Leonard A. Jason is a professor of psychology at DePaul University

DePaul University

DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...

 in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

, where he also directs the Center for Community Research. He received a B.A. in psychology from Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...

 in 1971 and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Rochester

University of Rochester

The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...

 in 1975. His chief professional interests include the study of chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...

, smoking, smoking cessation

Smoking cessation

Smoking cessation is the process of discontinuing the practice of inhaling a smoked substance. This article focuses exclusively on cessation of tobacco smoking; however, the methods described may apply to cessation of smoking other substances that can be difficult to stop using due to the...

, and Oxford House

Oxford House

The term Oxford House may refer to any house operating under the "Oxford House Model", a community-based approach to addiction treatment, which attempts to provide an independent, supportive, and sober living environment. Today there are more than 1000 Oxford Houses in the United States and other...

 recovery homes for substance abuse. Jason's interest in chronic fatigue syndrome began when he was diagnosed with the condition in 1990 after having mononucleosis.

Jason is a former president of the Division of Community Psychology of the American Psychological Association

American Psychological Association

The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...

 (APA) and a past editor of The Community Psychologist. Jason has edited or written 23 books, and he has published 541 articles and 77 book chapters on ME/CFS; recovery homes; the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse; media interventions; and program evaluation. He has served on 83 Thesis Committees (of which he chaired 57), and 70 Dissertation Committees (of which he chaired 36). He has served on the editorial boards of ten psychological journals. Jason has served on review committees of the National Institutes of Health, and he has received over $26,000,000 in federal research grants. He was also a board member and vice-president for an advocacy group called International Association of CFS/ME.

Professional activities

He is a member the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee. In 1999, Jason published an epidemiological study of chronic fatigue syndrome among United States adults.

Jason has served on the editorial boards of journals including:

• Prevention in Human Services, 1986-1995; renamed Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 1996-present.
• Journal of Community Psychology, 1983-1986, 2007-present.
• The Journal of Primary Prevention, 1983-1986. Appointed Associate Editor, 1986-2007.
• Special Services in the Schools; renamed Journal of Applied School Psychology 1984-2008.

Awards

Jason received the 1997 Distinguished Contributions to Theory and Research Award and the 2007 Special Contribution to Public Policy award of the Society for Community Research and Action. He was presented the 1997 CFIDS Support Network ACTION Champion Award by the Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America

Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America

The Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America is an association dedicated to ending CFIDS, also known as Chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis. The CFIDS Association of America managed a $6 million public awareness campaign sponsored by the U.S. Centers for...

and the Dutch ME-Foundation International ME-Award for 2003. He has been awarded three media awards from the APA.