معرفی
Kristen M. Abraham is a Professor of Psychology and Department Chair at the University of Detroit Mercy's College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Bowling Green State University with specialized training in community psychology. Her clinical expertise includes psychosocial rehabilitation for serious mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorders), substance use disorders, and cognitive-behavioral therapies.
Abraham directs the Clinical-Community Psychology Research Group, mentoring graduate and undergraduate students in projects related to public mental health systems, healthcare for SMI populations, and peer support specialists' employment experiences. She maintains an active research appointment at the VA Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), leading the national evaluation for the SMI Re-Engage program.
Her research examines socioecological approaches to improving systems affecting individuals with SMI and their families, focusing on:
- Healthcare access disparities and engagement strategies
- Workplace experiences of peer support specialists
- Recovery-oriented care models
- Veterans' mental health services
Publications predominantly explore community mental health interventions (40%), veterans' healthcare systems (30%), and recovery measurement (15%), with emerging work on provider burnout (15%). Recent articles demonstrate strong methodological diversity, combining mixed-methods approaches with implementation science frameworks.
Awarded the Detroit Mercy Faculty Achievement Award (2017), she also serves on editorial boards for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal and Psychological Services. Abraham secured significant grants including an NIMHD R15 Award studying social determinants of healthcare utilization among Detroit SMI patients.
She advises doctoral candidates in clinical psychology and contributes to university initiatives including ReBUILDetroit (College of Engineering) and the Community Development program (School of Architecture).
