Scholarship - Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation

Selected Research Projects

Active

Evaluating Implementation and Effectiveness of Alcohol Use Disorder Care Management in Primary Care. This project aims to better integrate evidence-based treatment for alcohol use disorder into VA primary care by testing an Alcohol Care Management approach to enhance medication treatment and care engagement for veterans. (MPIs: Moskal & Scharer; Co-I: Maisto). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). #5206524.

A Low-Cost, High-Access Intervention to Increase Intention to Change Alcohol/Tobacco Use Among Reticent Veterans who are Non-Responders to Brief Advice at High Risk Due to Chronic Conditions. Grant Ripley and Emily Rabinowitz serve as clinical interventionists under the mentorship of Drs. Jennifer Funderburk, Julie Gass, and Dezarie Moskal, in a clinical trial evaluating Motivational Intervention Designed for Self-management and EducaTion (MINDSET), a remote, low-resource, evidence-based intervention that uses a motivational approach to increase intentions to change health behaviors among veterans with chronic disease. (PI: Gass; Co-PI: Funderburk; Research Interventionists: Ripley, Rabinowitz). VA Office of Research and Development, Clinical Science Research and Development (CSRD) Service Award Number: 1I01CX002177-01A1.

Advancing Patient-Centered Primary Care Response to Suicide Prevention in Rural Areas. This project aims to enhance suicide prevention care for rural veterans in an innovative way by refining an existing provider training to include complex presentations of suicidal ideation in primary care that rural Veterans commonly present with (e.g., suicidal ideation and alcohol use disorder, relationship violence, and/or long-term opioid use). (PI: Funderburk; Co-PI: Moskal). U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Rural Health. NOMAD PROJ-04559.

Advancing longitudinal research on servicemember health using the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (STARRS). This project utilizes nationally representative military data to investigate dynamic patterns of mental and behavioral health, strengthening the evidence base for identifying risk, resilience, and opportunities for targeted intervention across the military lifecycle. (PI: Rabinowitz). IVMF Veteran & Military Behavioral Health Collaborative, Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, Syracuse University.

Entrepreneur Stress Management & Performance Intervention Study. This study evaluates a stress management intervention designed for entrepreneurs to improve psychological well-being, resilience, and business performance. The project examines whether structured stress-reduction strategies can enhance both personal health and organizational outcomes. (PI: Gish; Graduate Research Assistant: Bettinger). Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University.

PTSD Vulnerability & Resilience Prediction Biomarker Study Among U.S. Marines. This study investigates biological markers that may predict vulnerability or resilience to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among U.S. Marines. By identifying genetic and neurobiological indicators of risk, the project aims to improve early detection, prevention strategies, and personalized approaches to mental health care. (PI: Glatt). Psychiatric Genetic Epidemiology & Neurobiology Laboratory, SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, and Alcohol Use Disorder Among Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. This project synthesizes evidence to establish pooled prevalence estimates of key mental health and alcohol-related conditions among student veterans, strengthening the empirical foundation for targeted programming, policy development, and institutional investment in student veteran support services. (PI: Rabinowitz). Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, Syracuse University.

Veteran Behavioral Health Study. This project is a large-scale survey of approximately 500 U.S. veterans recruited online. The study assesses behavioral health concerns including tobacco use, alcohol use, mental health symptoms, and physical health indicators. The project establishes a collaborative data resource to support ongoing research initiatives and cross-disciplinary partnerships within the Center. (PI: Ditre; Co-PI: Rabinowitz). Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, Syracuse University.

Kratom and Prescription Opioid Use among U.S. Veterans: A Nationally Representative Analysis of the 2021-2024 NSDUH. This study is the first to describe the prevalence of kratom use among US Military Veterans and explore relations between kratom use, prescription opioid use, misuse, and symptoms of prescription opioid use disorder. (PI: Ripley). Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, Syracuse University.

Nudge Messaging to Promote Alcohol Related Behavior Change Among Veterans in VA Primary Care. The objective of this pilot study is to generate preliminary data on a theory-informed nudge to promote initiation of alcohol treatment and reduced use among veterans in primary care. (PI: Maisto; Co-PI: Moskal). CHB/IVMF SU + VA Collaboration Pilot Grant Program.

Understanding and Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Veterans: A Mixed Methods Study of Risk Factors, Experiences, and Treatment Preferences. The study’s objective is to identify the underlying and immediate causes of IPV among Veterans and understand their treatment preferences so researchers can design more effective, accessible, and preventive IPV interventions. (PI: Zaso; Co-PI: Riniolo). CHB/IVMF SU + VA Collaboration Pilot Grant Program.

Hearing Problems and Tinnitus in Active-Duty and Veteran Student Populations. This project examines hearing difficulties, listening-related fatigue, and tinnitus impact among active-duty service members and student veterans. The work aims to better understand how military-related noise exposure and hearing challenges may affect academic functioning and identify opportunities to connect military-connected students with hearing healthcare resources and classroom supports. (PI: Doherty).

Under Review

Multi-site Effectiveness Trial of a Brief, Integrated PTSD and Alcohol Intervention for Veterans in Primary Care. This trial will investigate the effectiveness of PC-TIME, an intervention that combines Prolonged Exposure for Primary Care (PE-PC) with brief motivational enhancement therapy to help primary care veterans reduce PTSD severity and heavy drinking.(PI: Possemato; Co-I: Buckheit, Mastroleo, Rauch, Borsari, Balderrama-Durbin, King, Moskal, Cos). VA Office of Research and Development, Brain, Behavioral and Mental Health (BBMH) Portfolio (under review).

Computer-Based Personalized Feedback Intervention to Address Hazardous Drinking and Concurrent Use of Alcohol and Opioids Among Veterans with Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The goal of this project is to adapt a novel web-based Integrated Personalized Feedback Intervention for veterans with chronic pain who are prescribed opioid pain medications and engage in hazardous drinking. (PI: Moskal; Co-I: Ditre, Maisto, Zvolensky). VA HSR&D, POU AMP – Pain and Opioid Use NOSI, in preparation.

Completed

RCT of Behavioral Activation for Depression and Suicidality in Primary Care. This trial evaluates the effectiveness of Behavioral Activation delivered in primary care for reducing depression severity and suicidality among Veterans, with the goal of improving access to evidence-based mental health treatment within integrated healthcare settings. (PI: Funderburk; Co-PI: Pigeon). U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. #5I01HX000909-05.

Reducing Suicide Risk in Older Veterans with Mental Health Disorders Using Problem Solving Therapy. Grant Ripley served as a clinical interventionist under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Funderburk in a clinical trial exploring the efficacy of a problem-solving intervention to reduce suicidality among older veterans. (PI: Beaudreau; Co-PI: Funderburk; Graduate Research Interventionist: Ripley). VA Office of Research and Development, Clinical Science Research and Development (CSRD) Award Number: 1I01CX002177-01A1.

Psychological distress, hazardous duty, and alcohol risk among student veterans. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. This honors thesis investigates how hazardous duty experiences may influence alcohol-related risk through psychological distress among student veterans, advancing understanding of service-related factors that shape health outcomes in higher education settings. (Undergraduate Honors Student: Lupardo). Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation.

Type I Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial of Primary Care Brief Mindfulness Training (PCBMT) for Veterans. This study tests a brief mindfulness program offered in primary care to see if it reduces distress, improves well-being, and can be effectively delivered in real-world VA settings to expand access to supportive, Veteran-centered care. (PI: Possemato, K. Co-I Bergen-Cico, D) VA Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D) Award Number: 1 I01 HX003626-01A2, (IIR 22-013-3).

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Under Review

Nam, JK, White, K.M., Carlin, V.E., & Ditre, J.W. (Under Review). Combat-Deployment Status in Relation to Chronic Pain Interference and Hazardous Drinking Among U.S. Veterans.

Rabinowitz, E.P., Patrick, K., Labuda, R., Allen, P., Ditre, J.W., Delahanty, D. (Under Review). A mixed methods analysis of pregnancy, childbirth, childcare among women with Chiari Malformation.

Romano, E. M., Powers, J. M., Craine, M., & Ditre, J. W. (Under Review). Tobacco use among veterans with pain-related disability in specialty pain care: Prevalence, correlates, and clinical implications.

In Preparation

Rabinowitz, E. P., Hruska, B., Ditre, J.W. (In Prep). The impact of traumatic injury on psychological distress following deployment.

Rabinowitz, E.P., Knebel, R., Ditre, J.W. (In Prep). Differential effects of moral injury on likelihood of screening positive for PTSD among men and women

Rabinowitz, E.P., Moskal, D., Beehler, G., Ditre, J.W. (In Prep). Examining the impact of military sexual trauma on PTSD and Pain in women with painful reproductive health conditions.

Rabinowitz, E.P., Marfilius, K., Ditre, J.W. (In Prep). Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, and Alcohol Use Disorder among Student Veterans and Military-connected students: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis

Patrick, K.S., Rabinowitz, E.P., Delahanty, D.L. (In Prep). Examining self-reported cognitive difficulties in women with Chiari Malformation.

Ripley, G.H., Rabinowitz, E.P., Carlin, V.E., & Ditre, J.W. (In Prep). Kratom use in a survey of veterans in the community.

Published

2026

Buckheit, K., Firkey, M. K., Sedotto, R., Simpson, T., Mastroleo, N., Scharer, J., Maisto, S. A., & Possemato, K. (2026). Women Veterans’ Perspectives on the Acceptability of Behavioral Health Treatment for Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Primary Care. Substance Use & Misuse, 61(9), 1405–1415.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington; Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Binghamton; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University}

Buckheit, K. A., Scharer, J., Loughran, T. A., Beehler, G. P., Moskal, D., & Funderburk, J. S. (2026). Treatment barriers and preferences among veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain and alcohol use in primary care. Psychological Services, 23(2), 346–356.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of} _{Washington; Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Binghamton; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University}

Conrad, M., Kimber, J. M., Moskal, D., Pietropaoli, V. A., King, P. R., Jr., Beehler, G. P. (2026). Patient and provider perspectives of Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain: A qualitative analysis of a pilot randomized controlled trial. Translational Behavioral Medicine.

_{•VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, US Department of Veterans Affairs}

Jarratt, C. J., Carlin, V. E., Ripley, G. H., Nam, J. K., Marfilius, K. J., & Ditre, J. W. (2026). Graded Associations of Tranquilizer Use and Misuse with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in a National Sample of U.S. Veterans. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.

_{• D’Aniello Institute for Veterans & Military Affairs, Syracuse University; Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, College of Arts & Sciences, Syracuse University; Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences, Syracuse University; School of Social Work, School of Education, Syracuse University}

Rabinowitz, E.P., Buckheit, K., Carlin, V., Smith, A., Huang, Q., Ditre, J.W., Possemato, K. (2026) Associations between PTSD severity, drinking motives, and unhealthy alcohol use among women veterans. Alcohol and Alcoholism.

_{• D’Aniello Institute for Veterans & Military Affairs, Syracuse University; Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, College of Arts & Sciences, Syracuse University, Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences, Syracuse University; VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center}

Rabinowitz, E.P., Patrick, K. S., Ripley, G.H., Levin, M., Labuda, R., Allen, P.A., Ditre, J.W., Delahanty, D. L. (2026). The mediating role of chronic pain acceptance on the relationship between functional difficulties and depression in women with Chiari Malformation. Rehabilitation Psychology.

_{• D’Aniello Institute for Veterans & Military Affairs, Syracuse University;}_{Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, College of Arts & Sciences, Syracuse University; Institute for Human Performance, SUNY Upstate Medical University; Neuropsychology Assessment Program, SUNY Upstate Medical University; Department of Psychology, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, Utah State University; Conquer Chiari; Department of Psychology, University of Akron; Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University; Department of Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University}

Ripley, G. H., Carlin, V. E., Deyo, A. G., Rabinowitz, E. P., Nam, J. K., & Ditre, J. W. (2026). Severity of Disability-Related Functional Difficulties and Tobacco Use Patterns in a National Sample of U.S. Veterans. Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

White, K. M., Carlin, V. E., Nam, J. K., & Ditre, J. W. (2026). Chronic Pain Acceptance Moderates the Association Between Pain Intensity and Alcohol Use Severity Among Veterans With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research.

2025

Carlin, V. E., White, K. M., Nam, J. K., Ripley, G. H., Deyo, A. G., LaRowe, L. R., & Ditre, J. W. (2025). Expectancies for alcohol analgesia and drinking behavior among veterans with chronic pain: The moderating role of discrimination in medical settings. The American Journal on Addictions, 34(6), 663–671.

_{• Center for Health Behavior Research &Innovation, College of Arts & Sciences, Syracuse University; Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences, Syracuse University; Mongan Institute Center for Aging and Serious Illness, Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School}

Johnson, E., Shook, C., Barrie, K., & Possemato, K. (2025). Integrating Peer Specialists in Primary Care: Narrative Review with Illustrative Examples, and Pragmatic Recommendations to Support Implementation. The Journal of Integrated Primary Care, 2(3).

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Veterans Health Administration}

Loughran, T. A., Scharer, J. L., Moskal, D., Funderburk, J. S., Buckheit, K. A., & Beehler, G. P. (2025). VA Primary Care Patients with Chronic Pain: A Comparison of Healthcare Utilization and Patient Characteristics Across Alcohol Risk Categories. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 32(3), 498–506.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, VA Western New York Healthcare System; School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo; VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University; Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester}

Possemato, K., Bergen-Cico, D., Ramon, A., McKenzie, S., Pigeon, W., & Beehler, G. P. (2025). A formative evaluation to adapt a brief mindfulness program to increase participant engagement, participant impact, and feasibility of delivery among veterans with PTSD. Psychological Services.

Scharer, J., Shepardson, R., Roelk, B., Gass, J., Wray, L., Maisto, S., & Funderburk, J. (2025). Prospective Receptivity and Acceptability of Brief Alcohol Interventions Among Women and Racial/Ethnic Minority Veterans in Primary Care. The Journal of Integrated Primary Care, 1(4).

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University; VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Western New York Healthcare System; Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester}

Shepardson, R. L., De Paul, N. F., Caver, K. A., Giard, D. J., & Funderburk, J. S. (2025). Brief group adaptation of the Unified Protocol for integrated primary care: Open trial of a transdiagnostic intervention delivered via telehealth. Psychological Services.

_{• Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University; Ioannis A. Lougaris Veterans’ Administration Medical Center, VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, Seattle VA Medical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester}

2024

Beehler, G. P., Verile, M., Conrad, M., & Moskal, D. (2024). Brief behavioral intervention for chronic pain in integrated primary care: What are we waiting for? Families, Systems, & Health, 42(2), 151–156.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare (116N), VA Western New York Healthcare System; School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York}

Marfilius, K. J., Daugherty, D., & Hamilton, R. (2024). What Comes Next: Finding Purpose Post Trauma. Journal of Veterans Studies, 10(1).

_{• Total Courage, United States Syracuse University, United States}

Shepardson, R. L., Weisberg, R. B., Wade, M., Maisto, S. A., & Funderburk, J. S. (2024). Brief modular anxiety intervention for primary care: Hybrid I pilot randomized controlled trial of feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and implementation potential. Journal of Affective Disorders, 361, 497–507.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University;}_{VA, Boston Healthcare System; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine; Department of Family Medicine, Alpert Medical School, Brown University;}_{Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester.}

2023

Possemato, K., Bergen-Cico, D., Buckheit, K., Ramon, A., McKenzie, S., Smith, A. R., Wade, M., Beehler, G. P., & Pigeon, W. R. (2023). Randomized Clinical Trial of Brief Primary Care-Based Mindfulness Training Versus a Psychoeducational Group for Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 84(1).

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse and Buffalo; Syracuse University; University of Buffalo; VA Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Canandaigua}

Santo, T. J., Brown, J. A., Hawkins, S. A., Whittaker, K. S., Liu, K., & Teyhen, B. D. S. (2023). Sleep, Activity, and Nutrition Among an Army Sample: Strengths, Deficits, and Demographic Differences. Evaluation Review, 47(5), 871–894.

_{• Army Public Health Center, Public Health Assessment Division, US Army Public Health Command; Research Facilitation Laboratory, Army Analytics Group; US Army Medical Specialist Corps}

2022

Johnson, E. M., Possemato, K., Martens, B. K., Hampton, B., Wade, M., Chinman, M., & Maisto, S. A. (2022). Goal attainment among veterans with PTSD enrolled in peer-delivered whole health coaching: A multiple baseline design trial. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 15(2), 197–213.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh, Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh}

Lee, M., Bastian, L. A., LaRowe, L., DeRycke, E. C., Relyea, M., Becker, W. C., & Ditre, J. W. (2022). Perceived Pain and Smoking Interrelations Among Veterans with Chronic Pain Enrolled in a Smoking Cessation Trial. Pain Medicine, 23(11), 1820–1827.

_{• Yale School of Medicine, Pain Research, Informatics, Multimorbidities, and Education (PRIME) Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University}

Ramon, A. E., Possemato, K., & Bergen-Cico, D. (2022). Relationship of rumination and self-compassion to posttraumatic stress symptoms among Veterans. Military Psychology, 34(1), 121–128.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Public Health, Syracuse University}

Willard, R., Possemato, K., Ramon, A., & Bergen-Cico, D. (2022). Self-Compassion and Self-Judgment: Potential Mediators of a Mindfulness Intervention on Depression. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 28(7), 607–609.

_{• VA Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center; Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Kansas; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Upstate Medical University, State University of New York; Department of Psychology, VA St. Louis Healthcare System; Department of Public Health, Syracuse University}

2021

Bastian, L. A., Driscoll, M., DeRycke, E., Edmond, S., Mattocks, K., Goulet, J., Kerns, R. D., Lawless, M., Quon, C., Selander, K., Snow, J., Casares, J., Lee, M., Brandt, C., Ditre, J., & Becker, W. (2021). Pain and smoking study (PASS): A comparative effectiveness trial of smoking cessation counseling for veterans with chronic pain. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 23, 100839.

_{• Pain Research, Informatics, Multimorbidities, Education (PRIME) Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Yale University School of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System; Department of Psychology, Syracuse University}

Conference Presentations

Invited Talk:

Ripley, G.H., Carlin, V.E., Deyo, A.G., Rabinowitz, E.P., Nam, JK, & Ditre, J.W. (2026, March 3-7). Severity of Disability-Related Functional Difficulties and Tobacco Use Patterns in a National Sample of U.S. Veterans. Podium Presentation: Tobacco-Related Health Disparities among People with Disabilities: Current Research and Future Directions during the 32nd annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco, Baltimore, MD.

Ripley, G.H., Rabinowitz, E.P., Carlin, V.E., & Ditre, J.W. (2026, April 10). Kratom and Prescription Opioid Use Among U.S. Veterans: A Nationally Representative Analysis of the 2021-2023 NSDUH. Oral Communication to presented at Neuroscience & Health Behavior Research Day, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

Ripley, G.H., Rabinowitz, E.P., Carlin, V.E., & Ditre, J.W. (2026, June 13-17). Kratom and Prescription Opioid Use Among U.S. Veterans: A Nationally Representative Analysis of the 2021-2023 NSDUH. Podium Presentation: How do you say Kratom? Recent Studies on Mitragynine and Related Molecules during the 88th annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Portland, OR.

Poster Presentations at National Conferences

Severity of Disability-Related Functional Difficulties and Tobacco Use Patterns in a National Sample of U.S. Veterans. Ripley, G. H., Carlin, V. E., Deyo, A. G., Rabinowitz, E. P., Nam, JK., & Ditre, J. W. (March, 2026). Panel Presentation: Annual Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) conference. Panel: Tobacco-Related Disparities among People with Disabilities: Current Research and Future Directions. Baltimore, MD

Hazardous alcohol use screening trajectories among VA primary care patients: Associations with patient characteristics and health outcomes. Scharer, J. L., Moskal, D., Gass, J. C., Huang, Q., & Funderburk, J. S. (2026, June 20–24). Poster presented at the Research Society on Alcohol Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States.

Hazardous alcohol use and chronic pain co-occurrence and comorbidity rates: A National study of Veteran Affairs primary care patients. [Poster Presentation]. Moskal, D., Scharer, J. L., Funderburk, J. S., Ditre, J. W., & Beehler, G. P. (2026, June 20–24) Poster presented at the Research Society on Alcohol Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States.

Kratom and Prescription Opioid Use among U.S. Veterans: A Nationally Representative Analysis of the 2021-2023 NSDUH. Ripley, G. H., Rabinowitz, E. P., Carlin, V. E., & Ditre, J. W. (2026, June). Poster presented at the 88th annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Portland, OR.

Elevated Risk of Suicidal Ideation Among Veterans Who Reported Increased Drug Use During COVID-19. Jarratt, C. J., Carlin, V. E., Nam, JK., & Ditre, J. W. (May, 2025). Poster presented at the 2025 Association for Psychological Science Annual Convention, Washington DC.

Associations Between Opioid Use Disorder and Suicidal Ideation among Veterans and Non-Veterans who Endorsed Lifetime Major Depression with Sleep Disturbance. Jarratt, C., Ripley, G. H., Nam, JK., Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at the 2025 American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference, Columbus, OH.

Poster Presentations at Local Conferences:

2026

Alcohol use and associated health outcomes among older adult Veteran primary care patients who are at risk for suicidal behavior. [Poster presentation]. Scharer, J. L., Moskal, D., Pigeon, W. R., Beaudreau, S. A., & Funderburk, J. S. (2026, April 9). Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse NY, United States.

Associations Between Psychological Distress and Benzodiazepine Use and Misuse among U.S. Veterans. Soh, J., Carlin, V.E., Kyung Nam, J., Ditre, J.W. (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Co-Occurring Hallucinogen Use and Mental Health Symptoms Among U.S. Veterans.
Hoagland, E., Ripley, G.H., Ditre, J.W., Bergen-Cico, D., (2026, April 9). Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Conducting a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis to Examine the Prevalence of PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, and AUD among Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students. Soukup, M., Rabinowitz, E.P., Pyke, H.J., Schmidt, H., Pulley, T., Marfilius, K., Ditre, J.W., (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Development of the Veteran & Military Learning Scholars Program (SU-VMLSP): An Immersive, Experiential Learning Community for Veteran & Military-Connected Students. Rabinowitz, E.P., Moskal, D., Marfilius, K., Bergen-Cico, D., Maisto, S. (April 2026)Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Developing A Veteran Reintegration Ecosystem for Ukrainian Universities: Syracuse University as an Exemplar Model. Pohorielova, T., Marfilius, K., Bergen-Cico, D., Hawkins, S.A., Ditre, J.W., (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Examining Tobacco Use among Student Servicemembers and Veterans: The Unique Role of Hazardous Duty Exposure. Schmidt, H., Carlin, V.E., Rabinowitz, E., Nam, J., Ditre, J.W., (April 2026). Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Hazardous alcohol use and chronic pain co-occurrence and comorbidity rates: A National study of Veteran Affairs primary care patients. [Poster Presentation]. Moskal, D., Scharer, J. L., Funderburk, J. S., Ditre, J. W., & Beehler, G. P. (2026, April 9) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

High Prevalence of Self Reported Hearing Problems and Tinnitus in Active Duty and Veteran Student Populations. Deus, J., Merrifield, M., Kordas, T., Doherty, K., (2026, April 9) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Pain Catastrophizing as a Distinct Predictor of Pain Interference among Veterans.
Zusin, A., Rabinowitz, E.P., Carlin, V.E., Huang, Q., Ditre, J.W., (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Psychological Distress, Hazardous Duty, and Alcohol Risk among Student Veterans.
Lupardo, A., Rabinowitz, E.P., Carlin, V.E., Moskal, D., Maisto, S. M., Ditre, J.W. (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Recent Alcohol Use Moderates the Relationship between Psychological Distress and Daytime Sleepiness among Military-Connected Students. Pulley, T., Rabinowitz, E., Ripley, G. H., Huang, Q., Maisto, S., Ditre, J.W., (April 2026). Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Substance Use Disorder Severity and Suicide Risk among U.S. Veterans: Evidence for a Severity-Based Risk Gradient. Pyke, H.J., Ripley, G. H., Rabinowitz, E.P., Carlin, V.E., Moskal, D., Ditre, J.W., Marfilius, K., (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

The Impact of Traumatic Event Exposure on PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety among Veterans. Daum, C., Rabinowitz, E.P., Marfilius, K., Ditre, J.W. (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

VA Whole Health Approaches to the Treatment of PTSD.  Murphy, M., Hirschberg, J., Rabinowitz, E.P., Ditre, J.W., (April 2026) Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

2025

Cannabis Use, Psychological Distress, and Suicidal Ideation Among U.S. Veterans. Ripley, G. H., Jarratt, C. J., & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Chronic Pain and PTSD Among U.S. Military Veterans. Guinassi, S., Carlin, V. E., & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Cross-Discipline Collaboration: A Holistic Legal-Social Work Partnership for Veteran Advocacy. Marfilius, Ken, Kubala, E., Lance, M., & Esposito, P. (April, 2025). Poster presented at the Voices of Service Research Symposium, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. https://surface.syr.edu/vos/10.

Developing a Large-Scale Survey to Assess Military Experience and Chronic Pain Among Veterans. Zusin, A., Rabinowitz, E. P., Carlin, V. E., & Ditre, J. W. (October, 2025). Poster presented at the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement Fall Expo, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

Developing an Undergraduate Course on Veteran and Military Behavioral Health. Litt, S. J. & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Dietary Supplement Use and Health Outcomes in Veterans: Rationale, Design, and Preliminary Data. Zusin, A., Ripley, G. H., Carlin, V. E., & Ditre, J. W. (August, 2025). Poster presented at The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement Summer Research Symposium, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

Disability Status and Nicotine/Tobacco Use Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Veterans. Soh, J. M., Ripley, G. H., Carlin, V. E., & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Expectancies for Alcohol Analgesia and Alcohol Use among Veterans with Chronic Pain: The Moderating role of Discrimination in Medical Settings. Carlin, V. E., White, K. M., Nam, JK, Ripley, G. H., Deyo, A. G., & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Introduction to Military Culture and Mental Health Practice. Marfilius, K. & Coyl, S. (April, 2025). Poster presented at the Voices of Service Research Symposium, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. https://surface.syr.edu/vos/8.

OVMA Resiliency Program: A Holistic Approach to Supporting Veteran and Military-Connected Students. Marfilius, K., Nam, B., & Hawes, N. (April, 2025). Poster presented at the Voices of Service Research Symposium, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. https://surface.syr.edu/vos/7.

Pain Interference and Hazardous Drinking Among U.S. Veterans: The Role of Combat Deployment. Nam, JK, Carlin, V. E., White, K. M., & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Pain-Related Anxiety and Alcohol Use among U.S. Veterans with Chronic Pain. Bucher, M. E., Carlin, V. E., White, K. M., & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Perceptions about Pain and Alcohol in Relation to Hazardous Drinking among Veterans with Chronic Pain. Cohen, A., Carlin, V. E., White, K. M., & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Voices of Service 2026: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curricula, and Resources, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Prescription Tranquilizer Misuse as a Potential Risk Factor for Suicidal Ideation in U.S. Veterans. Jarratt, C., Carlin, V. E., Nam, JK, & Ditre, J. W. (April, 2025). Poster presented at Syracuse University’s Voices of Service: A Showcase of Veteran-Focused Research, Curriculum, and Programs, Syracuse, NY.

Primary Care Brief Mindfulness Treatment Reduces Need for Clinical Services and Behavioral Healthcare. Bergen-Cico, D., Johnson, E. M., Possemato, K., Zappala, M., Smith, A., & Sedotto, R. (April, 2025). Poster presented at the Voices of Service Research Symposium, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

Social Work Advocacy in Veterans Treatment Court. Marfilius, K., Kubala, E., Rielly, B., Lance, M., & Esposito, P. (April, 2025). Poster presented at the Voices of Service Research Symposium, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

Veteran’s Service in Research: Veterans Advance Complementary and Integrative Mental Healthcare. Bergen-Cico, D. (April, 2025). Poster presented at the Voices of Service Research Symposium, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

2024

Elevated Risk of Suicidal Ideation Among Veterans Who Reported Increased Drug Use During COVID-19. Jarratt, C., Nam JK., & Ditre, J. W. (December, 2024). Poster presented at the SOURCE Fall Expo, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

Collaborative and Training Initiatives

Established a Formal VA Research–Training Pipeline
Formalized Syracuse–VA research integration through VA Without Compensation (WOC) appointments, dual VA faculty appointments, and trainee involvement in VA-based clinical trials and implementation studies.
- CHB members, Dr. Emily Rabinowitz & Grant Ripley currently work with CHB affiliate, Dr. Jennifer Funderburk within VA Center for Integrated Healthcare in a trial evaluating the efficacy of a behavioral intervention to support motivation to reduce alcohol consumption and tobacco use among veterans.
Launched the Veteran and Military Learning Scholars Program
Created a structured, mentored training program for undergraduate veterans and military-connected students.
- Integrating research skill development:
  - Ongoing systematic review & meta-analysis exploring mental health and substance use problems in student veterans.
  - Students are involved in empirical research posters via individualized projects exploring veteran behavioral health outcomes using nationally representative samples of veterans.
  - Students assisting in-center data collection and analyses for CHB funded original study among veterans across the country.
- CHB Seminars:
  - Monthly, in-person seminars will be presented to Veteran and Military Learning Scholars Program members by CHB affiliates including Syracuse University staff and VA members.
  - Seminars will support learning among program participants across topics including PTSD, substance use, chronic pain, advanced research methods, and other veteran-relevant health topics.
Large-Scale Secondary Data Acquisition and Stewardship
Acquired and stewarded national datasets to support student- and trainee-led research projects including:
- National College Health Assessment (NCHA): Projects exploring substance use, psychopathology, and other health-relevant outcomes (e.g., sleep, chronic pain) among college student veterans.
- National Survey on Drug use & Health (NSDUH): Among veterans, several ongoing projects are exploring disability, exposure to combat during deployment, mental health outcomes, and substance use and misuse across various substances (not limited to), cannabis, alcohol, tobacco, and prescriptions (e.g., opioids and benzodiazepines).
- National Health Interview Survey (NHIS): Various projects spanning across topics such as chronic pain, tobacco and poly-tobacco use, and disability-related impairment among veterans.
Launched a Large-Scale Veterans Behavioral Health Survey Outside the VA Healthcare System
Initiated a large-scale primary data collection effort (N ≈ 500) to assess behavioral health, substance use, sleep, pain, and service-related experiences among veterans.
Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate Trainees into Funded and Submitted Grants
Embedded trainees into federally funded and foundation-supported projects, providing hands-on experience in grant-supported research, data analysis, and dissemination.
Supported Career Milestones and Academic Advancement
Facilitated dissertation defenses, master’s theses, honors theses, and early-career grant and publication successes among collaborative trainees and affiliates.
Built Cross-College and Cross-Institute Partnerships
Strengthened collaborations among the Center for Health Behavior Research and Innovation, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, College of Arts & Sciences, Falk College, College of Law, and VA clinical partners.
Established a Sustainable Research-to-Dissemination Pipeline
Created an end-to-end workflow linking data acquisition, trainee-led analyses, manuscript development, conference dissemination, and grant resubmission within veteran and military health domains.
Launched the CHB–IVMF–SU–VA Collaboration Pilot Grant Program
Established an internal pilot funding mechanism to catalyze interdisciplinary veteran- and military-focused research, support early-stage investigators, and accelerate the development of competitive external grant proposals in partnership with VA collaborators.
Entrepreneur Stress Management & Performance Intervention Study
- CHB affiliate Dr. Jeff Gish launched a veteran-focused entrepreneurship research project examining whether stress management interventions improve entrepreneurial outcomes (e.g., creativity, opportunity evaluation, raising capital) among military members and veterans engaged in entrepreneurship.
- Project led by Andrew (“Andy”) Bettinger (Whitman School PhD student; U.S. military veteran), strengthening CHB’s interdisciplinary research portfolio across behavioral health, resilience, and workforce/economic outcomes.
PTSD Vulnerability/Resilience Biomarker Study Among U.S. Marines
- CHB affiliate Dr. Stephen Glatt completed RNA-sequencing of blood samples from U.S. marines pre- and post-deployment, of whom, a subset met criteria for PTSD, supporting models of PTSD vulnerability, resilience, and diagnostic detection.
- Currently, Glatt’s team uses a BrainGENIE (Brain Gene Expression and Network Imputation Engine) algorithm to leverage blood transcriptomic data to impute brain-region gene-expression profiles to better understand the molecular basis of PTSD risk and symptom expression.
Expanded Center Research Workforce Across Career Stages
Built a vertically integrated research team including undergraduate trainees, master’s and doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career faculty, supporting continuity from training to independent research careers.
Recruited Research-Active Faculty with VA and Implementation Science Expertise
Added multiple Research Assistant Professors with VA affiliations and applied clinical research portfolios, expanding the collaborative’s capacity in suicide prevention, integrated primary care, and behavioral health implementation.