Barbara McCrady

Title: Professor II
Areas : Clinical Psychology/Intradisciplinary Health
Phone: 732-445-2556/0667/0903
Email: bmccrady@rci.rutgers.edu
Campus: Busch
Building: Psych 305/Alcohol Studies
Website: www.rci.rutgers.edu/~bmccrady

I received my PhD in 1975 from the University of Rhode Island, was on the faculty of the Brown University Program in Medicine from 1975 to 1983, and have been on the faculty at Rutgers since 1983. I am active in the clinical area of the Department. My program of research focuses on three major areas: (1) the development and testing of effective treatments for persons with alcohol use disorders; (2) the role of the social environment in influencing the course of substance use disorders; and (3) the specific problems of women with substance use disorders.

My most enduring interest is in the use of science to improve the lives of individuals with psychological problems. Historically, experience-based models to conceptualize and treat persons with substance use disorders dominated the addictions field. The last 30 years have witnessed a revolution in the application of science to addictions treatment. My earliest work focused on the development of cognitive-behavioral (CBT) models for substance abuse treatment, and the application of these treatment models in inpatient and day treatment settings. In collaboration with colleagues at Brown University, we also tested the cost-effectiveness of treatment delivered in different settings, finding that we could achieve comparable treatment outcomes at about two-thirds of the cost in the day treatment setting. I also have developed a conjoint treatment model to include spouses in the treatment, and have tested and refined this model in a series of settings.

My second and related interest is in the role of the social environment in substance use disorders. We examine the role of the family in the recognition of drinking problems, the process of change, and maintenance of change. Self-help groups provide another type of social environment for persons with substance use disorders, and I also have a research focus on the processes of change and impact of self-help groups on treatment outcomes.

Most recently, I have examined these same kinds of questions – what treatments are effective for persons with substance use disorders; what is the role of the social environment – with a particular focus on women. Women tend to use alcohol and drugs for different reasons than men, have different environmental demands, and their social environments react differently to use and help-seeking, suggesting the need to modify treatment models to address women’s specific needs. We have examined these questions in a variety of female populations, including middle-class women with drinking problems and low-income women with substance use disorders.

Professor McCrady is currently on leave and is not accepting new graduate students.