The Team
Matthew Scalco Ph.D.
Education: B.A. in Psychology from University of Texas at Austin PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York Clinical Internship completed at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Research Interest: My research focuses on understanding the etiological factors involved with the development of substance use and substance use disorders from late childhood through adulthood using advanced statistics and data analytic techniques. I attempt to integrate multi-disciplinary theoretical perspectives (developmental psychopathology, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral) and advanced methodology (structural equation modeling, propensity score modeling, and machine learning) to provide rigorous tests of current theories of substance use disorder. Specifically, my prior work has focused on how problem behavior (externalizing and internalizing symptoms), temperament, affect, and social contexts (peers and parents) are related to substance use disorder within moderation and mediation models and while adjusting for the large array of known confounders in the literature. I am also interested in using ecological momentary assessment and technology to improve assessment of temperament, environmental, and affective factors. Current research in my lab focuses on the interaction of temperament and the environment and whether they predict very specific aspects of substance use in early to middle adolescence, while my future work will focus on improving measurement of these constructs by increasing precision in statistical models.
Miranda Evans, M.S.
Graduate Research Assistant in the Doctoral Program
Miranda received her B.S. with honors from Oglethorpe University in 2017. While in undergrad, Miranda did independent research on peer and parental relationships and how they can be protective in stressful situations. Her current research interests are how individual differences and stressful experiences contribute to the development of psychopathology, particularly internalizing disorders. Miranda has been working in the crescent city substance use lab since Fall 2017. In fall 2019, Miranda completed her M.S. at the University of New Orleans.
Elise Whitlock, B.S.
Graduate Research Assistant in the Masters Program
Elise received Her B.S. in Psychology from Louisiana State University in 2019, where during her last semester, she assisted Dr. Katie Cherry with her study regarding the 2016 flood in southeast Louisiana. Elise previously worked for a mental health rehabilitation service where she taught social skills and coping strategies to school-aged children with disciplinary issues. This experience prompted her to pursue further education in the field of Psychology. Her current research interests include mental health and substance abuse treatment among incarcerated individuals and those caught in the cycle of recidivism.