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Jonathan Abramowitz

Jonathan ("Jon") Stuart Abramowitz (born 1969, Baltimore MD) is an American psychologist and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). He maintains an active research lab and serves as the Director of the UNC-CH Anxiety and Stress Disorders Clinic. Abramowitz is an internationally renowned authority on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders. He approaches the understanding and treatment of psychological problems from a cognitive-behavioral perspective.

Academic Career

Abramowitz earned his B.A. in Psychology from Muhlenberg College in 1991, his M.A. in Psychology from Bucknell University in 1993, and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Memphis in 1998. He completed both a predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania under the mentorship of Edna Foa. He was a staff psychologist and Associate Professor at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) from 2000 until 2006, when he moved to North Carolina.

His research interests focus on the development and evaluation of cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT) for OCD and other anxiety-related disorders, and the nature and psychopathology of anxiety problems, especially OCD.

Abramowitz's research has been highly influential and his recognized worldwide as an expert on OCD and anxiety. His approximately 250 publications include over 10 books and more than 200 scientific articles and book chapters. He has lectured extensively around the world, served in numerous editorial and advisory roles for scientific journals and organizations, is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, and has served as President of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT; 2014-2015).

In his clinical practice, Abramowitz specializes in the outpatient cognitive-behavioral assessment, consultation, and treatment of OCD and other anxiety-related problems.

Research Areas and Contributions

File:AbramowitzNorway.jpg
Abramowitz lecturing in Bergen, Norway

Treatment of OCD and related disorders: A major focus of Abramowitz's research is the treatment of OCD. He is primarily interested in exposure and response prevention (ERP; a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy [CBT]) and has conducted treatment outcome studies[1][2][3] and meta-analytic reviews of the literature[4][5][6]. He has also investigated factors that predict good and poor outcomes.[7][8][9]

In collaboration with colleagues at Utah State University, Abramowitz has developed an OCD treatment program combining ERP with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).[10] He has also collaborated with Donald Baucom, an expert in the treatment of couples, to develop couple-based ERP programs for OCD and Body Dysmorphic Disorder.[11]

Abramowitz has written about, and is currently conducting research to better understand how to enhance the outcome of exposure therapy/ERP by optimizing extinction learning during exposure trials.[12][13] This work is drawn from inhibitory learning models of exposure.

Abramowitz is one of three American psychologists involved with a large-scale training and supervision program for OCD treatment in Norway. This program involves the training of 30 specialized OCD Teams across Norway over the course of 4 years to ensure that all patients with OCD in that country have access to empirically supported treatment (i.e., ERP).[14]

Nature and symptoms of OCD: Abramowitz has made important contributions to understanding the complex symptomatology of OCD and has identified and studied four subtypes/dimensions of this disorder that respond differentially to treatment and involve somewhat distinct cognitive and behavioral phenomena: (a) contamination, (b) responsibility for harm/mistakes, (c) unacceptable thoughts, and (d) incompleteness/symmetry. His work has also contributed to the re-conceptualization of hoarding as separate from OCD.

Abramowitz has argued that OCD symptoms lie on a continuum with normal everyday experiences, and that one’s learning history (and to a lesser extent, biology) influence the frequency, intensity, and duration of OCD symptoms. He has also criticized the DSM-5’s re-classification of OCD as separate from the anxiety disorders and as overlapping with conditions such as Hair Pulling Disorder and Skin Picking Disorder.

Assessment of OCD: Abramowitz led a team of researchers in 2010 that developed the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), a 20-item self-report instrument designed to measure the severity of the four types of OCD symptoms (see above). The DOCS was developed to address limitations of older OCD measures and has been translated into multiple languages for use worldwide.

Cognitive-behavioral factors and models of OCD and anxiety: Abramowitz’s research on OCD and anxiety-related problems is primarily informed by cognitive-behavioral models. He conducts self-report and experimental studies on cognitive biases such as anxiety sensitivity, thought-action fusion, intolerance of uncertainty, and attentional biases that factor in the persistence of OCD and irrational fear. He is interested in how these factors relate to OCD symptoms and, with his colleagues at UNC, has developed experimental paradigms for studying thought-action fusion and intolerance of uncertainty.

Abramowitz has also conducted studies on cognitive-behavioral factors in other anxiety and related problems, including health/illness anxiety, shy bladder syndrome, panic disorder, and hoarding.

Prevention of postpartum OCD: In collaboration with colleagues at the University of Miami, Abramowitz developed and evaluated a prevention program for OCD symptoms in new parents. This work was derived from studies that Abramowitz had conducted showing that certain types of cognitive phenomena predict the development of OCD symptoms in the postpartum. The prevention program, known as "Baby PREP", can be delivered as part of perinatal education classes and was shown to be more effective than a credible placebo control program in preventing OCD symptoms among vulnerable expecting parents.

Cross-cultural factors: Abramowitz has conducted research on cultural, religious, and racial differences in the expression of anxiety and OCD symptoms and related phenomena. He is part of a multi-national collaborative effort studying the nature of intrusive obsessional thoughts in cultures and countries around the world.


Awards and Recognition

Abramowitz's contributions to the fields of OCD, anxiety disorders, and clinical psychology have been recognized through numerous honors and awards, including:

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Abramowitz delivers the Presidential Address at the 2015 ABCT Convention
  • Appointed as a Fellow of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
  • Elected as President of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) (2014-2015)
  • Muhlenberg College Alumni Achievement Award
  • Elected to the Board of Directors of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
  • Appointed as Associate Editor of Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy
  • Appointed as Associate Editor of Behaviour Research and Therapy
  • Elected to the Board of Directors of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
  • David Shakow Early Career Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Science and Practice of Clinical Psychology, American Psychological Association (Division 12)
  • Outstanding Contributions to Research Award, Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology
  • Excellence through Teamwork Award, Mayo Clinic
  • Individual National Research Service Award, National Institute of Mental Health
  • Carol C. Hutchinson Award for Outstanding Senior in Psychology, Muhlenberg College Department of Psychology
  • Psi Chi National Psychology Honors Society, Muhlenberg College


Selected Works and Publications

Selected Books

  • Abramowitz, J. S. & Houts, A. C. (Eds.) (2005). Concepts and controversies in obsessive-compulsive disorder. New York, NY: Springer.
  • Abramowitz, J. S. (2006). Understanding and treating obsessive-compulsive disorder: A cognitive-behavioral approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
  • Abramowitz, J. S. (2006). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Advances in psychotherapy—evidence based practice. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe & Huber.
  • Abramowitz, J. S. & Braddock, A. E. (2008). Psychological treatment of hypochondriasis and health anxiety: A biopsychosocial approach. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe & Huber.
  • Abramowitz, J. S., Taylor, S., & McKay, D. (Eds.) (2008). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Subtypes and spectrum conditions. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
  • Abramowitz, J. S., Taylor, S., & McKay, D. (Eds.) (2008). Clinical handbook of obsessive-compulsive disorder and related problems. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press
  • McKay, D., Abramowitz, J., S., & Taylor, S. (Eds.) (2009). Cognitive-Behavioral therapy for refractory cases: Turning failure into success. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  • Abramowitz, J. S. (2009). Getting over OCD: A 10-step workbook for taking back your life. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Abramowitz, J. S., Deacon, B. J. & Whiteside, S. P. (2011). Exposure therapy for anxiety: Principles and practice. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Abramowitz, J. S. (2012). The stress less workbook: Simple strategies to relieve pressure, manage commitments, and minimize conflicts. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Abramowitz, J. S. & Jacoby, R. J. (2015). Obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults: Advances in Psychotherapy—Evidence-based practice. Boston: Hogrefe Publishing.

Selected Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

  • Abramowitz, J.S. (1996). Variants of exposure and response prevention in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis. Behavior Therapy, 27, 583-600. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(96)80045-1
  • Abramowitz, J.S. (1997). Effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A quantitative review of the controlled treatment literature. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 44-52. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.65.1.44
  • Franklin, M.E., Abramowitz, J.S., Kozak, M.J., Levine, J., & Foa, E.B. (2000). Effectiveness of exposure and ritual prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A comparison of randomized and clinic patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 594-602. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.68.4.594
  • Abramowitz, J.S., Tolin, D.F., & Street, G.P. (2001) Paradoxical effects of thought suppression: A meta-analysis of controlled studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 21, 683-703. doi:10.1016/S0272-7358(00)00057-X
  • Abramowitz, J. S., Franklin, M. E., Schwartz, S. A., & Furr, J. M. (2003). Symptom presentation and outcome of cognitive-behavior therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71, 1049-1057. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.71.6.1049
  • McKay, D., Abramowitz, J., Calamari, J., Kyrios, M., Radomsky, A., Sookman, D., Taylor, S., & Wilhelm, S. (2004). A critical evaluation of obsessive-compulsive disorder subtypes: symptoms versus mechanisms. Clinical Psychology Review, 24, 283-313. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2004.04.003
  • Whiteside, S. P., Port, J. D., & Abramowitz, J. S. (2004). A meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 132, 69-79. doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2004.07.001
  • Deacon, B. J. & Abramowitz, J. S. (2004). Cognitive and behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders: A review of meta-analytic findings. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 60, 429-441. doi:10.1002/jclp.10255
  • Abramowitz, J. S., Whiteside, S. P., & Deacon, B. J. (2005). The effectiveness of treatment for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis. Behavior Therapy, 36, 55-63. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80054-1
  • Taylor, S., Zvolensky, M., Cox, B., Deacon, B., Heimberg, R., Ledley, D. R., Abramowitz, J. S., Holoway, R., Sandin, B., Stewart, S., Coles, M., Eng, W., Daly, E., Arrindell, W., Bouvard, M., & Cardenas, S. (2007). Robust dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: Development and initial validation of the anxiety sensitivity index-3 (ASI-3). Psychological Assessment, 19, 176-188. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.19.2.176
  • Olatunji, B., Williams, N., Tolin, D., Sawchuck, C., Abramowitz, J. S., Lohr, J., & Elwood, L. (2007). The Disgust Scale: Item Analysis, Factor Structure, and Suggestions for Refinement. Psychological Assessment, 19, 281-297. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.19.3.281
  • Abramowitz, J. S., Taylor, S., & McKay, D. (2009). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Lancet, 374, 491-499. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60240-3

References

  1. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Foa, Edna B.; Franklin, Martin E. "Exposure and ritual prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Effects of intensive versus twice-weekly sessions". Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 71 (2): 394–398. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.71.2.394.
  2. ^ Franklin, Martin E.; Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Kozak, Michael J.; Levitt, Jill T.; Foa, Edna B. "Effectiveness of exposure and ritual prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Randomized compared with nonrandomized samples". Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 68 (4): 594–602. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.68.4.594.
  3. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Baucom, Donald H.; Boeding, Sara; Wheaton, Michael G.; Pukay-Martin, Nicole D.; Fabricant, Laura E.; Paprocki, Christine; Fischer, Melanie S. "Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Intimate Relationships: A Pilot Study of Couple-Based Cognitive-Behavior Therapy". Behavior Therapy. 44 (3): 395–407. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2013.02.005.
  4. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S. "Effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A quantitative Review". Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 65 (1): 44–52. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.65.1.44.
  5. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Whiteside, Stephen P.; Deacon, Brett J. (2005-01-01). "The effectiveness of treatment for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis". Behavior Therapy. 36 (1): 55–63. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80054-1.
  6. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S. (1996-01-01). "Variants of exposure and response prevention in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis". Behavior Therapy. 27 (4): 583–600. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(96)80045-1.
  7. ^ Foa, Edna B.; Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Franklin, Martin E.; Kozak, Michael J. (1999-01-01). "Feared consequences, fixity of belief, and treatment outcome in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder". Behavior Therapy. 30 (4): 717–724. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(99)80035-5.
  8. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Franklin, Martin E.; Schwartz, Stefanie A.; Furr, Jami M. "Symptom Presentation and Outcome of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder". Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 71 (6): 1049–1057. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.71.6.1049.
  9. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Franklin, Martin E.; Street, Gordon P.; Kozak, Michael J.; Foa, Edna B. (2000-01-01). "Effects of comorbid depression on response to treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder". Behavior Therapy. 31 (3): 517–528. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(00)80028-3.
  10. ^ Twohig, Michael P.; Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Bluett, Ellen J.; Fabricant, Laura E.; Jacoby, Ryan J.; Morrison, Kate L.; Reuman, Lillian; Smith, Brooke M. "Exposure therapy for OCD from an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) framework". Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. 6: 167–173. doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2014.12.007.
  11. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Baucom, Donald H.; Wheaton, Michael G.; Boeding, Sara; Fabricant, Laura E.; Paprocki, Christine; Fischer, Melanie S. (2013-03-01). "Enhancing Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD A Couple-Based Approach". Behavior Modification. 37 (2): 189–210. doi:10.1177/0145445512444596. ISSN 0145-4455. PMID 22619395.
  12. ^ Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Arch, Joanna J. (2014-02-01). "Strategies for Improving Long-Term Outcomes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Insights From Learning Theory". Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. 21 (1): 20–31. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2013.06.004.
  13. ^ Arch, Joanna J.; Abramowitz, Jonathan S. "Exposure therapy for obsessive–compulsive disorder: An optimizing inhibitory learning approach". Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. 6: 174–182. doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2014.12.002.
  14. ^ "Dissemination and intensifying evidence-based treatment for OCD: Norway is in the lead".


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