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Research

Research Mission Statement

The research mission of the UK College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry is to conduct highly collaborative, pioneering extramurally funded research through multidisciplinary teams of scientists focused on improving the lives of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond. The department also aims to educate and train the next generation of researchers in translational and clinical research methods with a focus on vulnerable populations to decrease health disparities.

The department of psychiatry is actively engaged in five overlapping areas of research with children, adolescents, and adults focusing on: 

1.Trauma

2. HIV

3. Substance use and addiction

4. Suicide prevention

5. Tobacco control

Research Spotlight : Caitlyn Hood, PhD

 

What is your educational background?

I earned a Bachelor of Science from the College of Charleston (psychology - 2014), and a Master of Science from the University of Kentucky (clinical psychology - 2019), and a PhD from the University of Kentucky (clinical psychology – 2022). I completed my clinical psychology internship at the Charleston Consortium—housed within the Medical University of South Carolina and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center—and specialized in evidence-based approaches to treating traumatic stress.

What is your main area of research and your current project?

My research centers around increasing access to evidence-based treatments for mental health and substance use disorders among individuals who have experienced trauma. My work aims to bridge the gap between what we know works in research and what actually happens in clinical practice by using novel treatment delivery models.

My current project is funded by the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) and the Center for Research on Violence Against Women (CRVAW). In this study, we are using the Socioecological Model to explore barriers and facilitators of trauma-informed mental health and substance use services among women on probation and parole in Kentucky.

How did you get interested in doing this type of research?

My passion for working with trauma-exposed individuals initially developed during my undergraduate education at the College of Charleston, where I volunteered for an organization that offered support services for sexual assault survivors. As a victim advocate, I answered crisis hotline calls and acted as part of an in-person support system for individuals undergoing evidentiary exams. Using substances to cope following sexual assault was common among the individuals seeking crisis services. Yet, providing survivors referrals for evidence-based mental health and substance use treatments in the community was challenging due to long wait times and a lack of trained providers. This experience led me to pursue graduate training in clinical psychology.

What do you hope that the main benefit of your research will be?

My ultimate goal is to ensure that high-quality trauma-informed mental health and substance use services are available to anyone and everyone in our community, especially individuals who have been historically excluded from traditional care settings.  

What do you like most about doing research at UK?

One of my favorite aspects of doing research at UK is collaborating with other scientists and clinicians who share the goal of improving the lives of Kentuckians across the state.  

Research Administration

Affiliations

Department of Behavioral Science

Our mission is to teach and mentor medical and graduate students to be accomplished practitioners, teachers and researchers, with knowledge, skills, and attitudes shaped by research and scholarship in medical behavioral science.

Center on Research for Violence Against Women

As an academic area of study, the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and their attendant risks present complex challenges. These cannot be completely addressed without a cross-discipline, content-specific approach which integrates practice, theory, and research. The Center for Research on Violence Against Women is designed to afford such an opportunity.

Laboratory of Human Behavioral Pharmacology (LHBP)

Research in the LHBP uses principles and techniques of pharmacology, behavioral analysis, and neuroscience to determine the underpinnings of drug use disorders and develop interventions. Facilities are available for the conduct of outpatient and inpatient experiments, as well as clinical trials. 

Center on Trauma and Children

The University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children (CTAC), located in the College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry is dedicated to the enhancement of the health and well-being of children and their families through research, practice, policy and the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based approaches to address child abuse and trauma. 

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research

The Center on Drug and Alcohol Research (CDAR) conducts research into the biological, psychological, sociopolitical, and clinical aspects of substance abuse and related behavior. The Center conducts federally funded and state-funded research on substance abuse and related problems areas such as intimate violence, criminal justice settings and characteristics of rural substance use. 

Eastern State Hospital

At Eastern State Hospital, we provide excellent mental healthcare that instills hope, inspires recovery and improves overall well-being for Kentuckians. Visit our About webpage to learn more about our mission, vision, and values.

Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS)

Through research funding, training, infrastructure, and community engagement, we facilitate innovative team science to address these and other critical health issues.