Dr Maree Abbott

Educational Qualifications and Employment

PhD (UNSW), M.Clin.Psych. (Macquarie University)

2005 – Current
Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Sydney

2003 – 2005
Royce Abbey Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Fellowship awarded by the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund and undertaken at Macquarie University.

2000-2002
Completed postgraduate studies part-time while working as a Clinical Research Assistant at the Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit.

Professional Affiliations

Registered Psychologist (NSW)
Australian Psychological Society Clinical College, Member
Australian Association of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Member
Anxiety Practitioner’s Network, Member
Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit, External Collaborator

Research Interests

My research interests primarily focus on the nature and treatment of anxiety disorders and on furthering the understanding of ruminative thought processes. In addition I am involved in a range of experimental studies aimed at further understanding the factors maintaining a range of disorders and behaviours including social phobia, generalized anxiety, perfectionism and procrastination and binge eating disorder. I am also involved in a number of studies that look to enhance treatment effectiveness and delivery for social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, child anxiety disorders and victims of school bullying.

Current DCP Teaching

Clinical Internship 1: Lecturer
Adult Psychological Disorders: Lecturer and Course Coordinator
Advanced Adult Psychological Disorders: Course Coordinator
Clinical Internship 2: Lecturer and Clinical Supervisor

Publications

Abbott, M.J., Hutchinson, D.M., & Lovibond, P.F. (submitted). Valence, thematic content and symptom profiles of intrusive cognitions. Manuscript currently under review.

Abbott, M.J., Taft, M., & Lovibond, P. (submitted). Sticky thoughts: Investigations of the non-conscious processes underlying the persistence of intrusive cognitions. Manuscript currently under review.

Lyneham, H.J., Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (submitted). Inter-rater Reliability of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV: Child and Parent Version. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Rapee, R.M., Abbott, M.J., Baillie, A., & Gaston, J.E. (submitted). Treatment of social phobia through pure self help and therapist-augmented self help. Manuscript currently under review.

Nauta, M.H., Abbott, M.J., Boomsma, A., Emmelkamp, P., Rapee, R.M., Scholing, A., Spence, S.H., & Waters, A. (submitted). The Spence Child Anxiety Scale: Psychometric properties in anxiety-disordered children. Manuscript currently under review.

Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (in press). Rumination in response to social threat, physical threat and depression-related events. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry.

Perini, S., Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (in press). Perception of performance as a mediator in the relationship between social anxiety and negative post-event rumination. Cognitive Therapy and Research.

Rapee, R.M., Abbott, M.J., & Lyneham, H.J. (2006). Bibliotherapy for Children with Anxiety Disorders Using Written Materials for Parents: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 436-444.

Rapee, R.M., & Abbott, M.J. (2006). Mental representation of observable attributes in people with social phobia. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 37, 113-126.

Gaston, J.E., Abbott, M.J., Rapee, R.M., & Neary, S. (2006). Do empirically supported treatments generalise to private practice? A benchmark study of a cognitive-behavioural group treatment program for social phobia. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 33-48.

Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2004). Post-event rumination and negative self-appraisals in social phobia before and after treatment. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 113, 136-144.

Nauta, M., Scholing, A., Rapee, R.M., Abbott, M.J., Spence, S., & Waters, A. (2004). A parent-report measure of child anxiety: Psychometric properties and comparison with child-report in a clinic and normal sample. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 813-839.

Sposari, J.A., Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2003). “How I know others think badly of me”: Information-processing biases in social phobia. Behavioral Psychology, 11, 459-481.

Abbott, M., Palmisano, B., & Dickerson, M. (1995). Video Game Playing, Dependency and Delinquency: A Question of Methodology? Special Issue: Slot Machine Gambling, Journal of Gambling Studies, 11(3), 287-301.

Grants

Abbott, M.J. Assessing the impact of attention and task concentration training in the treatment of social phobia and on ruminative thinking styles. University of Sydney Research & Development Grants Scheme, 2006.

Abbott, M.J. Assessing mindfulness training in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. The Australian Rotary Health Research Fund, $180 000, 2003-2005.

Abbott, M.J. Assessing new treatments for generalized anxiety disorder. Macquarie University Early Career Research Grant, $20 000, 2004.

Rapee, R.M., & Abbott, M.J. A randomised controlled trial of bibliotherapy for anxious children. The Australian Rotary Health Research Fund, $100 000, 2002-2003.

Conference and Seminar Presentations

Abbott, M.J. (2006). What’s all the worry about? Advances in understanding and treating generalized anxiety disorder. Invited workshop, Australian Association of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Workshop Series, Sydney, June.

Lyneham, H.J., Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2006). A group treatment program for parents of anxious children: Use of bibliotherapy materials. First Asian Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Conference, Hong Kong, May.

Gaston, J.E., Rapee, R.M., & Abbott, M.J. (2005). Enhancing CBT for adult social phobia. 5 th Annual Anxiety Practitioners Network Conference, Nature, Nurture and Neuroticism, Sydney, October.

Lyneham, H.J. Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2005). Parent group bibliotherapy for child anxiety disorders. 5 th Annual Anxiety Practitioners Network Conference, Nature, Nurture and Neuroticism, Sydney, October.

Abbott, M.J. (2005). What’s all the worry about? Advances in understanding and treating generalized anxiety disorder. Invited address, Anxiety Practitioner’s Network Seminar Series, Sydney, August.

Abbott, M.J., Edwards, S.L., & Rapee, R.M. (2005). Rumination before and after a performance event in social phobia. 28 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy, Melbourne, April.

Abbott, M.J., & Huxter, M. (2005). Comparing mindfulness-based approaches with CBT approaches for the management of generalized anxiety disorder. 28 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy, Melbourne, April.

Groves , S.J., & Abbott, M.J. (2005). Emotions and eating: Assessing the role of affect regulation in the maintenance of binge eating disorder. 28 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy, Melbourne, April.

Lyneham, H.J., Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2005). Parent group supplemented bibliotherapy for child anxiety disorders. 28 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy, Melbourne, April.

Perini, S., Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2005). Percpetion of performance as a mediator in the relationship between social anxiety and negative post-event rumination. 28 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy, Melbourne, April.

Rapee, R.M., Abbott, M.J., & Gaston, J. (2005). Applying recent theory to the treatment of social phobia. Invited address, 28 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy, Melbourne, April.

Gaston, J.E., Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2004). Do empirically supported treatments generalise to private practice? 1-year follow-up of a benchmarking study using a social phobia group program. National Clinical Psychology Conference, Sydney, October.

Abbott, M.J. (2003). Contemporary cognitive behavioural therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Invited Keynote Address, 3 rd Annual Anxiety Practitioners Network Conference, The anxiety disorders: Improving treatment through innovation, Sydney, October.

Abbott, M.J. (2003). How effective is a new treatment for excessive worrying? Invited address to The Rotary Club of North Ryde, Sydney, October.

Abbott, M.J., Edwards, S.L., & Rapee, R.M. (2003). Rumination before and after a Performance Event in Social Phobia. Presented at the 33 rd Annual Congress of the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, Prague, September.

Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M. (2003). Group treatment and self-help approaches to treating child anxiety and adult social phobia: Does co-morbidity affect outcome? Presented at the 33 rd Annual Congress of the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, Prague, September.

Kemp, N., & Abbott, M.J. (2003). Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A preliminary study of a new approach. Presented at the 26 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy, Adelaide, September.

Abbott, M.J., & Rapee, R.M., (2003). Post-event rumination and negative self-appraisal in social phobia before and after treatment. Presented at the 31 st Annual Conference of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, York, July.

Abbott, M.J. (2003). Treating anxiety disorders. Invited speaker at the Rotary District President’s Meeting, Sydney, May.

Abbott, M.J. (2003). Research and treatment of excessive worry and anxiety: The Australian Rotary Health Research Fund Royce Abbey Postdoctoral Fellowship. Invited speaker at the Sydney Rotary Club, Sydney, April.

Abbott, M.J., & Davis, N. (2003). Worry and anxiety: Exposure to feared negative outcomes. Invited colloquia for the Sydney Anxiety Disorders Practice Seminar Series, Sydney, April.

Abbott, M.J. (2002). Self help approaches to treating child anxiety and adult social phobia: Do clients need therapists? Paper presented at the 2 nd Anxiety Practitioners Network Conference. The Anxiety Disorders: Can we deliver more effective treatments to more people? Sydney, November.

Gaston, J., & Abbott, M.J. (2002). Do empirically supported treatments generalise to private practice? A benchmark study using the MUARU social phobia program. Paper presented at the 2 nd Anxiety Practitioners Network Conference. The Anxiety Disorders: Can we deliver more effective treatments to more people? Sydney, November.

Abbott, M., Gaston, J., & Rapee, R. (2002). Bibliotherapy in the treatment of children with anxiety disorders. Presented at the 25 th National Conference of the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Brisbane, July.

Gaston, J., Abbott, M., & Rapee, R. (2002). The effectiveness of group therapy versus bibliotherapy for social phobia. Presented at the 25 th National Conference of the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Brisbane, July.

Abbott, M.J., Gaston, J., & Rapee, R.M. (2002). Bibliotherapy in the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders. Presented at the 3 rd International Conference on Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Brisbane, June.

Abbott, M.J., Gaston, J., & Rapee, R.M. (2002). Results from a controlled trial of bibliotherapy versus group treatment for social phobia. Presented at the 22 nd National Conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, Austin Texas, March.

Rapee, R.M., Abbott, M.J., & Gaston, J. (2002). Bibliotherapy in the treatment of children with anxiety disorders. Presented at the 22 nd National Conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, Austin Texas, March.

Abbott, M., Gaston, J., & Rapee, R. (2001). Bibliotherapy in the treatment of children with anxiety disorders. Presented at the 24 th National Conference of the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Sydney, September.

Gaston, J., Abbott, M., & Rapee, R. (2001). Preliminary results from a controlled trial of bibliotherapy vs group treatment for social phobia. Presented at the 24 th National Conference of the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Sydney, September.

Abbott, M., & Rapee, R. (2001). An experimental investigation of post-event rumination in social phobia. Presented at the World Congress of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Vancouver, July.

Abbott, M., Taft, M., & Lovibond, P. (2001). The persistence of positive and negative intrusive cognitions. Presented at the World Congress of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Vancouver, July.

Rapee, R., Abbott, M., & Gaston, J. (2001). Bibliotherapy in the treatment of children with anxiety disorders. Presented at the World Congress of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Vancouver, July.

Rapee, R., Abbott, M., & Gaston, J. (2001). Preliminary results from a controlled trial of bibliotherapy vs group treatment for social phobia. Presented at the World Congress of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Vancouver, July.

Abbott, M.J., & Gaston, J. (2001). Preliminary data on self-guided approaches in the treatment of social phobia. Presented at the 1 st Anxiety Practitioners Network Conference, Sydney.

Abbott, M., Lovibond, P., & Taft, M. (2000). The persistence of intrusive cognitions in a non-clinical population. Paper presented at the 23 rd National Conference of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy, Melbourne, April.

Abbott, M. (1999). The persistence of positive and negative intrusive cognitions. Presented at the Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit Seminar Series, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, October.

Abbott, M., Taft, M., & Lovibond, P. (1997). Negative intrusive cognitions: Differential decay rates of emotional and neutral words, British Psychological Society Postgraduate Conference, Plymouth, July.

Abbott, M., Taft, M., & Lovibond, P. (1997). Uncontrollable positive and negative intrusive cognitions: The relationship between intrusion content and information processing, 25th Annual Conference for the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, Canterbury, July.

Abbott, M., Taft, M., & Lovibond, P. (1997). A novel priming methodology for the investigation of negative intrusive cognitions. British Experimental Psychology Society Conference, Cardiff, July.

Abbott, M., Taft, M., & Lovibond, P. (1996). An experimental investigation of the persistence of negative intrusive cognitions. 19th National Conference of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy, Manly, July.

Abbott, M., & Taft, M. (1996). Blocked pseudohomophone priming as a method for investigating the maintenance of negative intrusive cognitions. 23rd Annual Experimental Psychology Conference, Perth, April.

Abbott, M., & Dickerson, M. (1994). Uncontrollability of Positive and Negative Intrusive Cognitions: A Semantic Network Approach. 29th Annual Australian Psychological Society Conference, Wollongong, September.

Invited speaker at conferences, seminars and University Colloquia

Abbott, M.J. (2006). What’s all the worry about? Advances in understanding and treating generalized anxiety disorder. Invited workshop, Australian Association of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Workshop Series, Sydney, June.

Abbott, M.J. (2005). What’s all the worry about? Advances in understanding and treating generalized anxiety disorder. Invited address, Anxiety Practitioner’s Network Seminar Series, Sydney, August.

Rapee, R.M., Abbott, M.J., & Gaston, J. (2005). Applying recent theory to the treatment of social phobia. Invited address, 28 th National Conference of the Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapy, Melbourne, April.

Abbott, M.J. (2003). Contemporary cognitive behavioural therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Invited Keynote Address, 3 rd Annual Anxiety Practitioners Network Conference, The anxiety disorders: Improving treatment through innovation, Sydney, October.

Rapee, R.M., & Abbott, M.J. (2002). Rumination in social phobia. Invited speaker at the Cognition and Emotion Symposium in honour of M.W. Eysenck, Department of Psychology, University of New South Wales.

Abbott, M.J. (2000). The uncontrollability of positive and negative intrusive cognitions. Invited speaker at the School of Psychology Colloquium Series, University of New South Wales, November.

Abbott, M.J. (2000). The uncontrollability of positive and negative intrusive cognitions. Invited speaker at the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science Seminar Series, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, June.

Abbott, M. (1999). The persistence of positive and negative intrusive cognitions. Presented at the Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit Seminar Series, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, October.

Abbott, M. (1997). Uncontrollable intrusive cognitions: Differences in information-processing between individuals with positive, negative or no intrusions. Presented at the Cognition and Emotion Seminar, Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University, July.

Awards and Scholarships

Awarded the Royce Abbey Postdoctoral Fellowship by the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund ($180 000 over a three-year period), 2003-2005

Awarded an Ansett Travel Award at the University of New South Wales, 1995

Received an Australian Postgraduate Research Award at the University of New South Wales, 1994

Awarded the University Medal from the University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, 1994

Awarded the Australian Psychological Society Prize for first place in the Psychology Honours year at the University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, 1994

Awarded the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts Award for first place in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, 1994

Student Research Supervision