Avron Spiro III, PhD
Research Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Epidemiology

PhD, Pennsylvania State University

Pronouns: he/him/his



Dr. Avron (Ron) Spiro received his PhD in Human Development and Family Studies in 1982 from The Pennsylvania State University, specializing in adult development and aging and in developmental methodology. In 1986, he joined the VA Normative Aging Study (NAS), then at the Boston VA Outpatient Clinic, as a research psychologist and methodologist. In that position, he has studied the influences of health and disease on cognitive aging, and conducted longitudinal studies of personality, well-being, and mental health. He also works with the VA Dental Longitudinal Study (DLS), an ongoing study of dental health among NAS men. In 1998, the VA funded the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC), which incorporated the NAS/DLS, now located at VA Boston Healthcare System in Jamaica Plain. From 1993 - 2018, Dr. Spiro collaborated with researchers at the VA HSR&D Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR; formerly the Center for Health Quality, Outcomes, and Economic Research [CHQOER]). His work there focused primarily on mental health, including PTSD and depression, and on patient-reported outcomes, including health-related quality of life.

In 1987, Dr. Spiro was appointed Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Boston University School of Public Health, promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology in 2004, and to Research Professor in 2011. In 2011, Dr. Spiro was appointed as Research Professor of Psychiatry at BU School of Medicine. Since 2001, he has been Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research at BU’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine. In 2008, he received a Research Career Scientist award from the Clinical Science R&D Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and from 2013 to 2020 was funded as a Senior Research Career Scientist. Dr. Spiro has been funded by NIH and VA. His current work involves (a) examining the effects of health and disease on cognitive aging, (b) modeling longitudinal changes in personality in relation to health, (c) examining the long-term effects of military service on health and well-being in later life, and (d) studying mental disorders and their impact on health and functioning.

Research Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Psychiatry


Senior Research Scientist
VA Boston Healthcare System




Personality & Well-Being Trajectories in Adulthood
09/30/2016 - 05/31/2024 (Subcontract PI)
Northwestern University NIH NIA
5R01AG018436-20

Optimism and Exceptional Longevity
09/01/2016 - 03/31/2020 (Subcontract PI)
Harvard University NIH NIA
5R01AG053273-04

Lifespan Outcomes of Military Service
09/30/2010 - 05/31/2017 (Multi-PI)
PI: Avron Spiro III, PhD
NIH/National Institute on Aging
5R24AG039343-05

Personality and Well-Being Trajectories in Adulthood
09/15/2013 - 08/31/2016 (Subcontract PI)
Northwestern University NIH NIA
5R01AG018436-15

Personality and Well Being Trajectories in Adulthood
09/01/2011 - 08/31/2016 (Subcontract PI)
Purdue University NIH NIA
2R01AG018436-11A1

Stress, Coping, Health and Optimal Aging
09/01/2010 - 05/31/2016 (Subcontract PI)
Oregon State University NIH NIA
5R01AG032037-04

Personnel Agreement for Research Services of Avron Spiro
07/01/2013 - 06/30/2014 (Subcontract PI)
Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. NIH NIA
7R01AG034554-03

Personnel Agreement for the Research Services of Shelley Amberg
09/01/2010 - 02/28/2012 (PI)
VA Boston Healthcare System


Oral Health and Quality of Life
07/01/2001 - 12/31/2001 (Dept Sponsor)
NIH/National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research
1 F32 DE05742 01A1



Title
Lifespan Outcomes of Military Service
(PI)

Personality and Well-Being Trajectories in adulthood
(PI)

Language in the Aging Brain
(PI)

Stress, Coping, Health and Optimal Aging
(PI)



Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2014 Lifespan outcomes of military service 5R24AG039343-05 14
2013 Lifespan outcomes of military service 5R24AG039343-04 14
2012 Lifespan outcomes of military service 5R24AG039343-03 14
2011 Lifespan outcomes of military service 5R24AG039343-02 14
2010 Lifespan outcomes of military service 1R24AG039343-01 14
2007 ORAL HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUTH 5U54DE014264-07-1 30
2006 ORAL HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUTH 5U54DE014264-06-1 30
2005 ORAL HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUTH 5U54DE014264-05-1 30
2004 ORAL HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUTH 5U54DE014264-04-1 30
2003 ORAL HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN YOUTH 5U54DE014264-03-1 30
Showing 10 of 12 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Website       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Marino VR, Kubzansky LD, Grodstein F, Kim S, Spiro A, Lee LO. Optimism and cognitive functioning trajectories in a cohort of aging men. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2025 Sep 25; 80(10).View Related Profiles. PMID: 40711855; PMCID: PMC12471349; DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaf139;
     
  2. Pless Kaiser A, Ream M, Spiro A, Sloan DM, Cook JM, Vogt D, Moye JA. Feasibility, acceptability, and outcomes: A pilot trial of the enhancing social function in older veterans with PTSD (ESVP) group intervention. Psychol Serv. 2025 Jun 26.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40569724; PMCID: PMC12354222; DOI: 10.1037/ser0000962;
     
  3. Serier KN, Burns HM, Magruder KM, Spiro A, Pless Kaiser A, Kimerling R, Frayne SM, Kilbourne AM, Stock EM, Forsberg CW, Smith NL, Smith BN. Functioning and disability consequences of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and diabetes in Vietnam era men and women veterans. Health Psychol. 2025 Dec; 44(12):1160-1170.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40504650; DOI: 10.1037/hea0001516;
     
  4. Serier KN, Burns HM, Magruder KM, Spiro A, Kaiser AP, Kimerling R, Frayne SM, Kilbourne AM, Stock EM, Forsberg CW, Smith NL, Smith BN. Posttraumatic stress disorder and hypertension in older adult Vietnam Era male and female veterans. J Trauma Stress. 2025 Aug; 38(4):659-670.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40353294; PMCID: PMC12281294; DOI: 10.1002/jts.23162;
     
  5. Stellman SD, Pless Kaiser A, Smith BN, Spiro A, Stellman JM. Persistence and Patterns of Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Medical, and Social Dysfunction in Male Military Veterans 50 Years After Deployment to Vietnam. J Occup Environ Med. 2025 May 01; 67(5):306-312.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40335437; PMCID: PMC12059353; DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003321;
     
  6. Willroth EC, Beck E, Yoneda TB, Beam CR, Deary IJ, Drewelies J, Gerstorf D, Huisman M, Katz MJ, Lipton RB, Muniz Tererra G, Pedersen NL, Reynolds CA, Spiro A, Turiano NA, Willis S, Mroczek DK, Graham EK. Associations of personality trait level and change with mortality risk in 11 longitudinal studies. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2025 Feb; 128(2):392-409. PMID: 39804344; PMCID: PMC11975421; DOI: 10.1037/pspp0000531;
     
  7. Checko ER, Knight J, Crow TM, Spiro A, Whitworth JW, Penza C, Kaiser AP, Cucalon A, Nigg CR. Transtheoretical Model Technology-based Interventions to Improve Health Behaviors in Veterans. Motiv Sci. 2025; 11(3).View Related Profiles. PMID: 40895604; PMCID: PMC12396157; DOI: 10.1037/mot0000410;
     
  8. Stellman SD, Pless Kaiser A, 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. 2025 May 01; 67(5):299-305.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39696828
     
  9. Aldwin C, Choun S, Spiro A. The coping, appraisal, and resilience in aging (CARA) model: Longitudinal findings from the Normative Aging Study. Psychol Aging. 2024 Dec; 39(8):884-896. PMID: 39666488; PMCID: PMC12021528; DOI: 10.1037/pag0000863;
     
  10. Qiu X, Danesh Yazdi M, Wang C, Kosheleva A, Wu H, Vokonas PS, Spiro A, Laurent LC, DeHoff P, Kubzansky LD, Weisskopf MG, Baccarelli AA, Schwartz JD. Extracellular microRNAs associated with psychiatric symptoms in the Normative Aging Study. J Psychiatr Res. 2024 Oct; 178:270-277.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39173451; PMCID: PMC11924295; DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.08.017;
     
Showing 10 of 283 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 282 publications over 40 distinct years, with a maximum of 16 publications in 2015

YearPublications
19841
19852
19861
19882
19893
19901
19912
19932
19942
19951
19965
19971
19988
19994
20006
20016
20023
200310
200414
200510
200613
200710
20088
200912
20107
201111
201214
20138
201411
201516
201611
20178
20185
20198
202015
20219
202212
20235
20248
20257

2013-2020 US Department of Veterans Affairs (Clinical Science R&D Service): Senior Research Career Scientist
2010 American Psychological Association, Division 5 (Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics): Fellow
2010 Gerontological Society of America (Behavioral and Social Sciences): Fellow
2008-2013 US Department of Veterans Affairs (Clinical Science R&D Service): Research Career Scientist Award
2005 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: Adolph Kammer Merit in Authorship Award
2004 American Psychological Association (Adult Development and Aging): Fellow
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

aging
cognitive aging
healthy aging
personality
veterans
Contact for Mentoring:

715 Albany St
Jamaica Plain MA 02130
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