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

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

2018 Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health ($82,840)
​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 

FUNDED ACTIVITY

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
 
2018-2019                             
Title: Emotional Connection: Developing a Mobile Intervention for Social and Emotional Dysfunction ($21,725)
Role: Principal Investigator
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

  1. McMahon, K., Kim, K., Fang, C., Neacsiu, A., & Rosenthal, M.Z. Blinded by Our Emotions: Depression and the Impact of Affect on Emotion Recognition Sensitivity. Manuscript under review.
  2. McMahon, K. & Rosenthal, M.Z. 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: A Reunification.
  3. McMahon, K., Hoertel, N., Wall, M., Wang, S., & Blanco, C. (2018) Childhood maltreatment and Impulsivity as predictors of Interpersonal Violence, Self-Injury and Suicide Attempts: A national study. Psychiatric Research. https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1XeizbZg74FLk
  4. 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.        
  5. McMahon, K., Herr, N., Zerubavel, N., Hoertel, N., Neacsiu, A. (2015). Psychotherapeutic treatment for bipolar depression. Psychiatric Clinics of North America Journal, Vol. 39, Issue 1, p. 35-56.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Rosenthal, M., Wyatt, K., & McMahon, K., (2018). Cognitive Behavioral Approaches. In C. Lejuez & K. Gratz (Eds.), Handbook of Personality Disorders.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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, 0956797615604124.
  16. 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.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. McMahon, K. & Blanco, C. (2015, June). The role of compulsive behavior and autism in gaming addiction. Poster presented at Cyberpsychology conference, San Diego, CA.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.

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.

CLINICAL TRAINING

2/2017-4/2017                      
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Instructor: Noga Zerubavel, Ph.D.
Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC
 
2/2017                                   
Treating Obsession in OCD
Instructor: Jeff Sapyta, Ph.D.
Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC
 
9/2016 & 7/2017                   
Dialectical Behavior Training
Instructor: Melissa Miller, Ph.D. & Noga Zerubavel, Ph.D.
Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC
 
9/2015-4/2016                      
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Blended Learning Curriculum
Instructor: Zachary Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC
 
8/2016 & 7/2017                   
Suicide Assessment and Management
Instructor: Andrada Neacsiu, Ph.D. 
Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC
 
8/2016                                   
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Instructor: Kelley Wilson, Ph.D.
Durham, NC
 
8/2015                                   
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression  
Instructor: Judith Beck, Ph.D.
Beck Institute, Philadelphia, PA
 
11/2013                                 
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Instructor: John Forsyth, Ph.D.
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Convention, Nashville, TN
 
11/2013                                 
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
Instructor: John Teasdale, Ph.D.
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Convention, Nashville, TN