Treatment for Homeless Substance Abusers

Since the early 1990s, Drs. Milby and Schumacher have directed a research program aimed at developing, evaluating, and disseminating efficacious treatments for homeless substance abusers. This work has been funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Other CSARTP faculty members involved in this work include Drs. Michael and Vuchinich. Recent publications that have resulted from this research include:

Milby, J. B., Schumacher, J. E., Wallace, D., Freedman, M. J., & Vuchinich, R. (in press). To House or Not to House Homeless Substance Abusers in Treatment: Does It Make a Difference? American Journal of Public Health.

Milby, J. B., Schumacher, J. E., Vuchinich, R. E., Wallace, D., Plant, M. A., Freedman, M. J., McNamara, C., & Ward, C. (2004) Transitions during effective treatment for cocaine abusing homeless persons: establishing abstinence, lapse, relapse, and reestablishing abstinence. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18(3), 250-256.

Milby, J. B., Schumacher, J. E., Wallace, D., Frison, S., McNamara, C., Usdan, S., and Michael, M. (2003). Day treatment with contingency management for cocaine abuse in homeless persons: 12-month follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 71 (3) 619-621.


Behavioral Economics of Substance Abuse

Dr. Vuchinich is an internationally recognized scientist in the behavioral economics of substance abuse, and directs the BEAR Lab (Behavioral Economic Analysis Research Laboratory) in the Department of Psychology. His research group recently launched a 5-year study aimed at developing a better understanding of the forces that lead youth to initiate and escalate marijuana use. This project is funded by NIDA. Representative publications include:

Murphy, J.G., Correia, C.J., Colby, S.M., & Vuchinich, R.E. (in press). Using behavioral theories of choice to predict drinking outcomes following a brief intervention. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology

Vuchinich, R.E., & Heather, B.N. (Eds.) (2003). Choice, behavioural economics, and addiction. Oxford, England: Elsevier Science Limited.

Bickel, W. K., & Vuchinich, R. E. (Eds.) (2000). Reframing health behavior change with behavioral economics. Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.


Help-Seeking for and Natural Recovery from Alcohol Problems

Since the early 1990s, Dr. Tucker has conducted several large studies aimed at understanding why many affected individuals do not enter alcohol treatment, and how some individuals recover from alcohol problems without the benefit of formal treatment. This work has been funded by NIAAA. Dr. Vuchinich also has been involved in this research. Representative publications from this work include:

Tucker, J.A., Vuchinich, R.E., & Rippens, Paula D. (in press). Different variables are associated with help-seeking patterns and long-term outcomes among problem drinkers. Addictive Behaviors.

Tucker, J.A., Vuchinich, R.E., & Rippens, Paula D. (2002). Environmental contexts surrounding resolution of drinking problems among problem drinkers with different help-seeking experiences. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63, 334-341.

Tucker, J.A., Vuchinich, R.E., & Rippens, Paula D. (2002). Predicting natural resolution of alcohol problems: A prospective behavioral economic analysis. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 10, 248-257.
 

In his new book Choice, Behavioural Economics and Addiction, Professor Rudy Vuchinich (Psychology), associate director of the medical psychology department, presents information by psychologists across the country about behavioral economics and addiction.        Click to Read More...

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Psychology Professor Jesse B. Milby, Ph.D., ABPP, has received two grants totaling $8.5 million from the National Institute of Drug Abuse for two studies involving experimental, intensive day-treatment and training for homeless abusers of drugs and alcohol. Click to Read More...