This application requests support for an Independent Scientist Award (K02) for Kate Carey, Ph.D., and describes the applicant's research and career development plans. The applicant's previous and current NIDA-funded research focuses on substance use and abuse among severely and persistently mentally ill outpatients. Her career goals include (a) acquiring expertise in developing therapies that enhance motivation for change, (b) conducting treatment outcome research, and (c) mentoring junior scientists. This proposal describes two of three currently funded projects. Project 1 is an ongoing NIMH-funded study that is evaluating the efficacy of two prevention interventions for adults with severe mental illness. Participants are randomly assigned to a substance use reduction group, a HIV risk reduction group, or a standard treatment only group, all designed as supplements to outpatient psychiatric treatment. Both groups run for 10 sessions over 5 weeks, and incorporate education, motivational enhancement and behavioral skills components. Participants complete baseline, post-treatment, 3-month and 6-month follow-up assessments. Project 2 is a NIDA-funded Phase I therapy development project. This sequential research plan includes (a) psychometric research to identify measures that are sufficiently reliable and valid to serve as measures of outcome, and (b) the development and initial pilot testing of an add-on module designed to enhance readiness of outpatients with schizophrenia and drug use disorders to engage in drug treatment. Future plans involve continuing the therapy development process started in Project 2 with more sophisticated designs, optimizing the long-term effectiveness of motivational interventions by supplementing them with skills-based therapies, and identifying characteristics of responders and non-responders. The applicant's career development plans focus on activities designed to facilitate continued progress toward senior status and leadership in the field. These include continued skill development through courses and consultation with leading therapy development centers; collaboration with a productive group of local colleagues; conducting programmatic research; and providing research mentoring to junior scientists. This award would allow the applicant protected time (teaching relief and summer support) to continue to develop her research on the treatment of substance abuse among the severely mentally ill.
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