Click on each study below or use the drop-down menu above to learn more and see related research articles (if applicable).
Preventing Alcohol Misuse among Young Adult Veterans through Brief Online Intervention
NIAAA R01 AA026575
PI Pedersen
This research project expands on an NIAAA-funded pilot intervention study and further tests the efficacy of a web-delivered, single session, personalized normative feedback intervention to reduce heavy drinking and increase treatment initiation among recently discharged veterans.
Improving the Implementation of Evidence-based Drug Prevention Programs in Schools (ALERT + GTO)
NIDA R01 DA048910
PIs Chinman and Pedersen
This project will compare the effectiveness of a popular drug prevention program, Project ALERT, alone and combined with an implementation support tool known as Getting To Outcomes, to a no-intervention control group among a large sample of middle school youth. We will evaluate both implementation outcomes (e.g., staff capacity, program fidelity) and student substance use outcomes.
Keck School of Medicine COVID-19 Research Funding and Supplement to NIAAA R01 AA026575
PI Pedersen
The primary objective of this mixed-methods research study is to leverage an existing sample of veterans in the community to examine changes in substance use, mental health, and social and economic health from pre-COVID-19 to over the course of a one-year period since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S.
NIAAA R34 AA027845
PIs Davis and Pedersen
In this study, we will modify an established brief mobile-based mindfulness intervention developed for veterans with PTSD (Mindfulness Coach) to include Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention content; evaluate feasibility, usability, and acceptability of the developed intervention; and conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial with veterans outside of the VA to provide support for a larger project to test the revamped app on a larger scale.
Developing a Retail Cannabis Shop for Research
USC Institute for Addiction Science Pilot Grant Program
PIs Pedersen, Prince, and Monterosso
We are currently developing a cannabis dispensary for research (named “The CANNEX”) using the Institute for Addiction Science Biobehavioral Research Facility. Once developed, The CANNEX will be used to study purchasing and selling behaviors that take place in dispensaries.
Behavioral Research and Analysis of Veterans’ Outcomes
NIAA R01 AA031037
PIs Davis and Pedersen
The purpose of this study is to examine how experiences of discrimination and violence impact behavioral health and access to care among veterans, including symptoms like depression, PTSD, and alcohol use. We welcome participation from veterans across all branches of the military and particularly encourage participation from women veterans and those from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds.
Reducing College Student Binge Eating and Drinking Behavior Through Brief Online Intervention
NIAAA R34 AA030655
PIs Pedersen and Murray
This pilot project targets both binge drinking and binge eating behavior in college students through a mobile-based online program that provides students with evidence-based intervention material designed to reduce the incidence of both behaviors and encourage students to seek more formal in-person counseling.
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