Improving interventions to reduce alcohol use
This research focuses on improving alcohol interventions for young adults by producing a better understanding of the mechanisms through which interventions bring about behavior change. We are interested in testing the efficacy of individual ingredients of alcohol interventions to improve our understanding of which strategies are effective and which might be abandoned. For example, we are especially interested in developing interventions that effectively promote greater use of protective strategies while drinking (e.g., spacing drinks by consuming soda or water). In related work, we are also interested in differentiating the psychosocial factors that are important for initiating versus maintaining behavior change. A goal of this research is to test strategies that might encourage better maintenance of change following interventions.
Relevant publications
Carey, K. B., Walsh, J. L., Merrill, J. E., Lust, S. A., Reid, A. E., Scott-Sheldon, L. A. J., Kalichman, S. C., & Carey, M. P. (2018). Using email boosters to maintain change after brief alcohol interventions for mandated college students: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83, 36-44.
Reid, A. E., & Carey, K. B. (2015). Interventions to reduce college student drinking: State of the evidence for mechanisms of behavior change. Clinical Psychology Review, 40, 213-224.
Reid, A. E., Carey, K. B., Merrill, J. E., & Carey, M. P. (2015). Social network influences on initiation and maintenance of reduced drinking among college students. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83, 36-44.