Joyner Lab

This is a project launching in the Fall 2023 semester aimed at understanding variation in substance use and problems (focused primarily on alcohol and cannabis use) within the broader context of general psychopathology experienced in daily life. A core goal of this project is going to be focused on the length of the EMA period (2-3 months) – we want to be able to capture fairly rare phenomena that do not typically occur within a shorter (e.g., a couple of weeks) EMA protocol. We are going to be experimenting with all sorts of methods to try and keep engagement high throughout such a long period with a fairly intensive protocol, so stay tuned for how that works out. If we come up with useful methods, we’ll certainly be focused on making tutorial papers based on those successes (or failures).

Another feature of this project will reflect a focus on Black individuals’ mental health. A subset of individuals enrolled in Project Insight will be recruited from the Bay Area, and we will administer some extra questionnaires and EMA items to them in addition to the core battery described above. These will track the effects of systemic and individually-experienced racism and socioeconomic factors that may affect their experience of psychopathology in daily life. And then at the end of the protocol, my collaborators and I will be giving a community presentation on these data at a “science night” in town in partnership with local organizations promoting Black mental health to share the results with the community that volunteered to participate in our work. This represents a renewed focus of the C.R.E.A.M. Lab in doing community-engaged work, particularly focused on racially minoritized populations.