What We Do

Developmental Pathways to Adolescent Substance Use
A prominent area of focus in the SUMMIT Lab involves understanding the factors that contribute to adolescents initiating and escalating substance use. Adolescent substance use predominantly occurs in the context of peers and our research largely focuses on the role of social relationships (e.g., peers, parents) on adolescent substance use attitudes and behaviors. Consistent with a developmental psychopathology framework, we acknowledge the role of multiple levels of influence on adolescent substance use. We examine how social relationships interact with multiple levels of influence including temperament, schools, neighborhoods, cultural practices, and laws, to influence adolescent substance use. The SUMMIT Lab also examines protective pathways to better understand how adolescents avoid substance use, overcome obstacles, and live meaningful lives.

Recovery Pathways for Adolescents in Substance Use Treatment
Unfortunately, treatments for adolescent substance use are less effective than treatments for adults and most youth who enter treatment return to substance use within a year of completing treatment. Additionally, our understanding of the pathways that lead youth to recover from substance use disorders remains at an early stage. The SUMMIT Lab is interested in leveraging developmental science to understand developmentally-informed pathways through which adolescents recover from substance use disorders. Key questions that guide our research in the SUMMIT Lab include: (1) how do we help adolescents increase their time with peers supportive of recovery and decrease their time with peers supportive of substance use during treatment? (2) What are the caregiving practices during caregiver-involved treatments that promote improved treatment outcomes? We recognize that there are multiple pathways to recovery and we are interested in better understanding which recovery pathways are most relevant to specific adolescents and their families.

Development, Refinement, and Scaling of Adolescent Substance Use Treatment Services
Less than ten percent of adolescents who require specialty treatment for a substance use disorder receive treatment. Preventing substance use disorders before they emerge and expanding access to treatment for those adolescents with substance use disorders is a public health priority. The SUMMIT Lab uses its research on pathways to adolescent substance use initiation, escalation, and treatment to help develop, refine, and scale treatments. Our examination of etiologic and treatment mechanisms guides our work on intervention refinement across the continuum of care for adolescent substance use (i.e., substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services).