Research

The THAD Laboratory conducts innovative clinical health research that enhances our understanding of when, why and how people make important health behavior changes. We apply that knowledge to develop and test more effective interventions to help people overcome ambivalence and find the motivation to change. With a focus on high-risk health habits like smoking, binge drinking, and drug use, our research is informed theoretically by transtheoretical models, social learning models, and self-determination models of behavior change, and informed clinically by motivational enhancement and personalized feedback approaches to brief interventions. The lab also seeks to utilize technology to develop effective e-interventions that can be disseminated easily via the web or other means to ensure greater reach on impacting public health problems.