Judith A. Dygdon, PhD

Dr. Dygdon earned her PhD in clinical psychology at Purdue University in 1984.  She completed post-doctoral training at the consortium on Adolescent Psychology jointly sponsored by the University of Chicago Committee on Human Development, Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, and Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center.  She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Illinois and Indiana.  

Dr. Dygdon has been a member of the Department of Psychology faculty at Roosevelt University since 1991.  Previously, she was a member of the Core Faculty at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.  She also serves as a medical expert on psychological issues for the Social Security Administration’s Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Dr. Dygdon is the author of the first and second editions of The Culture and Lifestyle Appropriate Social Skills Intervention Curriculum (CLASSIC), a clinical  manual for the culturally sensitive treatment of children and adolescents who have difficulties in relationships with peers.  She is also involved in research on topics that are relevant to adults.  For example, she has studied, and has published on, such topics as experiential contributions to racism and its amelioration, the ways in which fear of flying develops and why it likely recurs, and the ways in which depression may manifest itself.   

Representative Publications

Wood, A. M., Dygdon, J.A., & Conger, A.J. (2015).  Eating disorders and sense of self:  A learning theory conceptualization.  Eating Behaviors, 17, 45-48.

Dygdon, J.A. & Dienes, K.A.  (2014). Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression:  A Learning Theory Connection.  Journal of Depression and Anxiety. 3:146.  

Dygdon, J.A. & Dienes, K.A.  (2013). Behavioral excesses in depression: A learning theory hypothesis.  Depression and Anxiety, 6, 598-605.

Conger, A.J., Dygdon, J.A., & Rollock, D.  (2012). Conditioned emotional responses in racial prejudice.  Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35, 298-319.  

Hawkins-Gilligan, J. Dygdon, J.A., & Conger, A.J.  (2011). Examining the nature of fear of flying. 
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 82, 964-971.

Epstein, A. & Dygdon, J.A.  (2006). Using online psychological consultation in early childhood student
teacher preparation.  Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 27, 47-64.   

Wu, N. Y.,  Conger, A. J. & Dygdon, J. A. (2006). Predicting fear of heights, snakes, and public speaking
from multimodal classical conditioning events. Medical Science Monitor, 12, 159-167.

Dygdon, J. A., Conger, A. J., & Strahan, E. Y.  (2004). Multimodal classical conditioning of fear:  Contributions of direct, observational, and verbal experiences to current fears.  Psychological
Reports, 95, 133-153. 

Dygdon, J.A.(1998). The culture and lifestyle appropriate social skills intervention curriculum (CLASSIC): A program for socially valid social skills training, 2nd edition.  Austin, Texas:  Pro-Ed Publishing Company.

Dygdon, J.A. (1993). The culture and lifestyle appropriate social skills intervention curriculum (CLASSIC): A program for socially valid social skills training. Brandon, Vermont: Clinical Psychology Publishing Company.

Dygdon, J.A. & Conger, A.J. (1990).  A direct nomination method for the identification of neglected members in children's peer groups.  Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 18, 55-74.

Dygdon, J.A.  (1988).   Peer-based assessment in the study of children's social competence and social skills. In M. Hersen, R.M. Eisler, and P.M. Miller (eds.)  Progress in behavior modification, Vol. XXIII, pp. 166-207.  Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications,Inc.

Lees, L.A.  & Dygdon, J.A. (1988).  The initiation and maintenance of exercise behavior: A learning theory conceptualization.  Clinical Psychology Review, 8, 345-353.

Dygdon, J.A., Conger, A.J., & Keane, S.P. (1987).  Children’s perceptions of the behavioral correlates of social acceptance, rejection, and neglect in their peers.  Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 16, 2-8.

Conger, A.J., Conger, J.C., Wallander, J.L. Ward, D. & Dygdon, J.  (1983). A generalizability study of the Conners Teacher Rating Scale - Revised.  Educational and Psychological Measurement, 43, 1019-1031.