Foa was born on 28 December 1937 to a
Jewish family in
Haifa in what is now Israel. She earned her BA in psychology and literature from
Bar Ilan University in 1962, and her MA in clinical psychology from the
University of Illinois in 1970. In that same year she completed her PhD in clinical psychology and personality at the
University of Missouri. Her research, aimed at determining causes and treatments of
anxiety disorders, has been highly influential. Foa was an expert in
post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The program she developed for rape survivors is considered to be one of the most effective therapies for PTSD. She published several books and over 200 articles and book chapters, lectured extensively around the world, and was the chair of the PTSD work group of the
DSM-IV. Foa's research interests were in the development and evaluation of cognitive-behavioral treatment for
obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and
social anxiety disorder (SAD); experimental psychopathology of
anxiety disorders, especially post-traumatic stress disorder,
social phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder; and dissemination of evidence-based treatment to mental health professionals. Foa died in
Philadelphia on 24 March 2026, at the age of 88. == Awards and honours ==