Women’s substance use and misuse; victimization; drinking contexts
I currently have two primary areas of focus in my research. The first involves the ongoing focus on young women’s alcohol use/abuse and risks for sexual assault. This area of research has evolved through survey and daily process studies, as well as the development of a video vignette risk perception measure designed to assess women’s perception of ambiguous and clear risk cues for alcohol-related sexual assault. A future study will develop a preventive intervention to reduce college women’s risk for sexual revictimization through reduction of hazardous drinking, improvement in risk perception, and protective behavioral skills (dating and drinking) training using the video vignettes.
The second primary area of focus of my research involves the assessment of negative consequences associated with college students’ nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). Preliminary research in this area was funded through a SUNY/RF Collaborative Award. UB and University at Albany undergraduates were surveyed to assess the rates of NMUPD (i.e., stimulants, benzodiazepines/sedatives, opioid analgesics) and associated negative consequences. Future studies are planned to look at negative sexual events and NMUPD and assess the simultaneous and concurrent polydrug use among nonmedical prescription drug users.