In the current study, we will recruit individuals using addictive drugs (cocaine, cannabis, opioids, or methamphetamine) and non-drug use control individuals. The study participants will fill out questionnaires, consent, and donate samples (urine, saliva, nasal swab, and blood). These samples will be used to study the causes of unhealthy conditions during drug uses. Our goal is to prevent or treat the drug-associated unhealthy conditions (i.e., anxiety, memory impairment).

LiveWell mBC is a group-based skills training program for women with metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The program teaches skills from dialectical behavioral therapy, an evidence-based psychotherapy, that have been adapted specifically to help women live as well as possible, with metastatic breast cancer. LiveWell mBC involves meeting with a small group of women with mBC plus two skills trainers 9 times total via telemedicine. Meetings include orientation plus 8 sessions learning and practicing skills including mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness and they last 90 minutes each. We are interested in seeing whether the program can help women to balance their emotions and better manage distress (e.g., anxiety, sadness) and symptoms (e.g., fatigue, breathlessness, pain) that can be common when living with mBC.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. They will have a 2 in 3 chance of being assigned to LiveWell mBC (experimental group) and a 1 in 3 chance of being assigned to Usual Care (control group). Women in the usual care group will continue to receive their standard oncology care. Participants in both groups will complete questionnaires four times total. Participants may be invited to participate in an exit interview about their experience. Participants will be compensated for completing questionnaires and the interview. For most people, participation will last approximately 4 months.

This study looks at how teens with trauma-related symptoms respond to stress and strong emotions. We will measure brain activity, body responses, and behavior during activities that involve reacting to possible threats, managing emotions, and imagining parts of their own stressful or traumatic experiences more than once.

The goal of this research is to better understand how repeating these imagining activities affects teens. We also want to learn whether a teen's reaction to stress and their ability to manage emotions are connected to how they respond to imagining stressful events.

What we learn may help improve treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and help identify which teens are most likely to benefit from these treatments, based on brain, body, and behavior responses.

Quantitative survey of certain substances of abuse in the adolescent and young adult population of SC. Survey study will be focused on substances of abuse that are easily accessible at a gas station due to little to no regulations or excessive amounts available in various forms such as Kratom, 7-OH, Tia, nicotine pouches, THC, etc.

Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a five-session mental health therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research shows that it works as well as longer treatments for PTSD among people over 18, even though it requires fewer sessions than other PTSD therapies. However, WET has not been adapted and formally tested in individual therapy with people aged 12 to 18. Our study aims to see how WET can be adapted to meet the needs of people aged 12 to 18 who have experienced trauma and currently have PTSD symptoms. To adapt WET for this age group, first we will talk with PTSD experts and people aged 12 to 18 to learn what changes might make WET more suitable for young people. We'll also deliver WET to five people aged 12 to 18 following the manual as it is written for people over age 18 to see what needs adjusting.

In the next part of the study, we will recruit 48 adolescents aged 12 to 18 in a pediatric primary clinic who have symptoms of PTSD and randomize them to either receive the adapted version of WET or to receive gold-standard PTSD treatment: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy. If assigned to receive adapted WET, participants will take part in five to seven weekly therapy sessions and five study visits (before therapy, and 6-week, 10-week, 20-weeks, and 30 weeks after starting the therapy). If assigned to receive TF-CBT, participants will take part in 12 to 16 weekly therapy sessions and five study visits (before therapy, and 6-week, 10-week, 20-weeks, and 30-weeks after starting the therapy). The purpose of the study visits for a 30-week time period is to better understand who they are as a person and their current mental health symptoms and diagnoses. All therapy and study visits can be completed remotely or in person, per your preference. Individuals who are 18 can participate without caregiver permission; individuals aged 12 to 17 can only participate with caregiver permission. Our goal is to find the best way to provide effective PTSD treatment for young people that can be delivered in real-world pediatric primary care settings, so that ultimately more people can get the help they need after traumatic experiences.

This study investigates the factors contributing to cognitive load among emergency medicine physicians at the Medical University of South Carolina's Main Emergency Department during clinical shifts and identifies those with the greatest impact.

Cognitive load will be measured before and after shifts using a validated survey tool, while corresponding heart rate metrics will be recorded and voluntarily shared throughout and immediately following each shift via personal smartwatches. These physiological and survey data will then be analyzed in the context of clinical events occurring during the shift to assess how specific experiences influence overall cognitive load.

The events under consideration were selected based on findings from a prior study in which MUSC emergency medicine physicians ranked the perceived contributors to their cognitive load. The occurrence of these predetermined events will be documented through direct observation of physicians during shifts and, if applicable, obtained via shift-level operational reports.

This study aims to explore the prevalence of mental health symptoms, including trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms in a postpartum population. The study also aims to collect information related to medical and mental health treatment seeking before, during, and after pregnancy as well as feedback on adaptations of future mental health interventions delivered during the postpartum period. Participation in this study includes a 35 minute online survey with questionnaires related to the study aims. Depending on survey responses, participants may be invited to complete an interview with study personnel to provide more specific insight on mental health treatments for perinatal individuals.

Co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) disproportionately affects Veterans and has significant negative impacts on the safety, wellbeing, and quality of life of Veterans, their romantic partners, and their families. However, treatments that address co-occurring PTSD-AUD and restore Veterans' psychosocial functioning are lacking. The overall goal of this project is to improve treatment approaches aimed at reducing symptoms of co-occurring PTSD-AUD and improving functioning among Veterans and their partners. We plan to do this by learning from Veterans, family members, and treatment providers in order to inform an adaptation of a brief dyadic AUD intervention to be delivered alongside integrated PTSD-AUD treatment for Veteran couples and then conducting a pilot trial of an adapted Brief Family Involved Treatment (B-FIT) intervention with Veterans with PTSD-AUD and their romantic partners.

Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a five-session mental health therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research shows that it works as well as longer treatments for PTSD among people over 18, even though it requires fewer sessions than other PTSD therapies. However, WET has not been adapted and tested via telehealth with people aged 12 to 18. Our study aims to see how WET can be adapted to meet the needs of people aged 12 to 18 who have experienced trauma and currently have PTSD symptoms. To adapt WET for this age group, first we will talk with PTSD experts and people aged 12 to 18 to learn what changes might make WET more suitable for young people. We'll also deliver WET via telehealth to five people aged 12 to 18 following the manual as it is written for people over age 18 to see what needs adjusting. In the next part of the study, we will offer the adapted version of WET via telehealth to 20 people aged 12 to 18 in our MUSC integrated pediatric primary care clinic. People aged 12 to 18 will take part in five to seven weekly online therapy sessions and three virtual study visits (before therapy, after therapy, and one month later) to better understand who they are as a person and their current mental health symptoms and diagnoses. Individuals who are 18 can participate without caregiver permission; individuals aged 12 to 17 can only participate with caregiver permission. Our goal is to find the best way to provide effective PTSD treatment for young people that can be delivered in real-world pediatric primary care settings, so that ultimately more people can get the help they need after traumatic experiences.

This study is an 8-week cannabis reduction trial among adults (ages 18+; N=176) with CUD who are interested in reduction to assess effects of cannabis reduction on: 1) cannabis-related problems and consequences, 2) objective measures of sleep and cognitive performance, and 3) patient-reported improvements, including quality of life and CUD severity. All participants will receive CUD treatment and cannabis use will be comprehensively assessed via detailed self-report and urinary cannabinoids.All participants will receive cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT4CBT- a computerized cognitive behavioral therapy) enhanced with motivational interviewing, brief counseling, and financial incentives provided on a sliding scale for demonstrating reduction in urinary cannabinoids.