Dr. Lee Anna Clark stands as a preeminent figure in clinical psychology whose pioneering work has fundamentally reshaped the assessment of personality pathology. She currently holds the distinguished position of William J. and Dorothy K. O'Neill Professor of Psychology Emerita at the University of Notre Dame, where she has made transformative contributions to the department's clinical program since joining the faculty in 2010. A graduate of Cornell University with bachelor's and master's degrees in psycholinguistics and Asian studies respectively, she earned her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1982, establishing the foundation for her illustrious career. Prior to her appointment at Notre Dame, Dr. Clark served as a professor and director of clinical training at the University of Iowa, building upon her earlier academic positions at Southern Methodist University that launched her research trajectory in personality assessment.
Dr. Clark's groundbreaking development of the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP) represents a paradigm shift in how clinicians and researchers measure personality traits across the normal-abnormal spectrum, providing a comprehensive assessment tool that has been widely adopted in both clinical practice and research settings. Her work on the dimensional model of personality disorders significantly influenced the alternative model featured in the DSM-5 and ICD-11, demonstrating her profound impact on the international standards for diagnosing mental health conditions. Together with her husband, David Watson, she also co-created the Positive And Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), a remarkably simple yet powerful instrument for measuring mood states that has become one of the most frequently used assessments in psychological research worldwide. With her scholarly work cited over 139,000 times, Dr. Clark ranks among the most influential psychologists of her generation, with particular recognition for bridging the traditionally separate domains of personality and psychopathology.
Beyond her methodological contributions, Dr. Clark has played a pivotal role in shaping the field through sustained mentorship, having received the Society for Research in Psychopathology's John Neale Sustained Mentorship Award in 2020 for her exceptional guidance of emerging scholars, particularly women in psychology. Her leadership extends to editorial positions on prestigious journals including the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and Journal of Personality Disorders, where she has helped steer the direction of research in her field for decades. Although now Professor Emerita, Dr. Clark continues to influence contemporary discussions about personality assessment and psychopathology classification through her ongoing scholarly engagement and participation in professional organizations. Her legacy endures not only through her widely used assessment instruments but also through the generations of psychologists she has trained and inspired, ensuring that her rigorous approach to understanding personality pathology will continue to advance the science and practice of clinical psychology for years to come.
