James Cordova

Professor, Psychology
Department Chair, Psychology

Dr. Córdova received a B.A. from the University of New Mexico in 1989 and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Washington at Seattle in 1992 and 1996, respectively. He has been at Clark since 2002.

The goal of Dr. Córdova’s research program is to increase our understanding of the processes that affect marital/couples health and deterioration, particularly those processes that promote greater relationship, mental, and physical health. Dr. Córdova’s work involves the theoretical delineation of those processes, the demonstration of their proximal role in relationship health, and the construction of empirically testable procedures for their therapeutic use. The principal processes addressed in his work include intimacy, acceptance, and motivating the adoption of relationship healthy practices. Dr. Córdova’s current projects include (1) the Marriage Checkup, a relationship health checkup designed to help partners maintain healthy relationships for a lifetime, (2) observing the process of intimacy development in couples’ interactions, and (3) studying the role of emotional skillfulness in relationship health.

Degrees

  • Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Washington, 1996
  • M.S. in Clinical Psychology, University of Washington, 1992
  • B.A. in Psychology, minor in Sociology, University of New Mexico, 1989

Affiliated Department

Psychology

Scholarly and creative works

  • Book

    The Mindful Path of True Intimacy

    2025
    ISBN #9781462547654
    New York, New York
    James V. Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    “We Felt Emotionally Closer:” A Qualitative Study of Couples’ Communication about Pornography Use

    Published in Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
    2024
    Vol. 50
    Issue #2
    Elizabeth Engelkamp, Eliza Lindberg, James V C’ordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Comparative efficacy of the relationship checkup for same-gender couples.

    Published in Journal of Family Psychology
    2024
    Katherine A Lenger, Erica A Mitchell, Patricia NE Roberson, Olive Schubert, Tatiana Gray, James V Cordova, Kristina C Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Clarifying and measuring the characteristics of experiences that involve a loss of self or a dissolution of its boundaries

    Published in Consciousness and Cognition
    2024
    Vol. 119
    Nicholas K Canby, Jared Lindahl, Willoughby B Britton, James V C’ordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Improvements in depressive symptoms following a brief relationship intervention

    Published in Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
    2024
    Vol. 50
    Issue #1
    Erica A Mitchell, Patricia NE Roberson, Michaela DiPillo, James V Cordova, Kristina Coop Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Appearance investment and intimacy: direct and indirect effects in the context of romantic relationships

    Published in Discover Psychology
    2024
    Vol. 4
    Issue #1
    Lilian P Palmer, Setareh M Rossman, James V Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Affirmative adaptations of the Relationship Checkup to meet the needs of LGBTQ couples

    Published in Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy
    2023
    Vol. 22
    Issue #4
    Tatiana D Gray, Taylor K Dovala, James V Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    “Is intimacy contagious?” Intimate safety with parents as a key to emerging adults’ social connectedness

    Published in Family Relations
    2023
    Vol. 72
    Issue #4
    David Yoo, James C’ordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Brief relationship support as a selective suicide prevention intervention: Piloting the Relationship Checkup in veteran couples with relationship and mental health concerns

    Published in Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
    2023
    Vol. 53
    Issue #5
    Dev Crasta, Jennifer S Funderburk, Tatiana D Gray, James V Cordova, Peter C Britton
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    The influence of relationship pattern labeling on intimacy, acceptance, and relationship satisfaction

    Published in Journal of marital and family therapy
    2023
    Vol. 49
    Issue #2
    Jenna Rice, Melissa McTernan, James Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Replacing” Too Little, Too Late” with” a Bit Less, a Bit Sooner”.: Exploring the Potential of a Stepped-Care Approach to Relationship Health

    2023
    Dev Crasta, Kayla Knopp, Peter Britton, Tea Trillingsgaard, James Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    College, Career, Commitment, Oh My: How Emerging Adult Women Balance Romantic Relationships, Career Plans, and Financial Stability

    Published in Emerging Adulthood
    2022
    Amanda R Youmans, Nicholas K Canby, James V C’ordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Couple variables predicting retention in a brief intervention and research

    Published in Family Process
    2022
    E A Mitchell, P N Roberson, Z Amer, D J Garcia, James V. Cordova, K C Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Marriage Checkup in Integrated Primary Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Active Duty Military Couples

    Published in Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
    2022
    Jeffrey A Cigrang, James V. Cordova, Tatiana D Gray, Ashley L Fedynich, Emily Maher, Abby N Diehl, Matt Hawrilenko
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Examining the role of therapeutic alliance and split alliance on couples? relationship satisfaction following a brief couple intervention

    Published in Contemporary Family Therapy
    2021
    Vol. 43
    Issue #4
    Jessica A Hughes, Kristina Coop Gordon, Katherine A Lenger, Patricia NE Roberson, James V Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    The Before Baby Relationship Checkup: A Couples-Based Intervention to Reduce Relationship Risk Factors for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

    Published in Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings
    2021
    Ellen V Darling, Nancy Byatt, Emily L Maher, Tatiana D Gray, Tiffany Simas, James V Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Disentangling Acceptance: Direct and Indirect Effects of Partner Acceptance on Felt Acceptance and Relationship Satisfaction.

    Published in Journal of Family Psychology
    2021
    Vol. 36
    Issue #3
    Setareh M Rossman, R E Lerner, James V. Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    The Contribution of Common and Specific Therapeutic Factors to Mindfulness-Based Intervention Outcomes.

    Published in Frontiers in Psychology
    2021
    Vol. 11
    Nicholas K. Canby, K. Eichel, J Lindahl, S Chau, James V. Cordova, Willoughby B. Britton
  • Chapters In Books

    Applications of Behavior Analysis in Healthcare and Beyond
    Chapter: Behavior Analysis of Couples: Intimacy as a Vehicle for Change

    Published by Springer
    2021
    Emily L. Maher, James V. Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Randomized controlled trial of the Marriage Checkup: Depression outcomes.

    Published in Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
    2020
    Tatiana D Gray, Matthew M Hawrilenko, James V. Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Consensus and Relationship Distress Before and After a Brief Couples’ Intervention

    Published in Journal of Family Psychology
    2020
    L M Reyes, K A Lenger, A Rauer, P N Roberson, James V. Cordova, Tatiana D Gray, K C Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Are marital relationships a barrier to health care utilization in Southern Appalachia?: A dyadic examination of the link between marital quality and individual health care usage.

    Published in Families, Systems, & Health
    2020
    Vol. 38
    Issue #3
    P Roberson, K Lenger, Tatiana Gray, James V. Cordova, Kristina Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Attitudes toward relationship treatment among underserved couples.

    Published in Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
    2020
    K C Wischkaemper, C J Fleming, K A Lenger, P N Roberson, Tatiana D Gray, James V. Cordova, Kristi C Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Dyadic Latent Profile Analyses and Multilevel Modeling to Examine Differential Response to Couple Relationship Education.

    Published in Journal of Family Psychology
    2020
    P N Roberson, K Lenger, Tatiana D Gray, James V. Cordova, Kristi C Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Your place or mine?: Examining the Accessibility and Efficacy of Home-Based Interventions

    Published in Family Process
    2020
    K A Lenger, Z Amer, P N Roberson, Tatiana D Gray, James V. Cordova, K C Gordon
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    An implementation study of relationship checkups as home visitations for low-income at-risk couples

    Published in Family Process
    2019
    Vol. 58
    K C Gordon, James V. Cordova, P N Roberson, M Miller, Tatiana D Gray, K A Lenger, Matthew Hawrilenko, K Martin
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Evaluating a Self-Determination Theory-based preventive parenting consultation: The Parent Check-In

    Published in Journal of Child and Family Studies
    2019
    Vol. 28
    Issue #3
    Elizabeth A. Allen, Wendy S. Grolnick, James V. Cordova
  • Article in Refereed Journal

    Evaluating equanimity: Mindfulness, intimate safety, and relationship satisfaction among meditators

    Published in Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
    2019
    Vol. 8
    Issue #2
    Emily L Maher, James V. Cordova

Awards and grants

  • Taking Time for Us: Healthy Relationships, Healthy Families, Healthy Communities

    Administration for Children and Families

    clock icon May. 3, 2021 – May. 5, 2025
  • Effect of Marriage Checkup in Primary Care on Relational, Psychological, and Work Health for Active Duty Couples with TBI

    Department of Defense

  • Effect of Marriage Checkup in Primary Care on Home and Work Health for Active Duty Couples

    Department of Defense

    clock icon Jan. 13, 2021 – Jan. 15, 2024
  • Effect of Marriage Checkup in Primary Care on Home and Work Health for Active Duty Couples

    Department of Defense

  • Effect of Marriage Checkup in Primary Care on Home and Work Health for Active Duty Couples

    Department of Defense

  • Evaluation of a Brief Marriage Intervention for Internal Behavioral Health Consultants in Primary Care.

    Department of Defense

    clock icon Sep. 1, 2015 – Mar. 1, 2020