Michael J. Constantino, PhD

Academic Positions

Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2015-present

Adjunct Professor, Smith College School for Social Work, 2020-2023

Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009-2015

Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2004-2009

Education, Training, and Professional Credentials

Psychology Licensure, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2011-present

NIMH Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford University Medical Center, 2002-2004

PhD, The Pennsylvania State University, 2002

Predoctoral Clinical Internship, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, 2001-2002

MA, The Pennsylvania State University, 1999

BA, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1995

Biographical Sketch

Michael J. Constantino earned his BA in Psychology from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo in 1995. He completed his graduate training in Clinical Psychology at The Pennsylvania State University where he earned his MS in 1999 and PhD in 2002. Dr. Constantino completed a predoctoral clinical internship at SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2002. Subsequently, he completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Stanford University Medical Center. This fellowship was funded by a National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) National Research Service Award. In 2004, Dr. Constantino joined the clinical psychology faculty at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), where he currently directs The Psychotherapy Research Lab; teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on psychotherapy research, theory, and practice; and supervises clinicians-in-training. From 2020-2023, Dr. Constantino was also an Adjunct Professor in the School for Social Work at Smith College in Northampton, MA.

Dr. Constantino’s primary scientific contributions include: (1) investigating patient and dyadic characteristics (traits) and longitudinal processes (states) that influence (as predictors, moderators, mediators, or mechanisms) psychosocial treatments; (2) developing, testing, and implementing context-responsive therapeutic interventions of both a theory-specific and pantheoretical nature; (3) establishing, understanding, and prospectively leveraging therapist differences in effectiveness; and (4) developing and testing clinical theory at the intersections of psychotherapy, personality psychology, and social psychology. Across these interrelated foci, his Psychotherapy Research Lab adopts diverse and complementary research designs, uses both quantitative and qualitative analytic methods, and engages multiple mental health care stakeholder groups. 

Dr. Constantino has published extensively both empirical and theoretical articles and chapters (over 220 total) in leading journals and books, respectively. He is also co-author of the 2021 book, The essentials of deliberate practice: Cognitive-behavioral therapy; co-editor of the 2019 book, Principles of change: How psychotherapists implement research findings in practice; and co-editor of the 2024 book, American Psychological Association's Handbook of Psychotherapy. In support of his research program, Dr. Constantino has received as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI ample internal and external grants and contracts (over $7.6M total), including from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and APA Division 29 (Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy).

Additionally, Dr. Constantino's scholarly output has been recognized internationally, including with his receipt of the American Psychological Foundation’s 2007 Early Career Award, the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration’s (SEPI) 2007 New Researcher Award, the Society for Psychotherapy Research’s (SPR) 2010 Outstanding Early Career Achievement Award, the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 29's 2020 Mid-Career Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to the Advancement of Psychotherapy, the University of Massachusetts Amherst 2023 Spotlight Scholar Award, and fellow status (awarded in 2009) in APA and Division 29 of APA. Also, Dr. Constantino and his co-authors were awarded the APA Division 29 Distinguished Publication of Psychotherapy Research Award for their 2012 article published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, "The relation between changes in patients’ interpersonal impact messages and outcome in treatment for chronic depression," and the 2023 Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy's Psyche Award for Most Valuable Paper on Professional Development for their  article published in Clinical Psychology in Europe, "Responding to key process markers as a focus of psychotherapy training and practice."

In addition to his scholarship, Dr. Constantino's commitment to the advancement of psychotherapy and psychotherapy research is exemplified by his involvement in, service to, and governance of SPR and its North American Chapter (NASPR), APA and its Division 29, and SEPI. For SPR, Dr. Constantino chaired the local organizing committee for the 2020 annual international conference in Amherst, MA (canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). For NASPR, Dr. Constantino is a Past-President (2013-2015). He is also hosted the 2023 chapter meeting. Additionally, for multiple SPR/NASPR conferences, Dr. Constantino has been a member of the program and/or award committees. For APA, Dr. Constantino is currently a member of the Advisory Steering Committee for Development of Clinical Practice Guidelines. For APA Division 29, Dr. Constantino is a Past-President (2019). He also served on the Board of Directors as the Early Career Domain Representative, and he is past Chair of the Research Committee and a past member of multiple other committees. For SEPI, Dr. Constantino is a past Chair of the Research Committee, and he has also served on multiple conference program committees. Additionally, Dr. Constantino is an Associate Editor for Psychotherapy and the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. He is also a past Contributing Guest Editor for the Journal of Psychotherapy Integration and a current Consulting Editor for Psychotherapy Research and Cogent Mental Health.

Research Interests

Psychotherapy process, outcome, and integration with adult patients; theory- and practically common treatment factors, including therapist effects, the patient-therapist relationship, therapy-related expectations, corrective experiences, and patient change ambivalence and resistance; measurement-based care; patient-centered research in community mental health centers; psychotherapy training; interpersonal theory; self-concept and psychological adjustment; adult depression and anxiety