Our Research and Publications

The REAL Lab conducts research examining how everyday experiences influence recovery, well-being and positive health behavior change among individuals recovering from alcohol and other substance use disorders.

Current Grant Funded Projects

Alcohol Use Change and Daily Life Experiences Study
 Principal Investigator: Kyler Knapp, PhD

The Alcohol Use Change and Daily Life Experiences Study, funded by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, explores daily experiences of well-being and alcohol-related behaviors among individuals who have made a significant change in their alcohol use. The study involves a 30-day period of smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys.

Study Overview: This study examines how well-being unfolds in the daily lives of individuals who have made significant changes in their alcohol use. Using smartphone-based surveys completed throughout the day, we capture real-time experiences, emotions, cravings and substance-related behaviors as they occur. A central aim of this study is to better understand how well-being varies across individuals and throughout daily life, and how these experiences are connected to craving and alcohol use patterns.

Support: National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (1R21AA032577-01)

Other Projects

Well-being and Alcohol Use: Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis

Recent definitions of recovery from an alcohol use problem indicate that recovery goes beyond stopping or reducing drinking to encompass improvements in multiple aspects of well-being. Following these new definitions, empirical research has attempted to measure well-being and assess its relationship to current alcohol use among individuals in treatment or recovery. This systematic review and meta-analysis represents the first attempt to synthesize and evaluate the evidence for an association between well-being and current alcohol use during treatment and/or recovery.

Publications

Representative publications are included below. View a full list of publications here.

  • Knapp, K.S., Linn, B.K., Zhao, J., Wilding, G.E., Coffey, S.F., Gulliver, S.B., Bradizza, C.M., & Stasiewicz, P.R. (in press). Emotion regulation treatment for alcohol use disorder: Results of a stage II randomized clinical efficacy trial. Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.
  • LaBarre, C, Bowen, E.A., & Knapp, K.S. (2025). Recovery capital is associated with a greater likelihood of NIAAA-defined recovery for adults with prior alcohol problems. Substance Use & Misuse. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2478598.
  • Knapp, K.S., Petrie, D.J., Brick, T.R., Deneke, E., Bunce, S.C., & Cleveland, H.H. (2025). Within-person affect dynamics among individuals in residential treatment for opioid use disorder: An ecological momentary assessment study. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science (formerly Journal of Abnormal Psychology), 134(2), 184-200. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000975.
  • Knapp, K.S., Knapp, J.B., & Bowen, E. (2024). Recovery capital profiles among a heterogeneous sample of individuals in recovery from alcohol problems. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 38(8), 901-910. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0001031.
  • Linn, B. K., Zhao, J., Stasiewicz, P. R., Wilding, G. E., LaBarre, C., Knapp, K.S., & Bradizza, C.M. (2024). Negative affect variability as a potential mechanism of behavior change in alcohol use disorder treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 92(8), 493-504. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000914.
  • Knapp, K.S., Kulak, J.A., Homish, D.L., Granfield, R., Homish, G.G., & Kahn, L.S. (2024). Longitudinal trajectories in recovery capital and associations with substance use among adult drug treatment court clients. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 260, 111343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111343.
  • Knapp, K.S., Linn, B.K., Stasiewicz, P.R., & Bradizza, C.M. (2024). Daily mindfulness homework completion is associated with reduced drinking during a mindfulness-enriched emotion regulation treatment for alcohol use disorder. Addictive Behaviors, 153, 107987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.107987.
  • Knapp, K.S., Bradizza, C.M., Zhao, J., Linn, B.K., Wilding, G.E., 0LaBarre, C., & Stasiewicz, P.R. (2024). Emotion differentiation among individuals in a randomized clinical trial for alcohol use disorder: Within- and between-person associations with affect, craving, and alcohol use in daily life. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 173, 104474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2024.104474.