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Research Spotlight
Report of the Task Force on College Gambling Policies
During 2008 and with the financial support of the National Center for Responsible Gaming, Dr. Shaffer and his colleagues at the Division on Addictions identified, invited, and convened a national taskforce representative of US colleges. The purpose of this taskforce was to create a template for developing and implementing science-based college gambling policies. Now, the Division on Addictions is proud to announce that the Taskforce on College Gambling Policies has completed its work and has released its recommendations for college gambling policies. With this report, we intend these recommendations to help prevent college-based excessive gambling and drinking, and promote recovery from gambling addiction and related disorders. The following schools, each of which already has a policy on gambling, are represented on the task force:
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University of Alabama Bridgewater State College University of Denver George Fox University Harvard University Lehigh University |
Mississippi State University University of Missouri, Columbia University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of Nevada, Reno Oregon State University Villanova University |
For the Full Report, please visit the report section of the Library & Archives page.
The Division on Addictions Received Two NIAAA R03 Grants!
“DUI Offending: The Intersection of Criminality and Psychopathology”, PI’s: Drs. Nelson and LaBrie
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Sarah Nelson, Ph.D. |
Richard LaBrie, Ed.D. |
A study of the
relationship between the criminal history and psychiatric comorbidity of DUI
(Driving Under the Influence of alcohol and/or other drugs) offenders has
never been conducted. Information from a study of these two important
DUI-risk factors is critical to revitalize efforts to combat DUI. High rates
of psychiatric comorbidity suggest that it is likely that untreated
psychopathology contributes to the persisting rate of DUI events, including
DUI-risk behaviors (such as alcohol abuse or driving to drinking venues),
offenses (both arrested and undetected), and fatalities. Criminal behavior
is related to DUI-risk, to psychopathology and to treatment resistance.
The superordinate goal of this research effort is to establish effective
evidence-based treatment that can prevent DUI relapse. The primary goal of
the proposed research agenda is to advance this superordinate goal by
examining the impact of psychiatric comorbidity, criminality, and the
interaction between them on DUI relapse. A better understanding of what influences repeat DUI and what interferes
with successful treatment can lead to improved interventions including both
sentencing and treatment practices.
“Development and validation of an implicit measure of alcohol-related self-identity”, PI’s: Drs. LaPlante and Gray
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Debi LaPlante, Ph.D. |
Heather Gray, Ph.D. |
Alcohol abuse is the greatest single contributor to morbidity and mortality among the college student population. The unchanging prevalence of alcohol abuse among college students in recent years, despite increasing prevention efforts, suggests the need for novel approaches to risk assessment. This project will develop and validate a new risk assessment tool that is less susceptible to self-presentation desires and more sensitive to an important implicit construct, alcohol-related self-identity (i.e. the extent to which an individual thinks of himself or herself as a “drinker”). Evidence suggests that alcohol-related self-identity may be an important antecedent to risky drinking behavior. Therefore, the development of this tool will improve the ability to prospectively assess risky drinking behavior among college students, leading to more effective early intervention programs.
New Publication Spotlight
Toward a paradigm shift in Internet gambling research: From opinion and self-report to actual behavior
Internet gambling is one of the fastest growing gambling-related industries (Christian Capital Advisers 2006). As the Internet gambling industry expands, many stakeholders have created, or are in the process of creating, gambling-related policy. Policy makers promulgating these regulations rely on professional opinions and/or conventional wisdoms related to Internet gambling to guide them because of the lack of sufficient scientific research. There is an ongoing need for quality empirical research to guide the development of public policies that surround Internet gambling. This article summarizes the current state of scientific research about Internet gambling by identifying, describing, and critiquing the available peer-reviewed literature between January 1, 1967 and March 7, 2008 using the search term "Internet [AND] gambling" in the PubMed and PsychINFO search engines. Only 30 articles included Internet gambling as a focus. The study methods presented in the abstracts indicate that none included actual gambling behavior. In response to the clarion call to improve the state of psychological research (Baumeister et al. 2007), we have conducted research utilizing actual Internet gambling behavior. In contrast to prior self-report and case study research, our investigations using actual Internet gambling behavior suggest an overall pattern of moderate Internet gambling behavior (LaBrie et al. 2007). Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.
Recently Published:
Schuman-Olivier, Z., Albanese, M., Nelson, S. E., Roland, L., Puopolo, F., Klinker, L., & Shaffer, H. J. (2010). Self-treatment: Illicit buprenorphine use by opioid dependent treatment seekers. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 39, 41-50. (Password Protected)
LaPlante, D. A., Gray, H. M., Bosworth, L. B., & Shaffer, H. J. (2010). Thirty years of lottery public health research: Methodological strategies and trends. Journal of Gambling Studies, 26, 301-329. (Password Protected)
Announcements
Jeanne Blake Receives Award from MSPP
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Jeanne Blake is an affiliated faculty member at the Division on Addictions, founder of Words Can Work® and the president of Blake Works. We are pleased to announce that Blake has received the 2010 Mental Health Humanitarian Award from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. |
Gloucester Times
May 24, 2010
Business briefcase
Jeanne Blake, a resident of Gloucester and New York City, is the 2010
recipient of the Mental Health Humanitarian Award from the Massachusetts
School of Professional Psychology (MSPP) for her tireless efforts to
increase awareness of children's health issues and needs.
Each year, MSPP presents its humanitarian award to a person who has
demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the needs of the community.
"Jeanne is someone whose commitment to the health and mental health of
children truly exemplifies the spirit of this award," said MSPP President
Dr. Nicholas Covino, in a statement.
Blake is a medical reporter, author, and affiliated faculty member of the
Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School. She also is a trustee of
McLean Hospital.
In 1984, Blake created the medical beat for WBZ-TV, the Boston NBC
affiliate. In 1991, she founded Blake Works Inc. (certified as a Woman Owned
Business) and Family Health Productions, which produce, publish, and
distribute the Words Can Work® series of DVDs, booklets and Online
programs, to support young people, families, and communities in talking
about the public and mental health challenges kids face growing up.
Blake provides consulting services in the field of parent/child
communication and speaks nationally to parents, and health care
professionals in corporate and community settings. Blake Works has formed a
partnership with former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher's Health
Leadership Institute to will create Town Hall Meetings on mental health
nationally, which Blake will moderate.
Blake has appeared on "Oprah," "The Today Show," "The Cristina Show," and
CNN. Her work has been featured on National Public Radio and Bloomberg
Radio.
At WBZ-TV, Blake earned the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Journalism Award for
coverage of HIV/AIDS and was recognized by Americans for Democratic Action
and the Human Rights Campaign for coverage of health care issues.
Her book, "Risky Times: How to be AIDS-Smart and Stay Healthy" (Workman,
1991) was named to the American Library Association's lists of Best Books
for the Young Adult Reader and Best Books for the Reluctant Reader.
Blake is a member of American Psychological Association's Task Force on the
Sexualization of Girls, and was a Kaiser Media Fellow in Health.