of Australia, the Israel Science Foundation, the Templeton Foundation, the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and the Ontario Research Fund. The physical space of the lab is generous and includes an array of specialized facilities, resources, and work spaces that can be accessed by trainees engaged in research at all levels. Students are supported in their acquisition of fundamental knowledge and technical skills within a stimulating and collaborative learning environment.
Teaching
At the undergraduate level, I have most recently taught Psychopathology (Psych 257), which provides an introductory overview of mental disorders and clinical psychology, as well as Social Anxiety and the Self (Psych 457), a senior undergraduate seminar course. At the graduate level, I have most recently taught Adult Psychopathology (Psych 716), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Psych 725), and Ethics and Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology (Psych 719).
Clinical training
I am actively involved in the clinical supervision and training of graduate students in Clinical Psychology within our Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment (CMHRT).
Clinical practice
I am a registered clinical psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario and maintain a small private practice. My specialization is in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and I am certified as such by The Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies.