Abigail Szkutak graduated in 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross. At Holy Cross, Abby worked in Dr. DiGirolamo’s Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, where she investigated the association between substance use and cognitive control as well as the use of unconscious visual processing data and machine learning in aiding radiologists’ conscious detection accuracy. Abby also worked in Dr. Berman’s OCD Processes & Experimentation Lab, examining the relationship between intrusive thoughts and emotion regulation using various methods (e.g., eye tracking). Under the advisement of Dr. Berman, she conducted a senior thesis that investigated the relationship between subjective distress reduction within an exposure and post-exposure learning in individuals with OCD. At MGH, Abby is involved in studies related to decision-making strategies in individuals with OCD, cognitive and attentional processes in individuals with intrusive thoughts, TMS as a treatment for OCD, and brain-based correlates of emotional learning. After MGH, Abby aims to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. Her research interests include transdiagnostic treatment approaches for anxiety and fear-related disorders, within-exposure factors that impact symptom improvement, and visual threat detection.
