Current research projects focus on enhancing the reach, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of existing alcohol interventions for young adult college students:

Refining Boosters to Strengthen Online College Student Drinking Interventions
Principal Investigator: Abby Braitman, PhD
Funding Source: NIAAA (K01 AA023849)
The goal of this series of studies is to streamline and improve the efficacy of an innovative booster designed to strengthen and extend the effects of a computerized intervention targeting college drinking. We focus on content, framing, and timing of the emailed booster, as well as social mechanisms of change.

The Alcohol Etiology Treatment & Other Health Behaviors lab is also involved in several collaborative projects, including examining risk factors and processes for excessive alcohol use in other high-risk populations:

Examining binge eating in daily life: Working toward reducing obesity disparities in racially Diverse lesbian and heterosexual women
Principal Investigator: Kristin Heron, PhD
Braitman Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Source: NIMHD (R01 MD012598)
This study uses ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine associations between affective, social, health behavior, and sexual minority-specific factors and binge eating in the daily lives of racially diverse young adult lesbian and heterosexual women.

Completed Research Projects

Alcohol Use, Relationship Factors, Minority Stress, and Psychological Well-Being: A Daily Process Examination among Young Adult Females
Principal Investigator: Robin J. Lewis, PhD
Braitman Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Source: NIAAA (R15 AA020424)
This study examines how alcohol use is associated with relationship factors, sexual minority stress, and negative affect in young adult female same-sex couples.  Using up to 14 days of online daily diary surveys, we are examining how person-level factors and daily interactions contribute to drinking among female same-sex couples.

Behavioral Mechanisms Mediating Enhanced Online Interventions for College Drinkers
Principal Investigator: Abby Braitman, PhD
Funding Source: NIAAA (F32 AA021310)
This study employed emailed boosters in a randomized, controlled trial in an effort to improve the efficacy of an existing, popular, free online intervention, Alcohol 101 Plus™. These boosters provided succinct, personalized feedback, and provided reminders of protective behavioral strategies (PBS). The project explored potential mediating mechanisms of change.