CURRICULUM VITAE
Majed A. Ashy, Ph.D.
Office Address:
Tel: 617-855-2939
FAX: 617-855-3712
E-mail: mashy@mclean.harvard.edu
Education
1994
B.A.
1997
M.A.
2003
Ph.D.
Human Development
Subspecialty: Health Psychology
Dissertation: Childhood Experiences, Social Interactions, and Physical Health
Postdoctoral Training
2003- Research Fellowship in Psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry
Developmental Biopsychiatry Program
Director: Martin H. Teicher, M.D., Ph.D.
Academic Appointments
2000- 2003 Pre-doctoral Lecturer in Psychology
2003-2004 Lecturer in Psychology
2003- Research Fellow in Psychiatry
2004 Lecturer in Psychology
University of Massachusetts-Boston
2006- Lecturer in Anthropology of Health and Illness
Bay
2006- Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology
2006- Senior Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology
Online and On Ground Courses
Northeastern University
2005- Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology
Bay
2005- Adjunct Lecturer in Medical Anthropology
Bay
Teaching Experience
Taught more than 45 courses in Introductory Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Psychology of Personality, Developmental Psychology, Psychology of Aging, Motivation, Medical Anthropology, Statistics for Behavioral Sciences, and Abnormal Psychology to both undergraduate and adult students. Class size ranged from 10 to 250 students.
Current Research
Activities
2001- Developmental Biopsychiatry Research Program
Department of Psychiatry
Research Fellow in Psychiatry
Under the supervision of Dr. Martin Teicher, we are conducting several studies examining the effects of early stress on brain development and various physiological functions. The primary mission of the program is to explore the etiology and treatment of psychiatric disorders that arise during development. This is a multifaceted research program spanning both clinical and preclinical brain sciences. Among the technologies used in these studies are MRI, fMRI, DTI, BOLD, IMMAT, EEG, and SPECT.
1996- Family Violence Research Group
Department of Psychology
Under the supervision of Dr. Kathleen Malley-Morrison, we are conducting research examining cross-cultural definitions, attitudes, and implicit theories of abuse. In addition, our team is examining cross-cultural attitudes towards mental illness (e.g., attitudes towards mental illness in the Arabic culture). Our lab was highly productive (numerous conference presentations, posters, symposiums, journal publications, and books). Currently, I am exploring the relationship between childhood experiences of maltreatment and limbic system dysfunction. I am also exploring the relationship between attachment style, experiences of maltreatment, and medical conditions. In addition, I am doing research examining the neurobiological bases of forgiveness, apology, and reconciliation and personality and cross cultural factors influencing these behaviors.
Editorial Board
Membership
On the Editorial Board of Pedagogy and the Human Sciences Journal
http://www.pedagogyandpsychology.org/
Inventions
Psychometric Pen and Pad
Patent Application in Process
Certification
2003 Certified in Smoking Prevention Treatment
Medical Courses
1986-1994 Medical Program,
Biology I, II; General Chemistry I, II; Organic Chemistry I, II; Inorganic Chemistry; Physics I, II; Calculus; Human Physiology; Biochemistry; Anatomy; Histology; Embryology; Medical Statistics; Medical Ethics; and Behavioral Medicine
Awards and Honors
1992 Golden Key National Honor Society Membership
1994 B.A. in Psychology with Distinction (i.e., completed senior thesis)
Graduated Cum Laude
1994-2004 Full Scholarship
Ministry of Higher Education
1997 Scholarship
2002 Who's Who Among American Teachers
Nominated by BU students
2004 Five time recipient of Certificate of
Appreciation from
Invited Presentations
2007 Kathleen
Malley-Morrison Research Group,
Psychological issues in apology and
forgiveness
2004 Brenda
Bemporad, Ph.D., Research group
Childhood experiences, social interactions,
and physical health
2002
Associations Between Childhood Experiences With Parental Aggression and
Later Health Problems
2002 Department of Psychology Colloquium
The association between childhood experiences, social interactions, and physical health
1999 Invited
Speaker at the
Behavioral Modification and Orphans
1997 Speaker, Master of Arts Graduation Ceremony,
1995 Invited Speaker in the Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Program,
Supervised graduate and undergraduate students
at Boston University
2004 Co-supervised several undergraduate distinction theses
2002-2003 Co-supervised graduate students’ conducting independent research.
2001- Supervised the training of several volunteer undergraduate researcher and teaching assistants
Publications
Ashy, M. (1999). Health and illness from an Islamic perspective.
Journal of Religion and Health, 38 (3), 241-258.
Ashy, M. (2004). Perspectives from
(Editor). International
perspectives on family violence and abuse.
Arai, M., Malley-Morrison, K., Ashy, M., Farell, D., Rabi, K., Roach, E., Shahab, M., Takagi, S., Titiz, H., Yalcankaya, A. & Zavieri, T. (2005). International Perspectives on Sibling Abuse. International Psychology, 9 (2).
Malley-Morrison, K. &
Ashy, M. (2005). The social construction of hurting, helping, and healing. PsycCRITIQUES: Contemporary Psychology APA Review of
Books.
A review of Forced Migration and Mental Health: Rethinking the Care
of Refugees and Displaced Persons by David Ingleby,
Ed.
Teicher, M., Samson, J., Tomoda,
A., Ashy, M., & Andersen, S.
(2006). Neurobiological and Behavioral Consequences of Exposure to
Childhood Traumatic Stress. In Bengt B. Arnetz and Rolf Ekman (Editors). Stress in Health and Disease. KGaA, Weinheim : WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co.
Ashy, M & Malley-Morrison
(2007). Attitudes towards war in the
Grassi-Olivera, R., Ashy, M.,
& Milnitsky Stein, L. (Submitted 2007).
Psychobiology of childhood maltreatment: Effects of allostatic
load? Child Maltreatment.
Ashy, M. (2007). The forgiving brain. Peace Psychology Newsletter.
Ashy, M. (2007). Human Behavior and Human Nature (in Arabic). Jeddah: Treasures of Knowledge Publishing Company.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Ashy, M. (1997). The relationship of empathy to acceptance of others, self
esteem, and dogmatism. Eastern Psychological Association,
Ashy, M. (1997). Islamic psychology: A part in the history of psychology.
American Psychological Association,
Ashy, M. (1997). The Heaven’s Gate in the light of individual psychology. New
Ashy, M. (1998). Princess Diana and the people: The development of the
relationship and public figure abuse. Poster presented in the American
Psychological Society Convention.
Ashy, M. (1998). Conflict resolution: A comparison between Arabic and Western
cultures. Invited symposium chaired by Malley-Morrison, K. Eastern Psychological
Association,
Malley-Morrison, K., Arai, M., Jang, M., Lim, L., Ashy, M., & Yalcinkaya, A.
(1999). Conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues in cross-cultural
research: Applications to conceptions of elder mistreatment. Paper presented at
the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association,
Ashy, M. (2000). Relationship between childhood experiences of abuse and
physical health. American Psychological Association,
Ashy, M. (2001). From childhood experiences to physical illness. Poster
presented in the American Psychological Association convention.
Ashy, M. (2002). Cross cultural issues in psychological research. Symposium
chaired by Malley-Morrison, K., and presented at the American Psychological
Association,
Boston, MA.
Ashy, M. (2002). Implicit theories of family aggression: Implicit theories of
abuse in the Koran. Symposium chaired by Malley-Morrison, K., and presented at
the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association,
Ashy, M. (2003). International roles for psychologists and psychology
graduate students. Symposium chaired by Patterson, M., and presented at the
American Psychological Association,
Ashy, M. (2003). Psychology and human rights: A Middle Eastern perspective.
Symposium co-chaired by Patterson, M. and Malley-Morrison, K., and presented at
the American Psychological Association,
Ashy, M. (2003). Political developmental psychology: The development of
political thinking in the Arab World in Comparison to
at the International Society of Political Psychology,
Ashy, M., Malley-Morrison, K., Teicher, M., & Kim, J. (2003). Limbic
system dysfunctions: Childhood maltreatment and physical symptoms in adulthood.
Paper presented at the American Psychological Association,
Ashy, M., Malley-Morrison, K., Teicher, M., & Kim, J. (2003).The
association between sibling maltreatment, limbic system, and physical symptoms.
Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Association convention.
Ashy, M. (2005). Child Maltreatment and Developmental Neurotheology. Poster
presented in the American Psychological Association convention.
Rapoza, K., Espinal, N., Ashy, M., & Malley-Morrison, K. (2007). Do Experiences of Childhood Abuse and Anger Style Predict Adult Physical Health? Poster presented at the American Psychological Association convention.
Rating Scale
Development
Ashy, M. (2000). The Ashy Health Inventory (AHI): self-report assessment of
physical symptoms in young adults.
Ashy, M. & Malley-Morrison, K. and associates (2000). Cross-Cultural Definitions of Maltreatment (Arabic Version) (CCDMA): self-report assessment of implicit theories of definitions of maltreatment. Posted at
(http://people.bu.edu/jdgmnts/ar4.html).
Ashy, M. & Malley-Morrison, K. and associates (2006). Apology, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation (AFR): Self-report assessment of implicit attitudes and theories of definitions of apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
In addition, I have translated various clinical measures and personality questionnaires into Arabic and collected normative data (including measures of suicidal tendencies, depressive and anxiety symptoms, hostility, and ADHD).
Volunteer and other
Honors and Positions
1986 Student of the Year
1986 Quranic Award
1991 Student of the Year, Language & Culture Institute
1991 Student Representative in the Student Government,
1986, 1991-1993 The
Department of Hematology
Laboratory Assistant
1991-1993
Patient Assistance
Massachusetts Institute For The Blind
Volunteer Counselor
The
Sounding Board Member
Language Skills
Fluent speaker in English
Native speaker of both classical and dialectic Arabic
Finished one year of French and proceeding in learning
References
Available upon request