Diversity Science Spotlight

At what stage are you in your career, and what is your current affiliation?
I am an Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Research at the Addiction Research Institute at Steve Hicks School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin  

How would you describe your research interests?
My research focuses on substance use among adolescents and young adults, as well as recovery support services and interventions. Guided by the biopsychosocial model, my work examines the interconnected biological, psychological, and social factors that influence substance use behaviors and recovery outcomes. I have contributed to research across all three domains: (biological) exploring how autonomic nervous system regulation through breathing techniques can reduce drug cravings; (psychological) by investigating the reasons and motivations behind substance use; and (social) by examining the impact of recovery housing services. Through this multi-domain approach, my goal is to advance evidence-based strategies that support prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery for individuals affected by substance use.

How did you become interested in determinants of tobacco use among Black adolescents?
My interest developed as an extension of my dissertation and postdoctoral research, which focused on alcohol and cannabis use among college students. This work sparked my curiosity about another widely available substance—tobacco. As I delved into the literature, I was struck by a critical disparity: while tobacco use and nicotine vaping rates among Black and White individuals aged 12 and older are roughly equivalent, Black individuals experience significantly higher rates of tobacco-related disease and mortality. This discrepancy led me to explore the systemic and structural factors that contribute to these health inequities. I became increasingly aware of how targeted marketing, stress-related smoking, and disparities in access to prevention resources place Black adolescents at heightened risk for tobacco use. This realization motivated me to examine the social determinants—such as neighborhood environments, peer influences, and cultural factors—that shape tobacco use patterns in this population.

Congratulations on your work published in JSAD, titled, “It's Not Just Black and White: Identifying the Combined Influence of Multilevel Determinants of Tobacco Use Among Black Adolescents.” What do you view as the key takeaways from this work that are important for Division 50 members to know?
Studies that examine within-group differences in substance use in specific social identity categories (e.g., race, ethnicity, sex, gender, disability status) are essential for creating knowledge to alleviate health disparities. Individuals who share a social identity in one category are not monolithic. Our study used latent class analyses and identified four sub-groups among a sample of 1,801 Black adolescents with unique combinations of factors in sociocultural, environmental, psychological, and behavioral domains associated with tobacco use. Our results also reinforce the importance of adopting a dynamic view that investigates factors across multiple domains. The adolescents with the highest odds of tobacco use endorsed risks in several domains, including feeling distress, perceiving tobacco as beneficial for managing stress and anger, and using other substances such as alcohol and cannabis. Finally, our results indicate that interventions targeting perceptions of risk and in-house tobacco use rules alone may not be an effective tobacco control strategy among Black adolescents. The vast majority of adolescents in the sample reported living in homes where tobacco use was not allowed, believed that tobacco use causes a lot of harm, and believed that a person is likely to become addicted to tobacco. However, many of them may prioritize the management of negative emotions over perceived negative health consequences from tobacco use.

What are the implications of this work?
Our findings suggest two targets for intervention. First, interventions that address factors that contribute to distress and anger are essential for addressing the underlying factors influencing reasons for tobacco use. Second, interventions that teach coping and emotion regulation strategies to Black adolescents may provide important alternatives to their use of tobacco use for mood management 

Where are you hoping to take this line of research in the future?
In the future, I plan to expand this line of research by examining patterns of factors across multiple domains in Black adolescents who use other substances, including alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, and opioids. A key focus will be identifying which distinct profiles of risk and protective factors emerge and how they compare to those identified in our tobacco study. Are the patterns similar, or do they suggest the need for different intervention approaches? Additionally, I aim to explore factors that may be particularly relevant to Black adolescents, such as perceived discrimination, intergenerational trauma, minority stress, and religiosity. By incorporating these culturally specific influences, my goal is to develop more tailored, effective prevention and intervention strategies that address substance use disparities in Black communities.

What would you like to share with someone in the field of addictive behaviors who is interested in examining similar topics?
I would emphasize that person-centered studies exploring within-group patterns of risk and protective factors among individuals with marginalized identities are still in their early stages. This presents a significant opportunity to deepen our understanding of the nuanced ways in which substance use behaviors develop within specific populations. Traditional substance use research has often relied on broad comparisons between racial and ethnic groups, which can overlook the heterogeneity of experiences within these communities. This is an evolving area of research that will be crucial in advancing both etiological understanding and practical interventions.