Dr. Britton earned a B.A. in Neuroscience from Colgate University in 1996 and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology form the University of Arizona in 2007. She is the recipient of two National Research Service Awards (NRSA) and a Career Development Award (CDA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is currently the Director of Brown’s Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory which investigates the psychophysiological (EEG, EMG, EKG) and neurocognitive effects of cognitive training and mindfulness-based interventions for mood and anxiety disorders. Research questions investigate which cognitive training practices are best or worst suited for which types of conditions and why, moderators of treatment outcome, practice-specific effects, and adverse effects. Current NIH-funded studies include a 3-armed RCT entitled “Dismantling Mindfulness” that compares the effects of three different types of meditation training programs on pre-frontal cortex functioning in depression; and a collaborative infrastructure grant (UH2) with Harvard and UMASS entitled “Mindfulness Influences on Self-Regulation: Mental and Physical Health Implications”. An interdisciplinary qualitative study entitled “The Varieties of Contemplative Experience,” is investigating under-reported and potentially challenging, distressing or impairing meditation-related effects.
As a clinician, she has been trained as an instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and has taught mindfulness to both clinical and non-clinical populations, and in federally-funded clinical trials.
| de Jong M, Peeters F, Gard T, Ashih H, Doorley J, Walker R, Rhoades L, Kulich RJ, Kueppenbender KD, Alpert JE, Hoge EA, Britton WB, Lazar SW, Fava M, Mischoulon D A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Unipolar Depression in Patients With Chronic Pain.. J. Clin. Psychiatry. 2017; |
| Rojiani, Rahil, Santoyo, Juan F., Rahrig, Hadley, Roth, Harold D., Britton, Willoughby B. Women Benefit More Than Men in Response to College-based Meditation Training. Frontiers in Psychology/Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2017; 8 |
| Loucks, Eric B., Gilman, Stephen E., Britton, Willoughby B., Gutman, Roee, Eaton, Charles B., Buka, Stephen L. Associations of Mindfulness with Glucose Regulation and Diabetes. Am J Hlth Behav. 2016; 40 (2) : 258-267. |
| Loucks, Eric B., Britton, Willoughby B., Howe, Chanelle J., Gutman, Roee, Gilman, Stephen E., Brewer, Judson, Eaton, Charles B., Buka, Stephen L. Associations of Dispositional Mindfulness with Obesity and Central Adiposity: the New England Family Study.. Int.J. Behav. Med./Int.J. Behav. Med.. 2015; 23 (2) : 224-233. |
| Van Dam NT, Brown A, Mole TB, Davis JH, Britton WB, Brewer JA Development and Validation of the Behavioral Tendencies Questionnaire.. PLoS ONE. 2015; 10 (11) : e0140867. |
| Loucks, Eric B., Schuman-Olivier, Zev, Britton, Willoughby B., Fresco, David M., Desbordes, Gaelle, Brewer, Judson A., Fulwiler, Carl Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: State of the Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Theoretical Framework. Current Cardiology Reports. 2015; 17 (12) : 112. |
| Lindahl, Jared R., Kaplan, Christopher T., Winget, Evan M., Britton, Willoughby B. A phenomenology of meditation-induced light experiences: traditional buddhist and neurobiological perspectives.. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2014; 4 : 973. |
| Britton WB, Lepp NE, Niles HF, Rocha T, Fisher NE, Gold JS A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children.. Journal of school psychology. 2014; 52 (3) : 263-78. |
| Loucks EB, Britton WB, Howe CJ, Eaton CB, Buka SL Positive Associations of Dispositional Mindfulness with Cardiovascular Health: the New England Family Study. Int.J. Behav. Med./Int.J. Behav. Med.. 2014; 22 (4) : 540-50. |
| Britton WB, Lindahl JR, Cahn BR, Davis JH, Goldman RE Awakening is not a metaphor: the effects of Buddhist meditation practices on basic wakefulness.. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2013; 1307 (1) : 64-81. |
| Capecelatro MR, Sacchet MD, Hitchcock PF, Miller SM, Britton WB Major depression duration reduces appetitive word use: an elaborated verbal recall of emotional photographs.. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2013; 47 (6) : 809-15. |
| Roberts-Wolfe D, Sacchet MD, Hastings E, Roth H, Britton W Mindfulness training alters emotional memory recall compared to active controls: support for an emotional information processing model of mindfulness.. Frontiers in human neuroscience. 2012; 6 : 15. |
| Britton WB, Shahar B, Szepsenwol O, Jacobs WJ Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves emotional reactivity to social stress: results from a randomized controlled trial.. Behavior Therapy. 2012; 43 (2) : 365-80. |
| Britton WB, Haynes PL, Fridel KW, Bootzin RR Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves polysomnographic and subjective sleep profiles in antidepressant users with sleep complaints.. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics. 2012; 81 (5) : 296-304. |
| de Dios MA, Herman DS, Britton WB, Hagerty CE, Anderson BJ, Stein MD Motivational and mindfulness intervention for young adult female marijuana users.. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2012; 42 (1) : 56-64. |
| Silverstein RG, Brown AC, Roth HD, Britton WB Effects of mindfulness training on body awareness to sexual stimuli: implications for female sexual dysfunction.. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2011; 73 (9) : 817-25. |
| Britton WB, Haynes PL, Fridel KW, Bootzin RR Polysomnographic and subjective profiles of sleep continuity before and after mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in partially remitted depression.. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2010; 72 (6) : 539-48. |
| Britton WB, Bootzin RR, Cousins JC, Hasler BP, Peck T, Shapiro SL The contribution of mindfulness practice to a multicomponent behavioral sleep intervention following substance abuse treatment in adolescents: a treatment-development study.. Substance Abuse. 2010; 31 (2) : 86-97. |
| Britton WB, Bootzin RR Near-death experiences and the temporal lobe.. Psychological Science. 2004; 15 (4) : 254-8. |
Dr. Britton is the Director of the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory (CLANlab).
The CLANlab researches the effects of contemplative practices on cognitive, emotional, and neurophysiological processes in both clinical and non-clinical settings.
Studies in clinical settings have examined the psychological and neurophysiological effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in samples with a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, stress, sleep problems, trauma, substance abuse, and chronic or terminal illness.
Studies in non-clinical settings have investigated the effects of school-based mindfulness training programs in both middle schoolers, college students, medical students and residents, and physicians and nurses. We have also recently completed a qualitative study on "The Varieties of Contemplative Experience," which investigates the range of experiences associated with meditation based upon interviews with more than 60 Buddhist practitioners and 30 Buddhist teachers.
The CLANlab is especially interested in investigating practice-specific effects, moderators of treatment outcome, and meditation safety or, in other words, “Which practices are best or worst suited for which types of people or conditions and why?”
Click Here to go to CLANlab Website.
Dr. Britton is the Director of the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory (CLANlab).
The CLANlab researches the effects of contemplative practices on cognitive, emotional, and neurophysiological processes in both clinical and non-clinical settings.
Studies in clinical settings have examined the psychological and neurophysiological effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in samples with a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, stress, sleep problems, trauma, substance abuse, and chronic or terminal illness.
Studies in non-clinical settings have investigated the effects of school-based mindfulness training programs in both middle schoolers, college students, medical students and residents, and physicians and nurses. We have also recently completed a qualitative study on "The Varieties of Contemplative Experience," which investigates the range of experiences associated with meditation based upon interviews with more than 60 Buddhist practitioners and 30 Buddhist teachers.
The CLANlab is especially interested in investigating practice-specific effects, moderators of treatment outcome, and meditation safety or, in other words, “Which practices are best or worst suited for which types of people or conditions and why?”
Click Here to go to CLANlab Website.
Current Support
1. NCCAM/ NIH K23 AT006328-01A1, Mentored Patient Oriented Career Development Award
Britton (PI) 8/1/2011-7/30/2017, Direct Costs: $668,385
2. Bial Foundation
The Contemplative Development Mapping Project
Britton (PI) 1 /1/2013 - 12 / 31 / 2016, Direct Costs: $60,559 (45,400 Euros)
3. 1440 Foundation Britton/Lindahl (PIs) 6/1/15-5/31/17
Assessing Beneficial Relationship Factors that Support Contemplative Development
The goals of this study is to assess how different types of social relationships (parents, friends, instructor etc.) impact (promote/undermine) meditation practice success or mindfulness-based treatment outcomes, including adverse effects, non-compliance and attrition
4. Lenz Foundation Britton (PI) 11/20/2014-5/31/18
Brown Contemplative Studies Community Engagement Internships
This grant funds summer internships for Brown Contemplative Studies students at community organizations that provide mindfulness-based programs
5. Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research
NIH P30 AG015281 Vicki Johnson-Lawrence (PI) 07/01/2015-06/30/2016
The New Jim Crow Won't Kill Me: The feasibility of a culturally appropriate mindfulness based intervention to reduce chronic stress and poor health among African Americans with incarcerated family members
Role: Consultant
6. NIH 1UH2AT009145-01 (Loucks, Britton, King, co-PIs) 10/1/15-8/30/20
“Mindfulness Influences on Self-Regulation: Mental and Physical Health Implications”
This project offers the opportunity to clarify which self-regulation measures are of greatest clinical use related to Mindful-Based Interventions (MBI) and clinical behavior change outcomes. Furthermore, this study should identify which MBI elements may be most efficacious at engaging self-regulation, with resulting impacts on clinical behavior change outcomes including medical regimen adherence.
Role: PI, Direct Costs (year 1): $763,928 Total Costs: $4,699,129
7. NIH 1UH2AT009145-01 (Loucks, Britton, King, co-PIs) 10/1/16-9/30/17
“Mindfulness Influences on Self-Regulation: Mental and Physical Health Implications” Administrative Supplement. This supplement supports a systematic review and meta-analysis of mindfulness-based interventions on self-regulation-related targets. Role: PI
8. .Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Research Grant (PI, Lindahl) 8/1/16-7/31/17
“Liberating the Impurities from the Body: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Somatic Experiences
among American and Indian Meditators in the Goenka Vipassanā Tradition”. This project investigates somatic experiences and Indian and American Buddhist meditators.
Role: Co-I Direct costs: $130,960
Past Support
1. Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute Dissertation Award
Mindfulness Meditation and Depression: Possible Neurophysiological Mechanisms"
Britton (PI) 12/1/03-11/31/03, $500
2. Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Scholar Award
"Mindfulness Meditation and Depression: Possible Neurophysiological Mechanisms"
Britton (PI) 1/1/04-12/31/-05 $10,000
3. American Association for University Women Dissertation Grant
"Mindfulness Meditation and Depression: Possible Neurophysiological Mechanisms"
Britton (PI) 6/1/04-5/31/05, $20,000
4. NCCAM T32-AT001287
National Research Service Award, Predoctoral Fellowship
This award provided training in complementary and alternative medicine research at the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine (Director Andrew Weil, M.D.)
Iris Bell (PI) 6/1/05-5/31/06 , $20,772
5. Mind and Life Institute Varela Grant
"Mindfulness Meditation and Depression: Possible Neurophysiological Mechanisms"
Britton (PI) 12/1/04-11/30/08, $20,000
6. T32 MH067533-05
National Research Service Award, Postdoctoral Fellowship
This award supported in training in treatment research, including several controlled trials of mindfulness meditation in school-based populations.
Ivan Miller (PI) 6/30/08-6/29/10, $84,996
7. Mind and Life Institute Varela Grant,
The Effects of School-based Mindfulness Training
Britton (PI) 2/1/09-9/31/11, $30,000
8. The Hershey Foundation
Contemplative Studies Program Development grant for interdisciplinary research, and faculty support.
Roth, Britton (co-PIs) 7/1/11-6/30/14 Total Award = $150,000
Role: Director of Clinical Research (PI) $15,000
9. Mind and Life Institute
Contemplative Studies Fellowship
Roth (PI) 9/1/12-8/30/14, Direct Costs: $30,000
Role: Director of Clinical Research
10. Mind and Life Varela Award
“The Varieties of Contemplative Experience”
Britton (PI) 1 /1/2013 - 12 / 31 / 2015 Direct Costs: $15,000
BOOKS and BOOK CHAPTERS
1. Payne, J. D., Britton, W.B., Nadel, L., and Jacobs, W. J. (2004). The biopsychology of trauma and memory. In D. Reisberg and P. Hertel (Eds.), Memory and Emotion (pp. 76-128). New York: Oxford University Press.
2. Britton, W.B., Bootzin, R.R., Cousins, J.C., Hasler, B.P., Peck, T., and Shapiro, S.L. (2012). The contribution of mindfulness practice to a multi-component behavioral sleep intervention following substance Abuse treatment in adolescents. In Marcus, M., and Zgierska, A. (Eds). Mindfulness-Related Treatments and Addiction Recovery. London: Taylor and Francis.
3. Britton, W.B. , Brown, A.C., Kaplan, C.T., Goldman, R.E., DeLuca, M., Rojiani, R., Reis, H., Xi, M., Chou, J.C., McKenna, F., Hitchcock, P., Rocha, T.A. Himmelfarb, J., Margolis, D.M. Niles, H.F., Eckert, A.M., Frank, A.(2013) Contemplative Science: An Insider’s Prospectus. In Marilla Svinicki (ed). New Directions for Teaching and Learning: Contemplative Studies in Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
4. Britton, W.B. and Sydnor, A. (2015). Neurobiological Models of Meditation: Implications for Training Young People. In Willard, C. and Salzman, A. (Eds.) Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kids and Teens. New York: Guilford
5. Garland, S.N., Britton, W.B., Agagianian, N., Goldman, R.E, Carslon, L.E., Ong, J.C. (2015). Mindfulness, Affect, and Sleep: Current Perspectives and Future Directions. In K.A. Babson and M.T. Felder (eds) Sleep and Affect. New York: Elsevier.
6. Britton, W.B. (2016). (Chapter 5) Scientific literacy as a foundational competency for teachers of mindfulness-based interventions. In McCown, D., Reibel, D., and Micozzi, MS (eds). Resources for Teaching Mindfulness: An International Handbook. New York: Springer.
7. Britton, W.B. (2016). (Chapter 34) Self-Inquiry: Investigating Confirmation Bias. In McCown, D., Reibel, D., and Micozzi, MS (eds). Resources for Teaching Mindfulness. An International Handbook. New York: Springer.
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | PhD | University of Arizona |
| 2002 | MA | University of Arizona |
| 1996 | BA | Colgate University |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, mood disorders treatment research | 2008-2010 | Providence, RI |
| Intern | The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, clinical psychology | 2006-2007 | Providence, RI |
Honors
2012 Gold Humanism Honor Society Visiting Professorship, Brown University
2012 Invited presentation to the Dalai Lama, April 24
2010 Mind and Life Senior Fellow
2009 Mind and Life Summer Research Institute Fellowship. Garrison , NY June 7-14.
2008 Clinical + Neuroscience Perspectives on Mindfulness Fellowship (Toronto, CA)
2007 World Federation of Sleep Research Societies (WFSRS) Travel Award (Australia)
2006 Center for Mindfulness 2nd Annual Conference Travel Award, Bangor Wales, UK
2006 Mind and Life Summer Research Institute Fellowship. Garrison , NY June 28-July 2.
2005 Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Travel Award
2005 World Federation of Sleep Research Societies (WFSRS) Travel Award (India)
2005 Mind and Life Summer Research Institute Fellowship. Garrison, NY. June 28-July 2.
2004 Mind and Life Summer Research Institute Fellowship. Garrison, NY. June 21-29.
2001 Association of Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) Travel Award
1996 B.A. in Neuroscience, Cum Laude, High Honors in Neuroscience, Colgate University
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Anderson, Angela | Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Clinician Educator, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Clinician Educator |
| Buka, Stephen | Professor of Epidemiology |
| Carskadon, Mary | Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Epstein-Lubow, Gary | Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Associate Professor of Medical Science, Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice |
| Flynn, Ellen | Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine |
| Gaudiano, Brandon | Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Herman, Debra | Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Hirshberg, Laurence | Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Kerr, Catherine | Assistant Professor of Family Medicine (Research), Assistant Professor of Medicine (Research) |
| Levy, Mitchell | Professor of Medicine |
| Loucks, Eric | Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Associate Professor of Medicine |
| Miller, Ivan | Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Roth, Harold | Professor of Religious Studies and East Asian Studies |
| Salmoirago-Blotcher, Elena | Assistant Professor of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology |
| Schiffman, Fred | Sigal Family Professor of Humanistic Medicine, Professor of Medicine |
| Stein, Michael | Adjunct Professor of Medicine |
| Trikalinos, Thomas | Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Director of the Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health |
| Clinical Consultant. Butler Hospital, Calm Awareness and Motivational Enhancement Options (CAMEO) 2009-2010 |
| Staff Psychologist. The Neurodevelopment Center, Brown University Medical School, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Cognitive Therapy Program Instructor 2009-Present |
| Psychology Intern. Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Division of Behavioral Medicine 2006-2007 |
| Study Intervention Therapist. University of Arizona, Depression Intervention Research, Department of Psychology 2003-2006 |
| Diagnostic Interviewer. University of Arizona, Depression Intervention Research, Department of Psychology 2003-2005 |
| Study Intervention Therapist. University of Arizona, Sleep Research Laboratory 2002-2004 |
| Hospice Care. St. Mary's Hospital, Carondelet Hospice 2002-2006 |
| Psychology Extern. University Medical Center, Sleep Disorders Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, 2002-2003 |
| Sleep/polysomnographic Technician. Harvard Medical School, Department of Pulmonology 1998-1999 |
2016 Fall Course Intructor HMAN1972 Me, Myself, and I: Exploring Senses of Self from a Multidisciplinary Perspective (co-taught with Jared Lindahl
2014 Fall Course Instructor HMAN1971 Cross Cultural Approaches to Death and Dying (co-taught with Jared Lindahl, Mitchell Levy and Fred Schiffman)
2008-9 Course Instructor, BIOL5420:Mindfulness in Clinical Practice: A Primer for Medical Students
Brown University Medical School
2008-9 Course Instructor, BIOL1950: Directed Research/Independent Study
Brown University
Course Instructor, PSYCH456: The Psychology of Death and Loss
Department of Psychology, University of Arizona
Course Instructor, PSYCH977 Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.
Semester-long course for advanced clinical psychology graduate students. Department of Psychology, University of Arizona.
| COST 0200 - Meditation and the Brain |
| HMAN 1971E - Cross-Cultural Approaches to Death and Dying |
| HMAN 1972I - Me, Myself, and I: Exploring Senses of Self from a Multidisciplinary Perspective |
| UNIV 0090 - Meditation and the Brain: Applications in Basic and Clinical Science |
