Faculty Research

A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Quetiapine for the Reduction of Cocaine Use
Principal Investigator: Andre Tapp, M.D. (Dr. Saxon is co-investigator)
This study compares quetiapine XR to placebo for the treatment of cocaine dependence with seeking safety group treatment as a behavioral platform.

Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation among Veterans with Schizophrenia or other Psychoses
Principal Investigator: Andrew Saxon, M.D.
This study examines two strategies for providing incentives for attendance at smoking cessation group therapy for veteran smokers with psychotic disorders.

Clinical Trial of the Adrenergic α-1 antagonist prazosin for alcohol dependence
Principal Investigator: Tracy Simpson, Ph.D (Dr. Saxon is co-investigator)
This study compares prazosin to placebo for the treatment of alcohol dependence with medical management as a behavioral platform and daily assessments of substance use and mood via interactive voice technology.

Pilot Study of a Group Psychotherapy for Co-Occurring Chronic Pain and Addiction
Principal Investigator: Andrew Saxon, M.D.
This study will develop manualized procedures for conduct of this psychotherapeutic approach to managing co-occurring pain and addiction and will conduct a small pilot trial of the new psychotherapy.

Contingency Management Models of Treatment for Methamphetamine and other Substance Abuse in Community Mental Health Center patients
Principal Investigator: Rick Ries, M.D.
This study will evaluate the efficacy of a twelve week contingency management  intervention for treating psycho-stimulant substance abuse when delivered in the context of a community mental health center  setting for adults suffering from serious mental illness.

Teens Mastering Recovery
Principal Investigator: Leslie Walker (Dr. Hsiao is Co-Principal Investigator)
This pilot study examines the utility of a 12-week post-chemical dependency treatment recovery support group in enhancing participation in recovery-related activities and decreasing substance use rate.

Emotion Regulation in Teen Self-Harm and Depression
Principal Investigator: Sheila Crowell (Dr. Hsiao is Co-Investigator)
This study uses multiple physiometric and psychological measures to explore differences between normal adolescents and adolescents who have depression or both depression and self-harm.

Computer-Adapted Standardized Patients Instrument (CASPI) for MI Skills Assessment, Phase II
Principal Investigator:  John Baer, Ph.D
This study will develop a method for evaluating a therapist’s motivational interviewing skills via a computerized assessment.

Adolescent Psychopathology: Implications of Co-Morbidity
Principal Investigator: Ann Vander Stoep, Ph.D (Dr. Baer is Co-Investigator)
This project investigates the impact of co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders among adolescents.

Pacific Northwest Node of NIDA Clinical Trials Network
Principal Investigator:  Dennis Donovan, Ph.D (Dr. Saxon is Co-Principal Investigator for pharmacologic trials.  Drs. Baer and Ries are Co-Investigators)
The Pacific Northwest Node located in the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute is one of sixteen centers around the country participating in the Clinical Trials Network (CTN).  The mission of the CTN is to improve the quality of drug abuse treatment throughout the country using science as the vehicle.  The CTN provides an enterprise in which the National Institute on Drug Abuse, treatment researchers, and community-based service providers cooperatively develop, validate, refine, and deliver new treatment options to patients in community-level clinical practice. This unique partnership between community treatment providers and academic research leaders aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Conducting studies of behavioral, pharmacological, and integrated behavioral and pharmacological treatment interventions of therapeutic effect in rigorous, multi-site clinical trials to determine effectiveness across a broad range of community-based treatment settings and diversified patient populations; and
• Ensuring the transfer of research results to physicians, clinicians, providers, and patients.