William Beardslee's research focuses on depression in children. He is principal investigator of long-term study that he and several colleagues first embarked upon in 1979. The researchers studied the lives of 275 children from 143 families in which the parents had depression or several risk factors for depression.

From this research he identified risk factors for depression in children and went on to implement a prevention program for families in crisis.In the last several years, the research effort has focused on helping other investigators use the approach, on treatment and preventive approaches for childhood depression and on international collaborations.

William Beardslee received his MD degree from Case Western Reserve University. He completed an internship at University of California Medical Center and a residency and fellowship at Children's Hospital Boston

Dr. Beardslee is the author of over 100 articles and chapters and two books: The Way Out Must Lead In: Life Histories in the Civil Rights Movement, which explores the mechanisms that allowed civil rights workers to endure; and Out of the Darkened Room: When a Parent Is Depressed: Protecting the Children and Strengthening the Family, a book about how parents and caregivers can help families overcome depression.