Brian N. Smith, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry
Biography
Dr. Smith is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and the Deputy Director of the National Center for PTSD Women’s Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, where he is also a Research Health Scientist. His federally funded research program is focused on the effects of traumatic stress and mental health sequelae—PTSD, depression, and salient comorbidities—on outcomes related to physical health, functioning, and well-being. He examines these outcomes and associated risk and resilience factors in populations at heightened risk for trauma exposure, especially military veterans, and often examines psychosocial risk models in epidemiologic samples of women and men from a life course perspective. The examination of trauma-related research questions with public health and clinical services implications is a theme that cuts across his research program. He also has a general interest in the application of advanced statistical methods in health sciences research. More generally, Dr. Smith has a long standing interest in examining the social context of health-related behaviors, mechanisms, and outcomes.
Other Positions
- VA Boston Healthcare System
Education
- Virginia Commonwealth University, PhD
- Virginia Commonwealth University, MS
- Virginia Commonwealth University, BS
Publications
- Published on 1/7/2025
Kumar SA, Taverna E, Mitchell KS, Smith BN, Vogt D. Purpose in life and posttraumatic stress symptoms among military veterans: A network analysis. Mil Psychol. 2025 Jan 07; 1-13. PMID: 39772860.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/18/2024
Stellman SD, Kaiser AP, Smith BN, Spiro A, Stellman JM. Impact of Persistent Combat-Related PTSD on Heart Disease and Chronic Disease Comorbidity in Aging Vietnam Veterans. J Occup Environ Med. 2024 Dec 18. PMID: 39696828.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/12/2024
Serier KN, Knutson EK, Vogt D, Smith BN, Kehle-Forbes S, Mitchell KS. Examining the factor structure of the nine-item Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Screen in a national U.S. military veteran sample. Psychol Assess. 2025 Mar; 37(3):123-128. PMID: 39666477.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/8/2024
Cooper Z, Smith BN, Kehle-Forbes S, Dorset J, Mitchell KS. Eating Disorders, Co-Morbid Disorders and Early Risk Factors Amongst Post-9/11 Veteran Men and Women. J Clin Psychol. 2025 Mar; 81(3):133-144. PMID: 39648640.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/13/2024
Wright S, Karyotaki E, Cuijpers P, Bisson J, Papola D, Witteveen AB, Back SE, Bichescu-Burian D, Capezzani L, Cloitre M, Devilly GJ, Elbert T, Mello M, Ford JD, Grasso D, Gamito P, Gray R, Haller M, Hunt N, Kleber RJ, König J, Kullack C, Laugharne J, Liebman R, Lee CW, Lely J, Markowitz JC, Monson C, Nijdam MJ, Norman SB, Olff M, Orang TM, Ostacoli L, Paunovic N, Petkova E, Resick P, Rosner R, Schauer M, Schmitz JM, Schnyder U, Smith BN, Vujanovic AA, Zang Y, Duran ÉP, Neto FL, Seedat S, Sijbrandij M. Predictors of study dropout in cognitive-behavioural therapy with a trauma focus for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: An individual participant data meta-analysis. BMJ Ment Health. 2024 Nov 13; 27(1). PMID: 39537555.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 10/18/2024
Zelkowitz RL, Livingston WS, Knutson EK, Kehle-Forbes S, Vogt DS, Smith BN, Mitchell KS. Associations of military sexual harassment and assault with nonsuicidal self-injury: Examining gender and sexual orientation as moderators. J Psychiatr Res. 2024 Dec; 180:243-250. PMID: 39454491.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/15/2024
Serier KN, Livingston WS, Zelkowitz RL, Kehle-Forbes S, Smith BN, Mitchell KS. Examining posttraumatic cognitions as a pathway linking trauma exposure and eating disorder symptoms in veteran men and women: A replication and extension study. Eat Disord. 2024 Sep 15; 1-16. PMID: 39277845.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/12/2024
Mitchell KS, Serier KN, Smith BN, Vogt D. Associations between avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder profiles and trauma exposure in veteran men and women. J Clin Psychol. 2024 Dec; 80(12):2344-2356. PMID: 39264021.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/13/2024
Serier KN, Magruder KM, Spiro A, Kimerling R, Frayne SM, Kilbourne AM, Pless Kaiser A, Smith BN. Associations between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Diabetes in Vietnam-Era Women Veterans in the HealthViEWS Study. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2024 Jul; 33(7):926-937. PMID: 38738844.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 4/15/2024
Zelkowitz RL, Serier KN, Smith BN, Kehle-Forbes S, Vogt DS, Mitchell KS. Identifying candidate mechanisms of comorbidity in disordered eating and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among U.S. veterans: A network analytic approach. Psychol Trauma. 2025 Mar; 17(3):631-638. PMID: 38619481.
Read at: PubMed
View 70 more publications: View full profile at BUMC