Dr. Jennifer P. Read
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Rhode Island
Office: 224 Park Hall
Phone: (716) 645-3650 x.224
E-mail (will open in a new window)

Summary of Research Interests:

Dr. Read is interested in the etiology of and intervention for problematic alcohol use. Recent work has been in two areas: (1) psychosocial determinants of young adult alcohol misuse, and (2) comorbid alcohol use and posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD).

Dr. Read’s research on young adult drinking has examined both environmental and individual determinants of alcohol use utilizing laboratory and survey approaches. In particular, Dr. Read’s research examines how individual-level factors such as gender, affective state, or alcohol cognitions (e.g., expectancies, motives) may account for differential responses to the social environment. She and her colleagues currently are conducting two studies using methods such as mood induction and cue exposure to examine how mood and alcohol cues affect the accessibility of alcohol expectancies, and to test gender differences in these associations. This research also will examine how these factors affect alcohol craving and in vivo alcohol consumption.

Dr. Read is also interested in the measurement and evaluation of negative consequences resulting from heavy drinking in college students.

Dr. Read’s interest in co-occurring alcohol use (AUD) and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) examines mechanistic associations affecting both the etiology and treatment of these disorders. Her work in this area has included an evaluation of approaches to assessing comorbid AUD-PTSD, and prospective examinations of the relationship between PTSD, coping, and AUD treatment outcomes.

Representative Publications:

Young Adult Drinking

• Read, J.P., Wood, M.D., & Capone, C. (2005). A prospective investigation of relations between social influences and alcohol involvement during the transition into college. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 66, 23-34.
• Read, J.P., Wood, M.D., Lejuez, C.W., Slack, M., & Palfai, T.P. (2004). Gender, alcohol consumption, and alcohol expectancies in college drinkers. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 12, 298-308.
• Kahler, C.W., Read, J.P., Wood, M.D., & Palfai, T.P. (in press). Social environmental selection as a mediator of gender, ethnic, and personality effects on college student drinking. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
• Read, J.P., Wood, M.D., Kahler, C.W., Maddock, J.E., Palfai, T. (2003). Examining the role of drinking motives in college student alcohol use and problems. Psychology of Addictive Behavior,17, 13-23.
• Read, J., & Wood, M.D. Davidoff, O.J., McLacken, J., & Campbell, J.F. (2002). Making the transition from high school to college: The role of alcohol-related social influence factors in students’ drinking. Substance Abuse, 23, 53-66.
• Wood, M.D., Read, J.P., Palfai, T., & Stevenson, J. (2001). Social influence processes in college student drinking: The mediational role of alcohol outcome expectancies. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 62, 32-43.

AUD-PTSD

• Ouimette, P.C., Read, J.P., & Brown, P.J. (2005). Consistency of Retrospective Reports of DSM-IV Criterion A Traumatic Stressors among Substance Use Disorder Patients. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18, 43-51.
• Read, J.P., Brown, P., & Kahler, C.W. (in press). Substance abuse and posttraumatic stress disorders: Symptom interplay and effects on outcome. Addictive Behaviors.
• Brown, P. J., Read, J.P., & Kahler, C.W. (2003). Comorbid PTSD and substance use disorders: Treatment outcomes and role of coping. In P.C. Ouimette and P.J. Brown (Eds.), Trauma and Substance Abuse: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment of Comorbidity (pp.171-190). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Read, J.P., Bollinger, A.R., & Sharkansky, E.J. (2003). Assessment and diagnosis of PTSD-Substance Abuse. In P.C. Ouimette and P. Brown (Eds.), Trauma and Substance Abuse: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment of Comorbidity (pp.111-125). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.