About

Jonathan Butner, Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah. His research focuses on developing tools for studying dynamical systems theory, which originated in mathematics and physics. He works on adapting these methodologies for psychology, where measuring complex behavior often involves different challenges compared to physical sciences. Dr. Butner collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to examine complex behaviors and is dedicated to creating both cutting-edge and accessible methods for systems analyses. He completed his Ph.D. at Arizona State University in 2002, earned an M.A. from San Francisco State University in 1996, and a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1992. His academic and research interests include systems theory, dynamical systems, and their applications in social psychology. Dr. Butner is involved in teaching courses related to dynamical systems at the University of Utah and actively contributes to research in this area.

Research topics

• Psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Computer Science
• Gerontology
• Medical emergency
• Epistemology
• Management science
• Endocrinology
• Social psychology
• Data science
• Applied psychology

Selected publications

• Relationship Between Intensive Passive Data Signals and Patterns of Binge-Eating Behaviors: From a Dynamical-System Approach

  UNC Libraries · 2026-04-29

  articleOpen access

  In this study, we investigate using passive data, specifically heart rate and actigraphy, for individuals with binge-type eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED). By applying dynamical-system theory and incorporating advancements in technology-based health care, we explored the relationship between passive data patterns as potential indicators of binge-eating episodes. Over 30 days, 1,019 participants with BN or BED symptoms used the Recovery Record app on iPhone and Apple Watches for real-time eating-behavior logging. Apple Watches simultaneously recorded heart rate and actigraphy. Results show no marked difference in heart and step averages 2 hr before a binge versus a control period. However, significant momentum and stability differences emerged when examining the changing dynamics leading up to a binge event. These findings suggest that the stability of step, rather than their average value, may serve as a detectable indicator of approaching binge events.

  PublisherDOI

• Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating a mHealth Intervention to Optimize Self- and Social-Regulation for Emerging Adults with Type 1 Diabetes (FAMS-T1D): Protocol and Lessons Learned

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Psychometric, pre-processing, and trial-type considerations in individual differences studies of EEG mid-frontal theta power and latency

  International Journal of Psychophysiology · 2025-03-14 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Distinct Patterns of Dynamical Regulation in Passive Sensor Data Following Binge and Purge Behaviors

  International Journal of Eating Disorders · 2025-04-11 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  BACKGROUND: Binge eating is a cardinal symptom of binge-eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN), while recurrent purging is specific to BN (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). These behaviors are associated with health consequences (e.g., gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and metabolic problems; Sheehan & Herman, 2015). The distress-regulating effects of binge and purge behaviors are important targets for intervention. The aims of this examination were to characterize the regulatory dynamics of heart rate (HR) and physical activity following binge and purge behaviors, test whether these dynamics were different from control periods, and test whether these dynamics were different from one another. METHODS: A subsample of participants (n = 295) from the BEGIN study reported binges and purges using the Recovery Record app for 30 days; Apple Watch devices were used to measure steps and HR. Regulatory dynamics of the velocity and acceleration of HR and steps were modeled using multilevel models. RESULTS: Regulatory dynamics of HR were different following binges (dysregulated) relative to control periods (homeostatic) and relative to those following purges (mixed). Regulatory dynamics of steps were significantly different following binges (dysregulated) and following purges (homeostatic) relative to control periods (different type of homeostatic) as well as with respect to one another. CONCLUSIONS: Regulatory dynamics of HR and physical activity can be captured using smart watches and modeled using systems models. Regulatory dynamics of HR have promise as a marker of treatment progress in reducing binge eating frequency, and regulatory dynamics of steps have promise as a digital marker of binge and purge behaviors. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Measures from commercial smart watches are able to detect changes in the complex patterning of heart rate and physical activity following binge eating and purging for individuals with BED. Given the cycle of past dynamics relating to future dynamics, the results suggest that these commercial devices could be useful for tracking treatment progress in reducing binge and purge frequency.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A bioecological longitudinal study of depressive symptoms from pregnancy to 36 months postpartum

  Journal of Affective Disorders · 2024-08-12 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Dynamic Associations Among Sleep, Emotion Dysregulation, and Desire to Live in a Perinatal Sample

  Psychosomatic Medicine · 2024-03-04 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: The present study prospectively examined dynamic associations among sleep, emotion dysregulation, and desire to live during the perinatal transition, as it was theorized that these factors may contribute to the emergence of postpartum suicide risk. METHOD: Ninety-four women ( Mage = 29.2 years; 23.4% Latina) wore wrist actigraphs and completed twice daily surveys for 7 days during the third trimester of pregnancy, 6 weeks postpartum, and 4 months postpartum. Multilevel, change-as-outcome models were built to examine changes in attractor dynamics among sleep, emotion dysregulation, and desire to live, as well as if sleep-emotion dysregulation dynamics differed based on participants' desires to live. RESULTS: From pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum, emotion dysregulation ( B = -0.09, p = .032) and desire to live ( B = -0.16, p < .001) exhibited more stable temporal patterns around higher emotion dysregulation and lower desire to live. Compared to women who reported consistently high desires to live, those who experienced fluctuations in their desires to live exhibited lower, more stable sleep efficiency during pregnancy ( B = -0.90, p < .001). At 4 months postpartum, those with fluctuating desires to live exhibited a coupling dynamic whereby low sleep efficiency predicted increases in emotion dysregulation ( B = -0.16, p = .020). CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to examine nonlinear dynamics among risk factors for postpartum suicide, which may be evident as early as pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum. Sleep health, in particular, warrants further exploration as a key susceptibility factor in the emergence of postpartum suicide risk. PREREGISTRATION: Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/qxb75/?view_only=799ffe5c048842dfb89d3ddfebaa420d ).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Goal change and goal achievement for emerging adults across the pilot FAMS-T1D intervention for type 1 diabetes

  Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare · 2024-04-15 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Objective: Interventions for emerging adults (EAs) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) focus on goal setting, but little is known about how goal achievement relates to intervention outcomes. We examined how goals change, how goal achievement relates to diabetes outcomes, and identified barriers and facilitators to goal achievement. Method: age=21.6 years, 57% female) were coached monthly to set a behavioral goal across a 3-month feasibility trial. Coaching notes were qualitatively coded regarding type, complexity, and changes in goals. Goal achievement was measured via daily responses to texts. HbA1c, self-efficacy, diabetes distress, and self-care were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results: EAs frequently set food goals (79%) in combination with other goals. EAs overwhelmingly changed their goals (90%), with most increasing goal complexity. Goal achievement was high (79% of days) and not affected by goal change or goal complexity. Goal achievement was associated with increases in self-efficacy and self-care across time. Qualitative themes revealed that aspects of self-regulation and social-regulation were important for goal achievement. Conclusion: Meeting daily diabetes goals may enhance self-efficacy and self-care for diabetes. Practice Implications: Assisting EAs to reduce self-regulation challenges and enhance social support for goals may lead to better diabetes outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A dynamical systems analysis of change in PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, and suicidal ideation among military personnel during treatment for PTSD

  Journal of Affective Disorders · 2024-01-16 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: The connections among posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicidal ideation are elusive because of an overreliance on cross-sectional studies. In this secondary analysis of pooled data from three clinical trials of 742 military personnel, we examined the dynamic relationships among PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation severity assessed repeatedly during and after outpatient treatment for PTSD. METHODS: We conducted dynamical systems analyses to explore the potential for coordinated change over time in psychotherapy for PTSD. RESULTS: Over the course of psychotherapy, PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation severity changed in coordinated ways, consistent with an interdependent network. Results of eigenvalue decomposition analysis indicated the dominant change dynamic involved high stability and resistance to change but indicators of cycling were also observed, indicating participants "switched" between states that resisted change and states that promoted change. Depression (B = 0.48, SE = 0.11) and suicidal desire (B = 0.15, SE = 0.01) at a given assessment were associated with greater change in PTSD symptom severity at the next assessment. Suicidal desire (B = 0.001, SE < 0.001) at a given assessment was associated with greater change in depression symptom severity at the next assessment. Neither PTSD (B = -0.004, SE = 0.007) nor depression symptom severity (B = 0.000, SE = 0.001) was associated with subsequent change in suicidal ideation severity. CONCLUSIONS: In a sample of treatment-seeking military personnel with PTSD, change in suicidal ideation and depression may precede change in PTSD symptoms but change in suicidal ideation was not preceded by change in PTSD or depression symptoms.

  PublisherDOI

• Examining Share plus—A Continuous Glucose Monitoring Plus Data-Sharing Intervention in Older Adults and Their Care Partners: Protocol for a Randomized Control Study

  JMIR Research Protocols · 2024-10-31 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background Older adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are increasingly turning to care partners (CPs) as resources to support their diabetes management. With the rise in diabetes technologies, such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), there is great potential for CGM data sharing to increase CP involvement in a way that improves persons with diabetes’ glucose management and reduces distress. Objective The specific aims of this paper are to (1) evaluate the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of the Share plus intervention compared to the CGM Follow app plus diabetes self-management education and support; (2) evaluate the effect of the Share plus intervention on time-in-range (TIR; primary outcome) and diabetes distress (secondary outcome); and (3) explore differences between groups in person with diabetes and CP dyadic appraisal and coping, quality of life, diabetes self-care, and CP burden at 12 and 24 weeks and associations of dyadic variables on outcomes. Methods This is a protocol for a feasibility, pilot randomized controlled trial. Older adults with T1D and their CP (N=80 dyads) will be randomized 1:1 to the Share plus intervention or Follow app plus diabetes self-management education. The trial will include a 12-week active intervention to determine the change in primary (TIR) and secondary (diabetes distress) outcomes, followed by a 12-week, observation-only phase to examine maintenance effects. The evaluation is guided by the Dyadic Coping Model. Patient-level effectiveness outcomes (TIR, hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c], diabetes distress, diabetes appraisal, coping, quality of life, diabetes self-care behaviors, and CP burden) will be assessed, using patient-reported outcomes measures and a home HbA1c test kit. Patient- and CP-level acceptability and feasibility will be assessed using surveys and interviews. Quantitative feasibility, acceptability, and usability data will be described using frequencies and percentages. Acceptability will be summarized based on Likert questions and open-ended questions. Usability will be examined separately for the intervention and control groups based on the System Usability Scale, with a study benchmark of ≥68 indicating good usability. TIR will be computed based on 2 weeks’ worth of data at baseline (prior to intervention) and 2 weeks each after the intervention (week 12) and at follow-up (week 24). Results Recruitment started in August 2023 and enrollment began in November 2023. To date, 24 participants have been enrolled in this study. We expect to conclude this study in March 2026 and expect to disseminate results in March 2026. Conclusions To our knowledge, this will be the first pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate both feasibility and effectiveness outcomes for the web-based, platform-delivered Share plus intervention for older adults with T1D and their CP. This research has implications for CGM data sharing in other age groups with T1D and type 2 diabetes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05937321; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05937321 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/60004

  PublisherDOI

• Heterogeneity in momentary affective experiences related to suicidal urges in a non-clinical sample of adult handgun owners and non-owners recruited from the community

  Journal of Affective Disorders · 2024-09-17 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Predicting Binge and Purge Episodes from Passive and Active Apple Watch Data Using a Dynamical Systems Approach

  NIH · $2.8M · 2019–2024

Frequent coauthors

• Cynthia A. Berg

  79 shared

• Deborah J. Wiebe

  University of California, Merced

  61 shared

• Jorie Butler

  University of Utah

  21 shared

• Ascher K. Munion

  East Carolina University

  17 shared

• Brian Baucom

  University of Utah

  17 shared

• Peter Osborn

  Queen Alexandra Hospital

  15 shared

• Craig J. Bryan

  The Ohio State University

  15 shared

• Cynthia M. Bulik

  Karolinska Institutet

  14 shared

Labs

• Behavioral Medicine Research GroupPI

  Engage with a dynamic interdisciplinary group of researchers including core Health Psychology faculty, affiliated faculty in the U of U Medical Center, and health-focused graduate students across all areas of the department.

Education

• Ph.D., Social Psychology

  The University of Utah

  2000

• M.A., Social Psychology

  The University of Utah

  1995

• B.A., Psychology

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  1993