Our people

Professor Keong Yap

Deputy Head of School
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences/Psychology

Areas of expertise: clinical psychology; obsessive-compulsive disorder; hoarding disorder; transdiagnostic processes; mindfulness; self-compassion; objective-structured clinical examinations;

Phone: +02 97014574

Email: Keong.yap@acu.edu.au

Location: ACU Strathfield Campus

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7008-4903

I am a clinical psychologist and Professor at the Australian Catholic University, where I currently serve as Deputy Head of School in the School of Behavioural and Health Sciences. My work spans clinical practice, research, and higher education, with a focus on understanding psychological processes that underpin mental health conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and hoarding disorder. I have published over 70 peer-reviewed papers, contributing to our understanding and treatment of psychological difficulties. Alongside my research, I am involved in postgraduate teaching and supervision, and play an active role in the psychology profession through accreditation and editorial roles.

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Recent select publications

• Ciarrochi, J., Hayes, S. C., File, D., Brown, K. W., Yap, K., Fraser, M. I., Hernandez, C., Hill, D., Hayes, L., Ong, C. W., & Sahdra, B. (2026). From experiential attachment to nonattachment: A theory-informed review of harmful and healthy pursuits of comfort, approval, competence, status, and control. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100103

• Fraser, M. I., Field, K., Ciarrochi, J., Hernández, C., Krafft, J., Klimczak, K., Levin, M. E., Yap, K., Hayes, S. C., & Sahdra, B. K. (2026). Heterogeneity in the links of psychological (in)flexibility subprocesses and well-being: Idionomic insights from an experience sampling study. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 40, 100984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2026.100984

• Yee, H. F., Fraser, M. I., Ciarrochi, J., Sahdra, B., Yap, K., Hayes, S. C., Hernández, C., & Gloster, A. T. (2026). Beyond the average: Idionomic evidence of individual-specific variability in the psychological flexibility–mood relationship. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 40, 100993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2026.100993

• Yap, K., Scott, J., & Morein-Zamir, S. (2025). The Object Attachment Security Measure: Assessing convergent and divergent validity, confirmatory factor analysis, and measurement invariance across age, gender, and hoarding severity. Assessment, https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911251378

• Jones, M., Weir, B., & Yap, K. (2025). Patient perspectives on what alleviates hoarding disorder symptoms and improves wellbeing: A systematic review of qualitative data. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 32(5), e70146. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.70146

• Mogan, C., Mogan, J., Foroughi, E., Addison, K., Bryan, J., Felmingham, K., & Yap, K. (2025). An outcome study of an intensive, out-patient exposure and response prevention therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 18, e21. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1754470X2500008X

• Sabel, I., Yap, K., & Grisham, J. R. (2024). Imagining letting go: A preliminary test of written imagery rescripting to facilitate discarding in a high hoarding sample. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 46, 1018–1037. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-024-10171-y

• Ciarrochi, J., Sahdra, B., Hayes, S.C., Hofmann, S. G., Sanford, B., Stanton, C., Yap, K., Fraser, M. I., Gates, K, & Gloster, A. T. (2024), A personalised approach to identifying important determinants of well-being. Cognitive Therapy and Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-024-10486-w

• Corkish, B. & Yap, K. (2024). Does mental contamination mediate the association between childhood trauma and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in adults? Child Abuse & Neglect, 152, 106789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106789

• Lee-Aube, A., Vakili, A., Padhi, A., Joseph, S., Norcott, J., & Yap, K. (2024). Reducing seclusion and restraint in an acute adolescent psychiatric ward: A feasibility study. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 31(4), 451–461. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13000

• Manor, Y. D., & Yap, K. (2024). Does nonacceptance of emotions and the fear of guilt influence the association between trait guilt and obsessive-compulsive symptoms? A moderation analysis in a non-clinical sample. Clinical Psychologist, 28(3), 286–296. https://doi.org/10.1080/13284207.2024.2404986

• Yap, K., Timpano, K. R., Schmidt, N., & Grisham, J.R. (2024). An online experimental test of the compensatory process in hoarding disorder: Reducing loneliness and its effects on object attachment. Current Psychology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05895-9

• Grisham, J. R., Norberg, M. M. & Yap, K. (2023). Treatment of hoarding disorder. In Tolin D. F. (Ed.). The Oxford handbook of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (2nd ed., pp 615- 648). Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190068752.013.23

• Hardman, J. R., Gleeson, J. F. M., González-Blanch, C., Alvarez-Jimenez, M., Fraser, M. I., & Yap, K. (2023). The role of insight, social rank, mindfulness, and self-compassion in depression following first episode psychosis. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2881

• Laving, M., Foroni, F., Ferrari, M., Turner, C., & Yap, K. (2023). The association between OCD and Shame: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(1), 28-52. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12392

• Yap, K., Timpano, K. R., Isemann, S., Svehla, J., & Grisham, J. R. (2023). High levels of loneliness in people with hoarding disorder. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 37, 100806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2023.100806

• Yap, K., Chen, W., Wong, S. F., Isemann, S., Svehla, J., Grisham, J. R. (2022). Is it as good as being in person? The effectiveness of a modified clinician facilitated Buried in Treasures group for hoarding disorder using video teleconferencing. Psychiatry Research. 314, 114631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114631

• Grisham, J. R., Yap, K., Isemann, S., Svehla, J., Briggs, N., & Norberg, M. M. (2022). A naturalistic study of emotion regulation-enhanced cognitive-behavioral group therapy for hoarding disorder in a community setting. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 10, 100450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2022.100450

• Ciarrochi, J., Hayes, S. C., Hayes, L., Sahdra, B., Ferrari, M., Yap, K. & Hofmann, S. (2022). From Package to Process: An evidence-based approach to processes of change in psychotherapy. In G. J. G. Asmundson. (Ed.). Comprehensive Clinical Psychology (2nd. Edition), pp 26-44. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818697-8.00085-6

• Ferrari, M., Beath, A., Einstein, D.A., Yap, K., & Hunt, C. (2022). Gender differences in self- compassion: a latent profile analysis of compassionate and uncompassionate self-relating in a large adolescent sample. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03408-0

• Ferrari, M., Ciarrochi, J., Yap, K., Sahdra, B., Hayes, S. C. (2022). Embracing the complexity of our inner worlds: Understanding the dynamics of self-compassion and self-criticism. Mindfulness. 13, 1652-1661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01897-5

Projects

• Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty Research Project Grant Scheme, Australian Catholic University, 2026. $7262.45. Understanding loneliness in older adults with hoarding disorder: A pilot qualitative study.

• Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty Research Project Grant Scheme, Australian Catholic University, 2022. $8,050.00. The role of self-compassion in cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological and physical health outcomes.

• International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation Michael A. Jenike Young Investigator Award, 2020. US$ 47,896. Yap, K., Grisham, J. R., Timpano, K. R., & Schmidt, B. (2020). Intervening on loneliness to reduce object attachment in hoarding disorde: Two randomized controlled studies)

• Learning and Teaching Grant 2017, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University. $5000. Yap, K. & Bunch, K. Enhancing clinical competency assessments in psychology and counselling: developing valid and authentic material and a toolkit for the objective structured clinical examinations

• Australian Psychological Society National College of Clinical Psychologists Research Grant, 2016. $3000. Scott, J., Bunch, K., & Yap, K. Evaluation of a self-practice/self-reflection program in CBT training for masters students in clinical psychology.

• Supported by Scheme for Teaching and Learning Research (STeLR), 2011. College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT. $15,000. Pisani, H., Chester, A., Yap, K., et al. Social media in professional practice: Development of a professional digital identities (PDI) resources for Health Sciences students.

• Learning & Teaching Grant 2009, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University. $20,000. Yap, K., Hay, M., Bearman, M., & Cardozo, S. Improving the assessment of clinical competence: Introducing the Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) into clinical psychology training.

Accolades and Awards

• APS Outstanding Lecturer in Psychology Award at Australian Catholic University, 2020. Australian Psychological Society, Sydney Branch.

Appointments and Affiliations

Appointments

• Deputy Head of School, ACU, 2023 - Present

• Accreditation Assessor, Australian Psychology Accreditation Council, 2022 – Present

• National Course Coordinator (Psychology – Postgraduate), ACU, 2022 - 2023

Affiliations

• Registered Psychologist with clinical psychology endorsement, Psychology Board of Australia (Reg No. PSY0001123023)

• AHPRA accredited clinical supervisor for High Degree and Registrar Programs

• Member, Australia Psychological Society

• Member, Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy

Editorial roles

• Associate Editor: Clinical Psychologist, 2019 - Present

• Editorial Review Panel: Australian Psychologist, 2015 - Present

• Editorial Board Member: Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 2022 - Present