Psychological Treatments for Addiction in Health

We conduct clinical treatment research at the intersection of addiction and health. For populations with medical disorders, the reduction of addictive behaviors and processes is especially important, as is the adoption of health-promoting behaviors and lifestyles. Our team focuses on health behavior change and health promotion among those with both addictive behaviors and a medical or health concern using cognitive, behavioral, and motivational methods, drawing from several prominent psychological theories and models of how people change. Our research program include epidemiological surveys, formative research, pilot tests of promising therapies and delivery modes, randomized clinical trials of new treatments, and studies of putative mechanisms of action of treatments that will lead to refinements of evidence-based treatments. Some of the populations we study are people living with HIV and addiction, women at risk for pregnancy who drink, college binge drinkers, smokers and drinkers in primary care settings, and those living with chronic illnesses including diabetes and chronic pain.