Katie Witkiewitz, PhD
Welcome to my webpage! I am an Assistant Professor in Psychology at the Vancouver campus of Washington State University. I teach courses in abnormal psychology, addiction, and quantitative methodology and conduct research on a variety of topics. When I am not working I enjoy getting outdoors for some running, hiking, rock-climbing, or kayaking, and when I can't get outdoors I enjoy spending time with my husband and little girl (Aggie the wondermutt).
Courses
| Course ID | Title | Meeting Time | Location | Semester | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSYC 333 | Abnormal Psychology | ||||
| PSYC 342 | Assessment and Treatment of Dual Diagnosis | M,W 9:10-10:25 AM | VMMC 1 | Fall 2010 | |
| PSYC 442 | Introduction to Advanced Addiction Treatment Techniques |
Research
Substance use relapse, defined as the return to problematic substance use after a period of abstention or moderate use, is the most common outcome following treatment for substance use disorders and also following self-change attempts. The primary objective of my research is to examine empirically-based models of substance use, with an emphasis on applying advanced quantitative research methods (e.g., growth mixture models, latent Markov models, dynamical systems theory) to better understand the complexities of substance use relapse. Following from this understanding, my research has focused on the development of interventions to prevent substance use relapse. In collaboration with colleagues at the University of Washington, we are currently conducting a randomized controlled trial to examine whether training in mindfulness skills as part of a relapse prevention group intervention reduces rates of relapse and improves psychological health following substance abuse treatment. The goal of this research is to identify who benefits from the treatment and the mechanisms by which treatments are effective.
- Substance use relapse
- Relapse prevention interventions
- Longitudinal data analysis
- Quantitative models of behavior change
Recent Publications
Witkiewitz, K., Bowen, S., & Donovan, D. M. (in press). Moderating effects of a craving intervention on the relation between negative mood and heavy drinking following treatment for alcohol dependence. Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology.
Witkiewitz, K. & Bowen, S. (2010). Depression, craving and substance use following a randomized trial of mindfulness-based relapse prevention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78, 362-374.
Witkiewitz, K., Hartzler, B., & Donovan, D. M. (2010). Matching Motivation Enhancement Treatment to client motivation: Re-examining the Project MATCH motivation matching hypothesis. Addiction, 105, 1403-1413.
Hendershot, C.S., Witkiewitz, K., George, W.H., Wall, T.L., Otto, J.M., Liang, T., & Larimer, M.E. (in press). Evaluating a cognitive model of ALDH2 and drinking behavior. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
McMahon, R. J., Witkiewitz, K., Kotler, J. S., and the Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (in press). Predictive validity of callous-unemotional traits measured in early adolescence with respect to multiple antisocial outcomes. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.
Wu, J., Witkiewitz, K. & McMahon, R. J., Dodge, K. A., and the Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (in press). A parallel process growth mixture model of conduct problems and substance use with risky sexual behavior. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Witkiewitz, K. & Marlatt, G. A. (in press). Behavioral therapy across the spectrum. Alcohol Research and Health.
Education
- 2005 PhD in Psychology, University of Washington
- 2000 MA in Psychology, University of Montana
- 1999 BA in Psychology, State University of New York at Potsdam