Welcome to the Behavioral Economics, Addiction, and Health Promotion (BEACON) Lab. Led by Dr. Sarah Weinsztok, BCBA, our research employs behavioral economic frameworks to understand decision-making processes and to promote healthy behavioral outcomes.
Research Aims:
- Pinpoint contextual mechanisms that support persistent substance and alcohol use
- Explore the impact of substance-free alternatives on substance and alcohol demand
- Develop novel methodologies to understand and address substance use and promote health and wellness among understudied populations (e.g., non-student emerging adults, neurodivergent individuals)
Active Research Projects:
Alcohol Motives among Neurodivergent Individuals
We are exploring the type and prevalence of motives for alcohol use among neurodivergent adults. The purpose of this research is to understand the functions that support alcohol use among this population and explore the unique barriers to substance use intervention among neurodivergent individuals.
Substance Use Demand and Rewarding Alternatives among Student and Non-student Emerging Adults
This crowdsourced research study was administered to a group of student and non-student emerging adults from across the United States. The purpose of this study is to understand differences in substance and alcohol demand and in use patterns between students and non-students.
Substitutability of Substance-Free Alternatives for Alcohol Use
We are analyzing the impact of preferred alternative activities on demand for alcohol use among a sample of adults. One arm of this research program involves an intensive longitudinal design in which we collect daily diary responses from community participants on substance-free and substance-related activity engagement and alcohol use.
Core Faculty:
Sarah Weinsztok, Ph.D, BCBA
Affiliated faculty, personnel, and collaborators:
Michael Amlung, Ph.D. (https://addictionlabku.com/)
Samuel Acuff, Ph.D. (https://www.recoveryanswers.org/team/samuel-acuff-ph-d/)
Kianna Csölle, M.A.
Riley Italiano (student assistant)
Virinca Jaipuriyar (student assistant)