Anita DeLongis

Anita DeLongis is a Professor and Associate Head (Graduate Affairs) in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Faculty of Arts. She also holds a position in UBC’s Faculty of Medicine through the International Consortium on Repair Discoveries. Her research focuses on health psychology, stress, family dynamics, and coping mechanisms in chronic illness. Dr. DeLongis earned her PhD in Psychology from UC Berkeley (1985), followed by clinical training at UC San Francisco and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan.

Her work examines stress-socio-relationship interactions, with grants from SSHRC, CIHR, and others. She serves on editorial boards of journals like Health Psychology and Journal of Personality, and holds leadership roles in organizations like the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research. Key awards include the Killam Research Prize (2003) and the 2024 Dean of Arts Mentorship Award.

Research interests include daily stress processes, dyadic coping in chronic illness (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, cancer), and pandemic-related behaviors. Her lab (Centre for Health and Coping Studies) explores topics like genetic testing motivations, Jewish campus experiences, and paramedic stress. She coordinates UBC’s health psychology program and advises graduate students in clinical, social, and health psychology domains.

Awards highlight her mentorship and research impact. Grants supported studies on SARS, H1N1, and pandemic responses. Her lab’s current projects include the Genetic Connections Study and Jewish on Campus Study, addressing contemporary societal challenges through interdisciplinary approaches.