Isaac Ahuvia
Postdoctoral Fellow
Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Northwestern University
About
Isaac Ahuvia is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (CBITs) at Northwestern University and an instructor at Harvard University. His research investigates mental illness identity, the online spaces that shape it, and ways to promote healthier ways of understanding mental health and illness. His research has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Inside Higher Ed, and Mad in America. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University, and completed his clinical internship in the VA Boston Healthcare System. Before studying in clinical psychology, Isaac studied sociology at the University of Michigan and conducted public policy research at the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab.
- Mental illness identity
- Cultural beliefs about mental illness
- Healthier ways to think and talk about mental illness
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
Stony Brook University
M.A. in Psychology
Stony Brook University
B.A. in Sociology
University of Michigan
Research
For a complete and up-to-date listing of published and pre-registered projects, see Isaac’s Google Scholar and OSF pages. For more information on ongoing studies, feel free to reach out via email.
Selected Publications
Ahuvia, I., & Link, B. (2025). The Mental Illness Self-Labeling Model: A Conceptual Model for Studying the Effects of Mental Illness Self-Labeling on Clinical Outcomes. Clinical Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026251338829 https://psyarxiv.com/nye7s
Ahuvia, I., Schleider, J., Kneeland, E., Moser, J., & Schroder, H. (2024). Depression Self-Labeling in U.S. College Students: Associations with Perceived Control and Coping Strategies. Journal of Affective Disorders, 351, 202-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.229 https://psyarxiv.com/jqrhu
Ahuvia, I., Gurbuz, E., Cuda, J., Kapp, S., Houck, A., Gates, J., Schleider, J., & Gurba, A. (2026). Identifying as Autistic Without a Formal Diagnosis: Who Self-Identifies and Why? Autism in Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1177/25739581251409920 https://psyarxiv/8bsyz
Ahuvia, I., Sotomayor, I., Kwong, K., Lam, F., Mirza, A., & Schleider, J. (2024). Studying Causal Beliefs About Mental Illness: A Scoping Review. Social Science and Medicine, 116670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116670 https://psyarxiv.com/x58pw
Ahuvia, I., Mullarkey, M., Sung, J., Fox, K., & Schleider, J. (2023). Evaluating a Treatment Selection Approach for Online Single-Session Interventions for Adolescent Depression. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 64(12)* 1679-1688. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13822 https://psyarxiv.com/nekhw
Ahuvia, I., Jans, L., & Schleider, J. (2022). Secondary Effects of Body Dissatisfaction Interventions on Depression: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 55(2), 231-246. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23659 https://psyarxiv.com/6rycq
Teaching
The Social Construction of Mental Illness
This original course, currently offered as a junior tutorial in the Harvard University Department of Psychology (and formerly at Stony Brook University), explores the way that mental illness is constructed and the consequences of this construction on affected individuals. Topics include different ways of defining mental illness, diagnosis, stigma, medicalization, and more.
R for Statistical Programming
Isaac has also developed and delivered materials aimed at introducing students and researchers to the statistical programming language R.
Consulting
Consulting services are available for research teams and anybody else interested in making the most of their data. For more information, please contact me using the email at the bottom of this page.
Photography
