With guidance from Director, Dr. Dennis McChargue, researchers in this laboratory collect and anylze longitundal and survey research data to understand the etiology and outcomes of substance use disorders in various populations. Our resarch examines college, community, high-risk, and clinical samples with addiction and substance-use behaviors. We also focuse on factors that predict relapse, cravings, reductions and recovery. Our findings are used to guide informed prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies at the college, community, justice-invovled, and public health level.
Models of addictive processes have biological and psychological interactions that increase the likelihood of use. Within the B-SMART Lab, we have utilized negative and positive reinforcement as explanatory pathways for the development of co-occurring psychiatric problems among substance using populations. While some research provides a basis for this connection, there are likely other intermediary mechanisms influencing substance use and comorbidity with other mental health disorders. Some of these intermediary pathways may include escape or avoidance motivations or other learning processes. Avenues of research can take on many forms, including affect, craving, disinhibition, impulsivity, and empathy.
An example of potential projects and directions relating to mechanisms of substance use include:
1. Development of other theoretical perspectives of substance use and comorbid diagnoses outside of the self-medication hypothesis
2. Examination of substance use and health disparities among gender, ethnic/racial and various socio-demographic differences
3. Impacts of depressive symptoms on alcohol use
Consistent with our focus on associated learning facets, we view recovering from behaviorally oriented harm within a social ecological perspective. In other words, we are developing a line of research that investigates social/community factors that enhance and/or decrease risk of harm among those recovering from harm-related behaviors (i.e., substance use, criminogenic behaviors, sexual violent behaviors, etc.). This broad line of research implicates a more generalized target and crosscuts different populations. To this end, B-SMART members are developing models and treatments that enhance recovery efforts of individuals leaving transitional residential treatment for substance use disorders, probation, and prison.
Examples of potential research include:
1. Mindfulness interventions to promote emotion regulation among individuals with substance use history & addiction and antecedents of reduction
2. Examining protective behavioral strategies to reduce alcohol and substance consumption and related consequences
3. Restorative justice intervention and practices
Another research area in the B-SMART lab involves examining the intersection of substance use and risky behavior. While the B-SMART lab has a history of examining sexual violence, we are more broadly interested in the impacts of substance use on other aspects of violence and harm and open to students who may have interests in this area. Opportunities to use datasets with sexual violence constructs are still available to explore.
A few examples of potential avenues of exploration include:
1. Examining protective behavioral strategies to reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol related consequences
2. Emotional and personality characteristics that may increase risk for harm
3. Type of offense leading to prison sentences and impacts on recidivism
4. Examining the comorbidity of substance use with other problem behaviors, such as criminal offending, intimate partner, and domestic violence (e.g., stalking, assault, harassment), and risky sexual behavior