Professor

Psychology

Kristi has conducted clinical and experimental research in depression and anxiety in Parkinson's disease, and on cross-cultural issues in depression and its treatment. She has conducted experimental research in the malingering of head injury, placebo sleep, while in recent years focusing on sport-related topics such as sport superstition, sport concussion, stereotyping in athletes, and on how athletes may fake neuropsychological baseline tests to affect return-to-play decisions postconcussion.

Kristi's 2018 book, The Adulteration of Children's Sports: Waning Health and Well-being in the Age of Organized Play (Lexington Books, a division of Rowman & Littlefield), was written with the support of the Robert C. Fox Professorship at Colorado College.

Professor of Psychology: 2009-present
Associate Professor of Psychology: 2001-2009
Assistant Professor of Psychology: 1995-2001
First year at Colorado College: 1995

Research Interests

Sport psychology issues of concussion, superstition, and stereotyping in athletes; Cross-cultural issues in depression and other mental illness; Depression and anxiety in neurological disorders; Malingering of neuropsychological impairment

 

Representative Publications & Presentations

Feliciano, L., Erdal, K., & Sandal, G. (2024). Attitudes towards depression and its treatment among White, Hispanic, and Multiracial adults.  BMC Psychology, 12(441).

*Cassidy, C. and Erdal, K. (2019/2020). Assessing and addressing stigma in bipolar disorder:  The impact of cause and treatment information on stigma.  Stigma and Health, 5(1), 104-113.

*Riciputi, S. and Erdal, K. (2017). The effect of stereotype threat on student-athlete math performance. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 32, 54-57.

*Kelly, K. & Erdal, K. (2016). Diagnostic terminology, athlete status, and history of concussion affect return to play expectations and anticipated symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury. Journal Of Clinical And Experimental Neuropsychology, 39, 587-595. doi:10.1080/13803395.2016.1250870

*Pfeffer, C. and Erdal, K. (2015). Perceptions of former child soldiers and LRA victims with post-traumatic stress among health professionals and lay people in Northern Uganda. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 4(2), 128-141.

*Draganich, C., & Erdal, K. (2014). Placebo sleep affects cognitive functioning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 40, 857-864.

Erdal, K. (2012). Neuropsychological testing for sports-related concussion: How athletes can sandbag their baseline testing without detection. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 27, 473-479.

Erdal, K. *Singh, N., & *Tardif, A. (2011). Attitudes about depression and its treatment among mental health professionals, lay persons and immigrants and refugees in Norway. Journal of Affective Disorders, 133, 481-488.

Erdal, K. (2009). Why one fakes a head injury affects how one fakes a head injury. Applied Neuropsychology, 16, 42-48.

*Wright, P. and Erdal, K. (2008). Sport superstition as a function of skill level and task difficulty. Journal of Sport Behavior, 31, 187-199 .

Erdal, K. (2004). The effects of motivation, coaching, and knowledge of neuropsychology on the simulated malingering of head injury. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 19, 73-88.

Erdal, K. (2001). Depressive symptom patterns in patients with Parkinson's disease and other older adults. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 1559-1569 .

Erdal, K. (2001). Depression and anxiety in Parkinson's disease patients with and without "on-off" phenomena. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 8, 293-299.

*Shields, J., Erdal, K., Skrinjaric, J., & Majic, G. (1999). Post-traumatic stress symptomatology among health care professionals in Croatia . American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 69, 529-535.

Reich, J., Erdal, K., & Zautra, A. (1997). Beliefs about control and health behaviors. In D. Gochman (Ed.) Handbook of health behavior research I: Personal and social determinants, pp. 93-111. New York: Plenum.

Erdal, K. and Zautra, A. (1995). The psychological impact of illness downturns: A comparison of new versus chronic conditions. Psychology and Aging, 10, 570-577.

Johnstone, B. and Erdal, K. (1995). The relationship between the WMS-R Attention Index and putative measures of attention. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 2, 195-204.

Youngjohn, J., Burrows, L., & Erdal, K. (1995). Brain damage or compensation neurosis? The controversial post-concussion syndrome. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 9(2), 112-123.

Publications in Undergraduate Journals

*Polk, D. and Erdal, K. (2002). Gender and sport differences in the emphasis on the physical and mental aspects of athletics . Journal of Psychological Inquiry, 7, 25-30.

* Colorado College students

Honors

2014 Baccalaureate Address, Colorado College

2008 Fulbright Scholar, University of Bergen, Norway

2000 Project Kaleidoscope, Faculty for the 21 st Century; Class of 2000

1998-2000 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Assistant Professor of Psychology

Regular Classes

PY100 Introduction to Psychology: Bases of Behavior
PY202 Research Design
PY251 Psychological Investigations
PY362 Abnormal Psychology
PY363 Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology
PY412 Human Neuropsychology
PY426 Sport Psychology
Final Project