Trauma Research Program (KO2)

Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital

Lisa Najavits, Ph.D.

This program focuses primarily on applied clinical research to develop and evaluate psychotherapy for comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder. Other topics include the study of therapeutic expertise (identification, characteristics, and training of expert therapists), and descriptive and outcome research on dual diagnosis patients.

Key words: trauma, PTSD, psychotherapy outcome, substance abuse, dual diagnosis, substance abuse, psychotherapy, clinical studies, dual diagnosis, therapists

Grant support: NIDA K02.

Program Site: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center, McLean Hospital

Program Director: Lisa M. Najavits, PhD, McLean Hospital, Proctor III, 115 Mill St., Belmont MA 02478; 617-855-2305 [phone] 617-855-3605 [fax] Lnajavits@http://hms.harvard.edu

Web page: Please go to www.seekingsafety.org for more information on this research program.

Representative Publications:

Najavits LM, Weiss RD, Shaw SR. The link between substance abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder in women: A research review. Am J Addictions, 1997; 6(4): 273-283.

Najavits LM, Gastfriend DR, et al. Cocaine Dependence with and without PTSD among subjects in the National Institute on Drug Abuse Collaborative Cocaine Treatment Study. Am. J. Psychiatry, 1998; 155: 214-219.

Najavits LM, Weiss RD, Shaw SR, Muenz L. "Seeking Safety": Outcome of a new cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for women with posttraumatic stress disorder and substance dependence. J Traumatic Stress, 1998; 11:437-456.

Najavits LM, Crits-Christoph P, Dierberger A. Clinicians' impact on substance abuse treatment. Substance Use and Misuse, 2000; 35:2161-2190.

Najavits LM. Training clinicians to conduct the Seeking Safety treatment for PTSD and substance abuse. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 2000; 18:83-98.

Najavits LM. Early Career Award Paper: Helping "difficult" patients (2001). Psychother Res, 11, 131-152.