Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Brain Sciences Program I will be recruiting graduate students for Fall 2026. My research focuses on why people engage in health-promoting behaviors, particularly behaviors that reduce the potential harms of alcohol, cannabis, and other drug use. I have an early career development award from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to study the motivational processes of recovery from alcohol use disorder during and after participation in Dry January and Sober October. Other foci include protective factors for health disparities, "natural" health behavior change (e.g., New Year's resolutions), multiple health behavior change, and alcohol-related risk for chronic disease (e.g., cancer). Education Education: PhD, Psychology (Health Psychology Concentration), University of Texas at El Paso (2020)MA, Experimental Psychology, University of Texas at El Paso (2018)BS, Psychology, George Mason University (2014) Research Research Interests: Alcohol; cannabis; substance use; health behaviors; motivation; health disparities; multiple health behavior change; natural change; chronic disease; psychometrics Grants: Understanding Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder: Longitudinal Observation of Two Voluntary Temporary Abstinence Periods (K01AA030789, PI: Richards) Motivation for Weight- and Alcohol-Related Behavior Change (American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant, IRG-21-146-25-IRG) Selected Publications Selected Publications: Richards, D. K., Tuchman, F. R., Hallgren, K. A., Kranzler, H. R., Aubin, H.-J., O’Malley, S., Mann, K., Aldridge, A., Anton, R. K., & Witkiewitz, K. (2024). Reductions in World Health Organization risk drinking level are associated with reductions in alcohol use disorder diagnosis and criteria: Evidence from an alcohol pharmacotherapy trial. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 18, 418-424. DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001303 Richards, D. K., Schwebel, F. J., Field, C. A., Pearson, M. R., & Addictions Research Team. (2023). The associations of basic psychological need satisfaction and need frustration with cannabis-related outcomes in a multi-site sample of college students. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 56, 177-186. DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2023.2191605 Richards, D. K., Pearson, M. R., & Witkiewitz, K. (2021). Understanding alcohol harm reduction behaviors from the perspective of self-determination theory: A research agenda. Addiction Research & Theory, 29, 392-397. DOI: 10.1080/16066359.2020.1863378 Richards, D. K., Schwebel, F. J., Sotelo, M., Pearson, M. R., & Marijuana Outcomes Study Team. (2021). Self-Reported Symptoms of Cannabis Use Disorder (SRSCUD): Psychometric testing and validation. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 29, 157-165. DOI: 10.1037/pha0000455 Richards, D. K., Pearson, M. R., & Field, C. A. (2020). Profiles of motivations for responsible drinking among college students: A self-determination theory perspective. Addictive Behaviors, 111, 106550. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106550
