Timothy J. Williamson
Assistant Professor of Psychology | Psychological Science
Biography
Dr. Williamson is also a licensed clinical psychologist with additional training in psychosocial oncology and public health. As part of his clinical training, Dr. Williamson taught mindfulness and delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to individuals and couples in hospitals and community-based mental health clinics. Dr. Williamson has worked in a variety of behavioral medicine settings, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Weill Cornell Pediatric Sleep & Breathing Disorders Center, and the UCLA Cystic Fibrosis Center.
Dr. Williamson teaches courses at LMU in health psychology, psychopathology, and statistical methods for psychology. Dr. Williamson is committed to mentorship and providing students with learning experiences that promote self-reflection and deep understanding.
Education
University of California,
Ph.D.
Clinical Health Psychology
2019
Weill Cornell Medicine/New York-Presbyterian Hospital,
Predoctoral Internship
2019
University of California,
M.A.
Psychology
2014
Claremont Graduate University
MPH
Health Promotion, Education, and Evaluation
2013
Pitzer College
B.A.
Psychology
2013
Areas of Expertise
Links
Research Focus
Description of the PRRISM Research Lab:
The Psychosocial Risk & Resilience In Stress & Medicine (PRRISM) Research Lab focuses on a central theme of understanding how to reduce stress, stigma, and social adversity and improve health and well-being. Dr. Williamson and other members of the PRRISM lab study how some psychological and social factors can increase risk for poor health outcomes, whereas others can promote resilience in the face of stressors, including chronic medical diseases such as cancer.
Active lines of research include: 1) understanding and reducing the stigma experienced by adults with lung cancer; 2) testing the experimental effects of self-compassion and mindfulness on outcomes such as distress, shame, and social disconnection; and 3) clarifying the biobehavioral pathways through which stress and stigma confer risk for negative mental and physical health outcomes.
Articles
Facets of stigma, self-compassion, and health-related adjustment to lung cancer: A longitudinal study
Health Psychology (2022)Williamson, T. J., Garon, E. B., Shapiro, J. R., Chavira, D. A., Goldman, J. W., & Stanton, A. L. (2022). Facets of stigma, self-compassion, and health-related adjustment to lung cancer: A longitudinal study. Health Psychology, 41(4), 301-310. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001156.
Reducing stigma triggered by assessing smoking status among patients diagnosed with lung cancer: De-stigmatizing do and don’t lessons learned from qualitative interviews
Patient Education & Counseling Innovation (2022)Ostroff, J. S., Banerjee, S. C., Lynch, K., Shen, M. J., Williamson, T. J., Haque, N., Riley, K., Hamann, H. A., Rigney, M., & Park, B. (2022). Reducing stigma triggered by assessing smoking status among patients diagnosed with lung cancer: De-stigmatizing do and don’t lessons learned from qualitative interviews. Patient Education & Counseling Innovation, 2, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecinn.2022.100025.
Oncology care provider (OCP) training in empathic communication skills to reduce lung cancer stigma
CHEST (2021)Banerjee, S. C., Haque, N., Schofield, E. A., Williamson, T. J., Martin, C. M., Bylund, C. L., Shen, M. J., Rigney, M., Hamann, H. A., Parker, P. A., McFarland, D. C., Park, B. J., Molena, D., Moreno, A., & Ostroff, J. S. (2021). Oncology care provider (OCP) training in empathic communication skills to reduce lung cancer stigma. CHEST, 159(5), 2040-2049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2020.11.024.
Evaluating associations between patient-reported stigma, anxiety, and depressive symptoms and the absence of empathic opportunities presented during clinical consultations for lung cancer
Patient Education and Counseling (2021)Williamson, T. J., Ostroff, J. S., Martin, C. M., Banerjee, S. C., Bylund, C. L., Hamann, H. A., & Shen, M. J. (2021). Evaluating associations between patient-reported stigma, anxiety, and depressive symptoms and the absence of empathic opportunities presented during clinical consultations for lung cancer. Patient Education and Counseling, 104(2), 322-328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.08.005.
Transitions in coping profiles after breast cancer diagnosis: Implications for depressive and physical symptoms
Journal of Behavioral Medicine (2021)Kim, J. H. J, Bright, E. E., Williamson, T. J., Krull, J. L., Weihs, K. L, & Stanton, A. L. (2021) Transitions in coping profiles after breast cancer diagnosis: Implications for depressive and physical symptoms. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 44(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00159-w.
Lung cancer stigma then and now: Continued challenges amid a landscape of progress
Journal of Thoracic Oncology (2021)Hamann, H. A., Williamson, T. J., Studts, J. L., & Ostroff J. S. (2021). Lung cancer stigma then and now: Continued challenges amid a landscape of progress. Journal of Thoracic Oncology, 16(1), 17-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2020.10.017.
Changing the language of smoking behavior: Implications for reducing stigma, restoring dignity, and improving the precision of scientific communication
Nicotine & Tobacco Research (2020)Williamson, T. J., Riley, K. E., Carter-Harris, L. & Ostroff, J. S. (2020). Changing the language of smoking behavior: Implications for reducing stigma, restoring dignity, and improving the precision of scientific communication. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 22(12), 2280-2282. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa141.
Dispositional shame and guilt as predictors of depressive symptoms and anxiety among adults with lung cancer: The mediational role of internalized stigma
Stigma and Health (2020)Williamson, T. J., Ostroff, J. S., Haque, N., Martin, C. M., Hamann, H. A., Banerjee, S. C., & Shen, M. J. (2020). Dispositional shame and guilt as predictors of depressive symptoms and anxiety among adults with lung cancer: The mediational role of internalized stigma. Stigma and Health. 5(4), 425-433. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000214.
Lung cancer stigma: Does smoking history matter?
Annals of Behavioral Medicine (2020)Williamson, T. J., Kwon, D. M., Riley, K. E., Shen, M. J., Hamann, H. A., & Ostroff, J. S. (2020). Lung cancer stigma: Does smoking history matter? Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 54(7), 535-540. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaz063.
Lung cancer stigma and depression: Validation of the Lung Cancer Stigma Inventory
Psycho-Oncology (2019)Ostroff, J. S., Riley, K. E., Shen, M. J., Atkinson, T. M., Williamson, T. J., & Hamann, H. A. (2019) Lung cancer stigma and depression: Validation of the Lung Cancer Stigma Inventory. Psycho-Oncology, 28(5), 1011-1017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pon.5033.
Treatment features associated with youth cognitive behavioral therapy follow-up effects for internalizing disorders: A meta-analysis
Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (2019)Sun, M., Rith-Najarian, L. R., Williamson, T. J., & Chorpita, B. F. (2019). Treatment features associated with youth cognitive behavioral therapy follow-up effects for internalizing disorders: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 48, S269-S283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2018.1443459.
Low concordance of patient-reported outcomes with clinical and clinical trial documentation
JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics (2018)Fares, C. M., Williamson, T. J., Theisen, M. K., Cummings, A., Bornazyan, K., Carroll, J., Spiegel, M. L., Stanton, A. L., & Garon, E. B. (2018). Low concordance of patient-reported outcomes with clinical and clinical trial documentation. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics. https://doi.org/10.1200/CCI.18.00059.
A longitudinal investigation of internalized stigma, constrained disclosure, and quality of life across 12 weeks in lung cancer patients on active oncologic treatment
Journal of Thoracic Oncology (2018)Williamson, T. J., Choi, A. K., Kim, J. C., Garon, E. B., Shapiro, J. R., Irwin, M. R., Goldman, J. W., Bornyazan, K., Carroll, J. M., & Stanton, A. L. (2018). A longitudinal investigation of internalized stigma, constrained disclosure, and quality of life across 12 weeks in lung cancer patients on active oncologic treatment. Journal of Thoracic Oncology, 13(9), 1284-1293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2018.06.018.
Effects of social exclusion on subsequent stress reactivity to social evaluation
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine (2018)Williamson, T. J., Thomas, K. T., Eisenberger, N. I., & Stanton, A. L. (2018). Effects of social exclusion on subsequent stress reactivity to social evaluation. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 25(4), 410-420. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12529-018-9720-5.
Metastatic Breast Cancer Collateral Damage Project (MBCCD): Scale development and preliminary results of the Survey of Health, Impact, Needs, and Experiences (SHINE)
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (2018)Williamson, T. J., Love, S. M., Clague DeHart, J. N., Jorge-Miller, A., Eshraghi, L., Cooper Ortner, H., & Stanton, A. L. (2018). Metastatic Breast Cancer Collateral Damage Project (MBCCD): Scale development and preliminary results of the Survey of Health, Impact, Needs, and Experiences (SHINE). Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 171, 75-84. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-018-4823-x.
Chronic physiologic effects of stress among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Psychosomatic Medicine (2018)Mays, V. M., Juster, R. P, Williamson, T. J., Seeman, T. E., & Cochran, S. D. (2018). Chronic physiologic effects of stress among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Psychosomatic Medicine, 80(6), 551-563. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000600.
Sociodemographic, medical, and psychosocial factors associated with supportive care needs in adults diagnosed with uveal melanoma
JAMA Ophthalmology (2018)Williamson, T. J., Jorge-Miller, A., McCannel, T. A., Beran, T. M., & Stanton, A. L. (2018). Sociodemographic, medical, and psychosocial factors associated with supportive care needs in adults diagnosed with uveal melanoma. JAMA Ophthalmology, 136(4), 356-363. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2018.0019.
Effects of social adversity and HIV on subcortical shape and neurocognitive function
Brain Imaging and Behavior (2018)Thames, A. D., Kuhn, T. P., Mahmood, Z., Bilder, R. M., Williamson, T. J., Singer, E. J., & Arentoft, A. (2018). Effects of social adversity and HIV on subcortical shape and neurocognitive function. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 12(1), 96-108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11682-017-9676-0.
Helping yourself by offering help: Mediators of expressive helping for hematopoietic stem-cell transplant survivor
Annals of Behavioral Medicine (2017)Williamson, T. J., Stanton, A. L., Austin, J. E., Valdimarsdottir, H. B., Wu, L. M., Krull, J. L., & Rini, C. R. (2017). Helping yourself by offering help: Mediators of expressive helping for hematopoietic stem-cell transplant survivors. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 51(5), 683-693. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12160-017-9892-2.
Differential relationships between social adversity and depressive symptoms by HIV-status and racial/ethnic identity
Health Psychology (2017)Williamson, T. J., Mahmood, Z., Kuhn, T. P., & Thames, A. D. (2017). Differential relationships between social adversity and depressive symptoms by HIV-status and racial/ethnic identity. Health Psychology, 36(2), 133-142. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/hea0000458.
Marijuana effects on changes in brain structure and cognitive function among HIV+ and HIV- adults
Drug and Alcohol Dependence (2017)Thames, A. D., Kuhn, T. K., Williamson, T. J., Jones, J. D., Mahmood, Z., & Hammond, A. M. (2017). Marijuana effects on changes in brain structure and cognitive function among HIV+ and HIV- adults. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 170, 120-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.11.007.
Post-traumatic disorder symptoms and blunted diurnal cortisol production in partners of prostate cancer patients
Psychoneuroendocrinology (2012)Thomas, K. S., Bower, J. E., Williamson, T. J., Hoyt, M. A., Wellisch, D., Stanton, A. L., & Irwin, M. (2012). Post-traumatic disorder symptoms and blunted diurnal cortisol production in partners of prostate cancer patients. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 37(8), 1181-1190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.12.008.
