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In Person Seminar: Behavioral Economic Approaches for Measuring Substance Use Severity and Motivating Change

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James G. Murphy, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Psychology
University of Memphis

Pioneers in Biomedical Research Seminar: Behavioral Economic Approaches for Measuring Substance Use Severity and Motivating Change

Date: Feb. 17, 2023

Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Video of the event

About this Seminar

Behavioral economic theory suggests that low levels of substance-free reward will increase the relative reinforcing value of alcohol, leading to increases in drinking, particularly among persons with elevated impulsivity or comorbid mental health conditions. These risk factors often interact to contribute to the persistently high valuation of brief, high-intensity reinforcers such as alcohol relative to reinforcers derived from patterns of activities that serve to advance future goals. This presentation will discuss behavioral economic approaches for measuring substance use severity and motivating change.

Additional Details

This is a free event hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and co-sponsored by the institute's Addiction Recovery Research Center and the Center for Health Behaviors Research. The Pioneers in Biomedical Research Seminar Series, which runs annually from September to May, has featured leading biomedical researchers from throughout the country since the program began in 2012. The lectures are also open to all members of the Virginia Tech community including graduate students, undergraduates, faculty, and staff, as well as the public.

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