Research Studies

Trauma and Stress Studies Center Current and Upcoming Studies at Texas A&M University:

1. Integration of Cognitive Processing Therapy and Relapse Prevention for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Co-Occurring PTSD: A Randomized Clinical Trial [PTSD & Alcohol Use Treatment and Healing Study (PATH)]

     MPIs: Vujanovic & Back

The primary objective of this Stage II randomized clinical trial is to examine the efficacy of Cognitive Processing Therapy + Relapse Prevention, as compared to Relapse Prevention alone, in reducing (1) alcohol use frequency and quantity and (2) PTSD symptom severity among individuals with current AUD/PTSD. 

2. Stress, Emotion, and Resilience among Student Veterans

MPIs: Woller & Vujanovic

The aims of this study are to (1) improve our understanding of the associations between stress, emotions, and resilience among college student veterans, (2) assess maladaptive behaviors as they relate to coping behaviors, and (3) identify these associations to better inform intervention efforts for college student veterans.

3. Stress and Health among Sexual Trauma Survivors

MPIs: McGrew & Vujanovic

The primary aim of this project is to better understand associations between stress, emotion, and coping behaviors among students with a history of unwanted sexual experiences. The current study aims to examine these associations while considering other important factors, such as transdiagnostic mechanisms (e.g., distress tolerance, emotion regulation) and likelihood of reporting sexual trauma.

4. Mobile Health to Monitor Risk for COVID-19 and Improve Mental Health During the Pandemic

MPIs: Businelle & Zvolensky

Vujanovic (Co-Investigator)

This randomized clinical trial is evaluating the efficacy of a novel app, the Easing Anxiety Sensitivity for Everyone (EASE), in reducing emotional symptoms among a large sample of adults (N= 800 across two app conditions).

5. Distress Tolerance, Alcohol Use, and Trauma Experiment (DATE): An Experimental Cue Reactivity Paradigm

      PI: Vujanovic

This study aims seeks utilize an experimental cue reactivity paradigm to examine the associations among PTSD symptomatology, distress tolerance, and alcohol- /trauma-related cue reactivity to potentially inform intervention and prevention programs for individuals with PTSD/alcohol use disorder comorbidity.

6. Building Stronger Allies: A Pilot Study to Reduce Suicide Risk among Firefighters

PIs: Vujanovic, Schmidt, Joiner, Stanley, & Boffa

This study aims to examine the acceptability and feasibility of a brief, web-based suicide risk reduction intervention (Building Stronger Allies) among firefighters. This study is intended to inform the development of a new web-based intervention (Firefighter Social Health) for firefighters to improve suicide prevention dissemination and implementation efforts within the fire service by obtaining feedback to ensure that the intervention is relevant, useful, and appropriate for tailoring to the fire service.

Recently Completed / Closed Studies:

1. Emotion and Coping in College Students

PI: Vujanovic

The aims of this study are to (1) better understand associations between emotion and coping to inform prevention and intervention efforts for college students, (2) examine these associations while considering contextual factors (trauma history & transdiagnostic factors), and (3) assess maladaptive behaviors as they relate to coping behaviors.

2. Development of a Trauma-Related Alcohol Coping Measure 

MPIs: Vujanovic, Lebeaut, & Zegel

The aim of this study is to empirically validate a newly developed self-report questionnaire assessing motivations for using alcohol to cope with specific facets of PTSD.

3. Mindful Attention Training Workshop for Firefighters: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

PI: Vujanovic

This study aims to demonstrate the efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of Mindful Attention Training (MAT), which is a novel mindfulness-based intervention specifically developed for firefighters. This study is designed to help improve the health of firefighters and promote health service psychologists via the integration of health service psychology into the fire service.

4. Impact of COVID-19 on the Behavioral Health of First Responders

PI: Vujanovic

This study aims to assess the trauma-relevant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the behavioral health of first responders. Specifically, we are seeking to evaluate (1) the prevalence of COVID-19 exposure among first responders and assess COVID-19-related worry, (2) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various mental health outcomes in first responders (e.g., symptoms of PTSD, depression, substance use, and suicide-related thoughts and behaviors), and (3) the prevalence of COVID-19-related medical vulnerabilities among first responders.

5. Greater Houston Area Hospital-Based Intervention Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Human Trafficking Victims

PI: Catholic Health Initiatives National Foundation

Vujanovic (Evaluator)

The goals of the project center on expanding mental health services for victims of human trafficking in the Greater Houston Area by: enhancing the quality and quantity of available services, providing direct services, in particular mental health services, increasing capacity via interagency partnerships, professional trainings, and public awareness activities, and collecting data on whether the program is meeting stated objectives.

6. Law Enforcement Health and Wellness

PI: Vujanovic

This study aims to highlight health and wellness characteristics through the examination of mental health outcomes among law enforcement employees, as well as to compare the differential impact of work environment, law enforcement subpopulations (e.g., peace officers, communications officers, detention officers, support staff, etc.), and positive characteristics may serve to foster and protect health and wellness among these groups through informing various mental health resources.
 

7. Impact of Hurricane Harvey on First Responder Behavioral Health 

PI: Vujanovic

This study aims to assess the trauma-relevant impact that Hurricane Harvey had on the behavioral health and occupational functioning of first responders in Harris County, Texas, to help improve support and services for first responders. More specifically, we hope to better understand first responders' (1) current behavioral health and occupational functioning and (2) previous behavioral health and occupational functioning in the timeframe directly following the storm.

8. Daily State-Like Distress Tolerance and Alcohol Use Motivation among Hazardous Drinkers with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder 

PI: Zegel (NIAAA F31 National Research Service Award)

This study aims to examine the relationship between daily state-like distress tolerance, alcohol use motivations, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among a sample of hazardous drinkers with subthreshold (i.e., endorsing at least one symptom in each symptom cluster) and diagnostic PTSD. This study will use an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) paradigm over the course of 21 days.

9. Integrated Personalized Feedback Intervention for Hazardous Drinkers with Elevated Anxiety Sensitivity and Subclinical PTSD 

PI: Lebeaut (NIAAA F31 National Research Service Award)

This study is a randomized controlled trial with the aim of developing and testing the efficacy of a novel, computer-based personalized feedback intervention (PFI) among hazardous drinkers with at least subclinical posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; i.e., endorsing at least one symptom in each PTSD symptom cluster) and elevated anxiety sensitivity. This study will attempt to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of this novel PFI, with a focus on feedback about alcohol behavior in the context of PTSD symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and coping-oriented alcohol use.