EDUCATION
Duke University, Durham, NC
8/2014 – present
Master of Arts, Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program
(Ph.D. degree expected by 2021)
Supervisor: M. Zachary Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Columbia University, New York, NY
9/2004 - 5/2008
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Major
8/2014 – present
Master of Arts, Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program
(Ph.D. degree expected by 2021)
Supervisor: M. Zachary Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Columbia University, New York, NY
9/2004 - 5/2008
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Major
AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2018 Graduate Travel Award from the Charles Lafitte Foundation ($1,288)
2018 Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (1 F31 MH117830-01A1)
2017 & 2018 Summer Research Fellowship for Third Year and Beyond PhD ($5,500)
2016 Clark M. Rivinoja Award, Duke University ($500)
2016 Claire Hamilton Graduate Studies Conference Travel Award ($250)
2015 Diversity Fund Graduate Travel Award for the SPSP Convention ($500)
2015 Graduate Travel Award for the SPSP Convention ($500)
2015 & 2016 Summer Research Fellowship, Duke University ($5,500)
2014 - 2020 James Duke Graduate Fellowship, Duke University ($20,000)
2018 Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (1 F31 MH117830-01A1)
2017 & 2018 Summer Research Fellowship for Third Year and Beyond PhD ($5,500)
2016 Clark M. Rivinoja Award, Duke University ($500)
2016 Claire Hamilton Graduate Studies Conference Travel Award ($250)
2015 Diversity Fund Graduate Travel Award for the SPSP Convention ($500)
2015 Graduate Travel Award for the SPSP Convention ($500)
2015 & 2016 Summer Research Fellowship, Duke University ($5,500)
2014 - 2020 James Duke Graduate Fellowship, Duke University ($20,000)
HONORS
2018 - present Psi Chi Society, Duke University
2008 - present Phi Beta Kappa Society, Columbia University
2008 Magna Cum Laude, Columbia University
2004 - 2008 John Jay Scholars Program, Columbia University
2004 - 2008 Dean’s list, Columbia University
2008 - present Phi Beta Kappa Society, Columbia University
2008 Magna Cum Laude, Columbia University
2004 - 2008 John Jay Scholars Program, Columbia University
2004 - 2008 Dean’s list, Columbia University
FUNDED ACTIVITY
2018
Title: Social Emotions: The relationships among emotion dysregulation, empathy, and interpersonal problems in adults ($1,000)
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Charles Lafitte Foundation Program for Research in Duke University Psychology & Neuroscience
2018-2020
Title: Generalizing Mindful Emotion Regulation: Toward a Transdiagnostic Approach to Training Emotion Regulation with Mindfulness ($14,621)
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Mind & Life Institute Varela Grants Program
2018-2020
Title: Emotional Connection: Developing a Mobile Intervention for Social and Emotional Dysfunction ($43,725)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator and Team Leader
Source: Duke Bass Connections Project Teams, Brain and Society Theme
2017
Title: Mindfulness and Empathy: A Matter of Context? ($500)
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: American Psychological Science Student Grant Competition
2016
Title: The Feasibility and Efficacy of a Brief Online Mindfulness Practice ($5,000)
Role: Graduate Student Mentor (PI: Moria Smoski, PhD)
Source: Duke University Vertical Integration Program
2016
Title: Mindfulness in Human Development ($38,060 total)
Role: Research Coordinator (PI: Michele Berger, PI)
Source: Duke University Bass Connections Program
2015
Title: Mobile Technology and Substance Abuse Treatment ($5,000)
Role: Graduate Student Mentor (PI: M. Zachary Rosenthal, PhD)
Source: Duke University Vertical Integration Program
Title: Social Emotions: The relationships among emotion dysregulation, empathy, and interpersonal problems in adults ($1,000)
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Charles Lafitte Foundation Program for Research in Duke University Psychology & Neuroscience
2018-2020
Title: Generalizing Mindful Emotion Regulation: Toward a Transdiagnostic Approach to Training Emotion Regulation with Mindfulness ($14,621)
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: Mind & Life Institute Varela Grants Program
2018-2020
Title: Emotional Connection: Developing a Mobile Intervention for Social and Emotional Dysfunction ($43,725)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator and Team Leader
Source: Duke Bass Connections Project Teams, Brain and Society Theme
2017
Title: Mindfulness and Empathy: A Matter of Context? ($500)
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: American Psychological Science Student Grant Competition
2016
Title: The Feasibility and Efficacy of a Brief Online Mindfulness Practice ($5,000)
Role: Graduate Student Mentor (PI: Moria Smoski, PhD)
Source: Duke University Vertical Integration Program
2016
Title: Mindfulness in Human Development ($38,060 total)
Role: Research Coordinator (PI: Michele Berger, PI)
Source: Duke University Bass Connections Program
2015
Title: Mobile Technology and Substance Abuse Treatment ($5,000)
Role: Graduate Student Mentor (PI: M. Zachary Rosenthal, PhD)
Source: Duke University Vertical Integration Program
PUBLICATIONS
- McMahon, K., Anand, D., Morris-Jones, M., & Rosenthal, M.Z. (2019). A Path from Childhood Sensory Processing Disorder to Anxiety Disorders: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation and Adult Sensory Processing Disorder Symptoms. Journal of Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience.
- Merwin, R., Cuper, P., McMahon, K., & Lynch, T., (2019). Personality Disorders. In Sturmey, P. (Ed.), Functional Analysis in Clinical Treatment: Second Edition. Elsevier, Inc.
- McMahon, K., Kim, K., Fang, C., Neacsiu, A., & Rosenthal, M.Z. (2019). Blinded by Our Emotions: The Impact of Borderline Personality Disorder and Affect on Emotion Recognition Sensitivity. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 10(1), 2043808718818878.
- Kassm, S.A., Hoerte, N., Naja, W., McMahon, K.,…& Limonsin, F., (2019) Metabolic syndrome among older adults with schizophrenia: Prevalence and associated factors in a multicenter study. Psychiatry Research.
- Hoertel, N., Jaffré, C., de Raykeer, RP., McMahon, K.,…& Limosin, F., (2019) Subsyndromal and syndromal depressive symptoms among older adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorder : Prevalence and assicated factors in a multicenter study. Journal of Affective Disorders.
- Rosenthal, M., Wyatt, K., & McMahon, K., (2019). Cognitive Behavioral Approaches. In C. Lejuez & K. Gratz (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personality Disorders. Cambridge University Press.
- McMahon, K., Hoertel, N., Peyre, P., Blanco, C., Fang, C., Limosin, F. (2018). Age differences in DSM-IV borderline personality disorder symptom expression: results from a national study using Item Response Theory (IRT). Journal of Psychiatric Research, 110, 16-23.
- McMahon, K., Hoertel, N., Olson, M.,Wall, M., Wang, S., & Blanco, C. (2018) Childhood maltreatment and Impulsivity as predictors of Interpersonal Violence, Self-Injury and Suicide Attempts: a national study. Psychiatry Research, 269, 386-393.
- McMahon, K. & Rosenthal, M.Z. (2018). Situated Empathy: Applying Contextualism to the Science of Recognizing Other People’s Emotions. In S. Hayes & D.S. Wilson (Eds.), Evolution and Contextual Behavioral Science: An integrated framework for understanding, predicting, and influencing human behavior. Context Press.
- Neacsiu, A., Rompogren, J., Eberle, J., McMahon, K., (2017). Changes in Problematic Anger, Shame, and Disgust in Anxious and Depressed Adults Undergoing Treatment for Emotion Dysregulation. Behavior Therapy, 49(3), 344-359.
- Peyre, H., Hoertel, N., Stordeur, C., Lebau, G., Blanco, C., McMahon, K., Basmaci, R ... & Delorme, R., (2017). Contributing factors and mental health outcomes of first suicide attempt during childhood and adolescence: results from a nationally representative study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 78(6), e622-e630
- McMahon, K., Ruggeri, A., Kämmer, J. E., & Katsikopoulos, K. V. (2016). Beyond Idea Generation: The Power of Groups in Developing Ideas. Creativity Research Journal, 28(3), 247-257.
- McMahon, K., Herr, N., Zerubavel, N., Hoertel, N., Neacsiu, A. (2016). Psychotherapeutic treatment for bipolar depression. Psychiatric Clinics, Vol. 39 (1), p. 35-56.
- Franco, S., Hoertel, N., McMahon, K., Wang, S., Rodríguez-Fernández, J. M., Peyre, H., ... & Blanco, C. (2016). Generalizability of pharmacologic and psychotherapy clinical trial results for posttraumatic stress disorder to community samples. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 77(8), 975-981.
- Gallinat, J., McMahon, K., Kühn, S., Schubert, F., Schaefer, M. (2016). Cross-sectional study of Glutamate in the Anterior Cingulate and Hippocampus in Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 42 (2): 425-433.
- Hoertel, N., Blanco, C., Peyre, H., Wall, M. M., McMahon, K., Gorwood, P., ... & Limosin, F. (2016). Differences in symptom expression between unipolar and bipolar spectrum depression: Results from a nationally representative sample using item response theory (IRT). Journal of Affective Disorders, 204, 24-31.
- Peyre, H., Hoertel, N., Rivollier, F., Landman, B., McMahon, K., Chevance, A., ... & Limosin, F. (2016). Latent class analysis of the feared situations of social anxiety disorder: A population‐based study. Depression and Anxiety, 33(12), 1178-1187.
- McMahon, K., Hoertel, N., Wall, M., Okuda, M., Limosin, F., Blanco, C. (2015) Childhood maltreatment and the risk of intimate partner violence: a nationally representative study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 69: 42-9.
- Hoertel, N., McMahon, K., Olfson, M., Wall, M. M., Rodríguez-Fernández, J. M., Lemogne, C., ... & Blanco, C. (2015). A dimensional liability model of age differences in mental disorder prevalence: Evidence from a national sample. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 64, p. 107-113.
- Olsson, A., McMahon, K., Papenberg, G., Zaki, J., Bolger, N., Ochsner, K.N., (2015) Vicarious fear learning depends on empathy and trait empathy. Psychological Science, 27(1), 25-33.
- McMahon, K., Sparrow, B., Chatman, L., Riddle, T. (2011). Driven to distraction: The impact of distracter type of unconscious decision-making. Social Cognition, Vol. 29, No. 6, 2011, p.683-689.
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
- McMahon, K., (2019, May). Empathy Interventions: Who, what, when and how? Co-Chair and Speaker of symposium at American Psychological Science Conference, Washington, DC.
- McMahon, K. (2018, November). The Opportunities and Limitations of Digital Interventions for Emotional Dysfunction. Moderated panel with Bethany Teachman, Matthew Nock, Zachary Rosenthal and Marcus Rodriguez at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy conference, Washington, DC.
- McMahon, K., Bo, L., Rodriguez, M., Rosenthal, Z. (2017, June). Promoting Mindfulness in Daily Life: A pilot study of smartphone mindfulness reminders in a Chinese population. Poster presented at Mind and Life Summer Research Institute, Garrison, NY.
- McMahon, K., Kwanguk, K., Fang, C., Rosenthal, Z., (2016, Oct). Borderline Empathy: The relationship between affect and emotion recognition in Borderline Personality Disorder. Poster presented at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy conference, New York, NY.
- McMahon, K., Kwanguk, K., Fang, C., Rosenthal, Z., (2016, Jan). Blinded by our Emotions: How Affect Interferes with Emotion Recognition. Poster presented at Society for Personality and Social Psychology conference, San Diego, CA.
- McMahon, K., Kwanguk, K., Fang, C., Rosenthal, Z., (2015, Nov). The relationship between affect and emotion recognition sensitivity. Poster presented at International Society for the Improvement and Teaching of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Chicago, IL.
- McMahon, K. & Blanco, C. (2015, June). The role of compulsive behavior and autism in gaming addiction. Poster presented at Cyberpsychology conference, San Diego, CA.
- McMahon, K. & Sparrow, B. (2010, Jan). The benefits of tuning out: iPods and their effect on decision-making. Poster presented at Society for Personality and Social Psychology conference, Las Vegas, NV.
- Rodriguez, M., McMahon, K., Fang, C., Ramaiya, M., Rosenthal, Z., (2016, Oct). Does Persuasive System Design predict adherence in online mindfulness-based interventions? Poster presented at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy conference, New York, NY.
- Anand, D., Howard, M., Kelley, L., McMahon, K., Rosenthal, Z., (2016, Oct). Sensory Over-Responsivity and Internalizing Disorders- A Preliminary Study. Poster presented at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy conference, New York, NY.
- Bo, L., McMahon, K., Rodriguez, M., Hu, X., Rosenthal, Z. (2015, May). The effects of mindfulness reminders delivered via text messages on emotional functioning in China. Poster presented at American Psychological Science conference, New York, NY.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
8/2014–present
Cognitive Behavioral Research and Therapy Program, Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry
Supervisor: M. Zachary Rosenthal, Ph.D.
8/2013–07/2016
Anxiety Disorders Clinic, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Supervisor: Carlos Blanco, MD.
9/2012–6/2013
Charité Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
Supervisors: Jürgen Gallinat, MD, Ph.D., Simone Kühn, Ph.D.
4/2011–6/2013
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Adaptive Behavior and Cognition (ABC), Berlin, Germany
Supervisors: Azzurra Ruggeri, Ph.D., Konstantinos Katsikopoulos, Ph.D.
10/2008–2/2011
Sparrow Lab, Columbia University, New York, NY
Supervisor: Betsy Sparrow, Ph.D.
6/2007–5/2008
Social Cognition and Neuroscience Lab, Columbia University, New York, NY
Supervisors: Andreas Olsson, Ph.D., Kevin Ochsner, Ph.D.
Cognitive Behavioral Research and Therapy Program, Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry
Supervisor: M. Zachary Rosenthal, Ph.D.
8/2013–07/2016
Anxiety Disorders Clinic, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Supervisor: Carlos Blanco, MD.
9/2012–6/2013
Charité Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Berlin, Germany
Supervisors: Jürgen Gallinat, MD, Ph.D., Simone Kühn, Ph.D.
4/2011–6/2013
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Adaptive Behavior and Cognition (ABC), Berlin, Germany
Supervisors: Azzurra Ruggeri, Ph.D., Konstantinos Katsikopoulos, Ph.D.
10/2008–2/2011
Sparrow Lab, Columbia University, New York, NY
Supervisor: Betsy Sparrow, Ph.D.
6/2007–5/2008
Social Cognition and Neuroscience Lab, Columbia University, New York, NY
Supervisors: Andreas Olsson, Ph.D., Kevin Ochsner, Ph.D.
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
7/2018–present
Program: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Graduate Therapist
Supervisors: Melissa Miller, Ph.D.
6/2018 - present
Program: Duke University Psychology Clinic, Duke University Psychology and Neuroscience Dept.
Role: Clinic Coordinator
Supervisor: Ronald Batson, M.D.
2/2018–4/2018
Program: Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Co-Leader
Supervisor: Noga Zerubavel, Ph.D.
7/2017–7/2018
Program: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Graduate therapist
Supervisor: Rhonda Merwin, Ph.D.
2/2017–present
Program: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Group, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Co-Leader
Supervisors: Andrada Neacsiu, Ph.D. and Melissa Miller, Ph.D.
7/2016–7/2016
Program: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Graduate therapist
Supervisor: Andrada Neacsiu, Ph.D.
8/2015–07/2016
Program: Duke University Psychology Clinic, Duke University Psychology and Neuroscience Dept
Role: Graduate therapist
Supervisor: Ronald Batson, M.D.
Program: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Graduate Therapist
Supervisors: Melissa Miller, Ph.D.
6/2018 - present
Program: Duke University Psychology Clinic, Duke University Psychology and Neuroscience Dept.
Role: Clinic Coordinator
Supervisor: Ronald Batson, M.D.
2/2018–4/2018
Program: Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Co-Leader
Supervisor: Noga Zerubavel, Ph.D.
7/2017–7/2018
Program: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Graduate therapist
Supervisor: Rhonda Merwin, Ph.D.
2/2017–present
Program: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Group, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Co-Leader
Supervisors: Andrada Neacsiu, Ph.D. and Melissa Miller, Ph.D.
7/2016–7/2016
Program: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Duke University Medical Center
Role: Graduate therapist
Supervisor: Andrada Neacsiu, Ph.D.
8/2015–07/2016
Program: Duke University Psychology Clinic, Duke University Psychology and Neuroscience Dept
Role: Graduate therapist
Supervisor: Ronald Batson, M.D.
