TOBACCO, HEALTH,

AND DRINKING

LABORATORY

at Oklahoma State University

Investigating how and why people change habits that put their health at risk,

and how we can help people make healthy changes.

RS734_Horizontal white text - Psychology

Home Homepage_about

About Us

The THAD Laboratory conducts innovative clinical health research that enhances our understanding of when, why, and how people make important health behavior changes. We apply that knowledge to develop and test more effective interventions to help people overcome ambivalence and find the motivation to change. With a focus on high-risk health habits like smoking, binge drinking, and drug use, our research is informed theoretically by transtheoretical models, social learning models, and self-determination models of behavior change, and informed clinically by motivational enhancement and personalized feedback approaches to brief interventions. The lab also seeks to utilize technology to develop effective e-interventions that can be disseminated easily via the web or other means to ensure greater reach on impacting public health problems.

MAKING HEADLINES

OSU research aims to describe vaping's effects on college students (O'Colly, October 2019)

Traditional and electronic cigarettes linked to poor sleep (Association for the Advancement of Science, Sept. 2019)

Tips for enjoying the holidays (The Oklahoman, December 2018)

Why do only some people get blackout drunk? (BBC, June 2018)

OSU student studies effects of alcohol and hookah use (Oklahoma Gazette, Sept. 2016)

Graduate student to study hookah smoking (The Oklahoman, July 2016)

Home News

Home TeamMember

MEET THE TEAM

THAD LEFFINGWELL, PH.D.

Lab Director

University of Washington, Ph.D., 2000

Universitiy of Arizona, M.S., 1995

Southwestern College (KS), B.A., 1992

Dr. Leffingwell is a clinical health psychologist and Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology. Dr. Leffingwell teaches courses in health psychology (PSYC 4163), the psychology of substance use (PSYC 6143), and behavior therapy (PSYC 6083). He is an award-winning teacher and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

SUSANNA LOPEZ, M.S.

Doctoral Student

University of Arizona, B.S., 2016

Oklahoma State Univeristy, M.S., 2018

Susie is a third-year graduate student from Amarillo, TX. She went to the University of Arizona, where she completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Here at OSU, her research interests focus on social normative influences of college drinking. Her interests also include alcohol-related risky sexual behavior as well as drinking behaviors among ethnic minority populations. Susie hopes to continue on to a career in substance use research.

DELANEY DUNN

Doctoral Student

Southwestern University, B.A. 2017

Delaney is a second-year clinical psychology graduate student from Georgetown, TX. She attended Southwestern University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Here at OSU, her research interests focus on alcohol-related consequences associated with college drinking. Her interests also include the stigma of substance use, especially in underserved populations, such as justice-involved individuals. Delaney hopes to continue onto a career involving research and teaching at a liberal arts college.

EMILY BIRKEL

Doctoral Student

University of Nebraska, B.S. 2017

Emily is a first-year clinical psychology graduate student from Omaha, NE. She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Here at OSU, Emily's research interests include prescription drug misuse among college students, and substance use outcomes experienced by minority students. Emily hopes to continue onto a career in substance use research.

CHRIS DABBS

Doctoral Student

(Counseling Psychology)

Wabash College, BA

Valparaiso University, MA

Chris is a second-year counseling psychology graduate student from Gary, IN. He attended Valparaiso University, earning his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and Wabash College, where he double-majored in Psychology and Religion. Broadly, his research interests include the protective properties of faith/spirituality for people with addictive behaviors. At OSU, his research focuses on the intersections of spiritual/religious coping and problem gambling under the advisement of Dr. Carrie Winterowd. Chris hopes to continue onto a career teaching psychology at a small liberal arts college.

AFFILIATED FACULTY

ASHLEY COLE, PH.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University

B.A. - Psychology - University of Oklahoma
PhD - Clinical Psychology ) - Oklahoma State University

Clinical Psychology Residency - University of Mississippi Medical Center
Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship - Oklahoma State University College of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Ashley B. Cole currently holds an appointment as a Diversity Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychology at Oklahoma State University, and she collaborates with the THAD Lab. Dr. Cole’s research examines health behaviors and health disparities in alcohol and substance use disorders, obesity, and suicide rates among American Indian/Alaska Native populations. She is also interested in studying individual and social determinants of health from both risk and resilience perspectives.

Jennifer LaBrecque, Ph.D.

Teaching Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University

B.A. - Psychology - Rhodes College (TN)
PhD - Social Psychology - USC

Dr. Jen Labrecque is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Labrecque teaches Psychology of Motivation (PSYC 3013), Psychology of Adjustment (PSYC 2013), and Social Psychology (2743). As a social psychologist, Dr. Labrecque investigates habits and behavior change in consumer and health contexts, including collaborations with THAD Lab.