Helpline
Call 1.855.378.4373 to schedule a call time with a specialist or visit scheduler.drugfree.org
Helpline
Helpline
Call 1.855.378.4373 to schedule a call time with a specialist

    Advancing care through scientific research

    We conduct original research to improve the reach, accessibility and quality of substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services. Led by scientists with backgrounds in psychology, public health and social work, our work focuses on developing, testing and disseminating evidence-based interventions to families, adolescents and individuals struggling with addiction.

    Our work is focused on three broad areas of study: early prevention, primary prevention, and treatment and recovery. For information or questions on any of our research, please use the contact form below.

    Early prevention

    This area of work targets the earliest risk factors for substance use, including prenatal substance exposure and parental substance use during infancy and early childhood.

    We are partnering with Healthy Families home visiting programs in New Jersey to adapt the digital program for the home visiting context and conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impacts.
    Learn more
    While treatments for risky drinking exist, postpartum women may be unlikely to seek out formal treatment due to stigma and fear of child protective services involvement. This study will develop a tailored text messaging intervention to address postpartum risky drinking.
    Learn more

    Primary prevention

    We’re focused on understanding the nature, scope, predictors and consequences of substance use and addiction among young people. We leverage this area of research to help raise awareness of and support best practices in prevention.

    Learn more about how we support prevention
    Call to Action
    Family Involvement in Recovery Support and Treatment (FIRST) Research Network

    FIRST is a multidisciplinary collaborative dedicated to promoting family integration in treatment and recovery services for youth with substance use disorders.

    Learn more

    Treatment and recovery

    This area of research focuses primarily on family involvement in youth substance use treatment and recovery services, adoption and sustainability of systemic family therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy for youth substance use and co-occurring problems. We aim to enhance quality improvement, treatment fidelity and implementation research on evidence-based practices across the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system.

    For youth with SUDs, developmental theory underscores the primacy of family-level risk and protective factors, and family-based interventions have the strongest empirical support.
    Learn more
    This study advances the science of mental health services for adolescent externalizing problems (AEPs) by developing therapist training procedures to increase fidelity to evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in usual care.
    Learn more
    We’re developing and testing a Measurement Training and Feedback System (MTFS) designed to increase family-based services for adolescent substance use.
    Learn more
    Project TAMMI is a NIAAA funded research study that tests whether different types of text messages and assessments are helpful to people who want to cut down on their drinking over a six-month period.
    Learn more
    Call to Action
    Our teams

    Our research and technical assistance teams are driven by a passion for developing and implementing the most effective solutions for preventing and treating addiction.

    Learn more

    Contact us

    For more information or questions about our research, please complete the below form.


    Last Updated

    September 2023