Our research group is based in the Department of Psychological Clinical Science at the University of Toronto Scarborough. We study cognitive-affective processes that confer risk for the development and maintenance of depression, anxiety, and co-occurring problems, such as harmful substance use. We are particularly interested in variations in the ways individuals approach and respond to motivationally salient stimuli such as emotions, reward, and threat. Recognizing that these processes do not take place or function in a vacuum, we are also interested in contextual factors, such as stress, trauma, and social or family environment, that can shape, alter, and/or interact with these cognitive-affective processes. In order to capture these crucial processes and contextual factors precisely and comprehensively, we use multiple methods and advanced quantitative techniques.