Mitch Prinstein

Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., ABPP, is the Chief Science Officer of the American Psychological Association. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he serves as the John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Co-Director of the Winston National Center on Technology Use, Brain, and Psychological Development.

For over 25 years, and with continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Pinstein’s research has examined interpersonal models of internalizing symptoms and health risk behaviors among adolescents, with a specific focus on the unique role of off- and online peer relationships in the developmental psychopathology of depression and self-injury. He is a board-certified clinical psychologist and has published over 200 scientific manuscripts and 12 books.

Dr. Pinstein has advised/consulted with numerous government agencies (e.g., White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Centers for Disease Control, Federal Trade Commission, US Surgeon General’s Office, US Supreme Court), international agencies (e.g., Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Economic Forum, World Health Organization), nonprofits (e.g., Common Sense Media, The National PTA), institutes (e.g., National Institute of Mental Health, National Academies of Science), as well as for-profit industries (e.g., Google, Apple, Johnson & Johnson), and the entertainment industry (e.g., David E. Kelley Productions, Impact Guild).

At APA, Dr. Pinstein is responsible for leading the association’s science agenda and advocating for the application of psychological research and knowledge in settings including academia, government, industry, and the law. Prior to APA, Dr. Pinstein served as the Director of Clinical Psychology at UNC and Yale University, the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and the Assistant Dean for Honors Carolina.

Dr. Pinstein is regularly featured as an expert in psychological science as a repeat witness testifying before the US Senate, in two TEDx talks, and within hundreds of media appearances around the world in outlets such as The New York Times, NPR, the Times (UK), and CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC.