SPOTLIGHT on Patricia Cavazos-Rehg
The Midwest D-CFAR community is full of brilliant and inspiring people, and we want to introduce them to the world! For our May 2025 spotlight, we are featuring Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, PhD, professor in the WashU Medicine Department of Psychiatry, and co-director of the Midwest D-CFAR’s Development Core. Many thanks to Dr. Cavazos-Rehg for taking the time to speak with us!
Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, PhD
Could you briefly describe your career journey and research interests?
Dr. Cavazos-Rehg: I hold a PhD in psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where I was trained as a clinical psychologist. For the past two decades, I have led a research program within the Department of Psychiatry at WashU Medicine. My work is driven by a commitment to bridging the mental health treatment gap through the innovative use of technology. By combining clinical expertise with digital solutions, my team and I have developed and implemented evidence-based tools aimed at increasing access to care, improving mental health outcomes, and supporting recovery across diverse populations—both locally and globally.
What projects do you currently have ongoing?
My research has provided critical insights into the ways engagement-driven social media algorithms can amplify harmful content, shaping adolescent behavior, self-perception, and mental health outcomes. Beyond examining digital harm, my team has also focused on developing and implementing solutions. We created an evidence-based digital tool that has been deployed statewide, offering recovery support to hundreds of individuals and significantly reducing their risk of overdose. Building on this work, we extended our efforts to global mental health by designing a mobile application to support children in Uganda living with HIV and depression.
Dr. Cavazos-Rehg has two daughters, Izzy and Reyna, a dog named Bear, and a husband, Mike. She has recently picked up the hobby of painting rocks. Graphic courtesy of Kavya Singh.
What have you been doing with the Midwest D-CFAR’s Developmental Core lately?
I enjoy mentoring the next generation of researchers, so serving as co-director of the Development Core is a natural and meaningful fit for me. The Core is dedicated to supporting early-stage investigators through a range of resources, including individualized mentorship, grant review support, and targeted seminars. It’s very rewarding to help foster the growth and success of emerging scholars as they build their research careers.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Life outside of work is never dull thanks to my two teenage daughters, Reyna and Izzy, who keep me busy with their activities, interests, and ever-evolving schedules.
Edited by April Houston.