Dr. Omar Alhassoon, a distinguished professor at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) and a research scientist at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), is a clinical psychologist who focuses on the neuropsychology of substance use, dementia, and depression. He also runs the Institute of Brain Research and Integrated Neuropsychological Services (https://www.iBRAINs.org). His research has involved the use of neuroimaging techniques to aid our understanding of the neuroscience of substance use disorders, depression, and other neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders. He has published in the areas of multimodal imaging; CNS changes associated with alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin; dementia; late-life depression; and the use of meta-analytical techniques in neuroimaging and neuropsychology. He has a special interest in refugee mental health and discrimination and bias against minoritized groups such as immigrants and individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. He has been working in the areas of clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and psychopharmacology for over 25 years. He has published many peer-reviewed papers and presents regularly at national and international conferences. As an instructor, he teaches undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses in clinical psychology, neuropsychology, psychopharmacology and neuroanatomy. For many years, he was the online education mentor at CSPP and has provided consultation and guidance to faculty developing and teaching online courses and has served on various university technology committees. Dr. Alhassoon earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University. Afterward he received a postdoctoral master’s in clinical psychopharmacology. He has been an active member in several national and international organizations and advisory boards such as: APA Electronic Resources Advisory Committee and the International Neuropsychological Society Global Engagement Committee.
- Research interest: neuropsychology and neuroimaginging in the fields of substance abuse (alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, etc), HIV, personality disorders, and late-life depression, and dementia. Refugee mental health and treatment.
- Clinical specialty: neuropsychological assessment in adults.
- Areas of future expansion: Transgender and bisexual discrimination and refugee mental health and treatment.
- Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology University of California, San Diego/San Diego State U and Postdoctoral Master’s in Clinical Psychopharmacology
- Neuroscientific Basis of Psychopharmacology I: Neurophysiology, Neuroimaging &
- Neuroanatomy
- Neuroscientific Basis of Psychopharmacology II: Neurochemistry and Neuropathology
- Introduction to Psychotherapy
- Neuropsychology
- Biological Basis of Behavior
- Abnormal Psychology
- Behavioral Science Statistics
- History and Systems in Psychology
- Psychology of Terrorism
- Introduction to Psychology
- *Zhang, E., Hauson, A. O., Pollard, A. A., Zelman, D., et al (2025). Lateralized white matter integrity changes across the lifespan in major depression: AES-SDM meta-analysis. Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging, 348, 111960. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0596-6085
- *McCue, M. L., Allard, C. B., Dalenberg, C. J., & Hauson, A. O. (2024). Interpersonal and Trauma-Related Guilt moderate the relationship between intensity of combat experiences and suicidality. Military psychology, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0596-6085
- *Rojas, D., Zelman, D. C., Hauson, A. O., & Alexander, I. (2024). Exploring Cultural Competence, Inclusivity, and Diversity in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy: A Phenomenological Study. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 1–11. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0596-6085
- *Zhang, E., Hauson, A. O., Pollard, A. A., Meis, B., et al(2023). Lateralized grey matter volume changes in adolescents versus adults with major depression: SDM-PSI meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 111691.
- *Barlet, B. D., Hauson, A. O., Pollard, A. A., Zhang, E. Z., et al (2023). Neuropsychological Performance in Alzheimer's Disease versus Late-Life Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Archives of clinical neuropsychology, 38(7), 991–1016.
- *Pollard, A. A., Hauson, A. O., Lackey, N. S., Zhang, E., et al (2023). Functional neuroanatomy of craving in heroin use disorder: Voxel-based meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) drug cue reactivity studies. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1–13.
- Lu, H. C., Gevirtz, R., Yang, C. C., & Hauson, A. O. (2023). Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized-Controlled Study. Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, 48(4), 405–421.
- *Connors, E. J., Hauson, A. O., Barlet, B. D., et al(2021). Neuropsychological assessment and screening in heart failure: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Neuropsychology review, 31(2), 312-330.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0596-6085