Understanding how beliefs about risks influence opioid use disorder
Characterizing the formation and maintenance of drug-biased beliefs in opioid use disorder
This study is looking at how people with opioid use disorder think about their risk of harm from drug use, especially why they might feel overly optimistic about the outcomes, and it’s designed for both those seeking treatment and healthy individuals to help understand why relapses happen even when they know the risks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11116829 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates how individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) form and maintain biased beliefs about their personal risk of harm from drug use. It aims to understand the psychological and neural mechanisms behind these beliefs, particularly focusing on the 'optimism bias' where people expect more positive outcomes than negative ones. By studying both treatment-seeking individuals with OUD and healthy controls, the research will utilize neuroimaging and behavioral assessments to quantify these biases in real-life contexts. This approach seeks to provide insights into why relapse occurs despite awareness of the risks associated with opioid use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals seeking treatment for opioid use disorder.
Not a fit: Patients who are not seeking treatment for opioid use disorder or those without a history of opioid use may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved interventions that help individuals with OUD make more accurate assessments of their risks, potentially reducing relapse rates.
How similar studies have performed: While the concept of optimism bias has been studied in other contexts, this research is novel in its focus on opioid use disorder and the specific psychological and neural mechanisms involved.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alvarez, Emmanuel Eduardo — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Alvarez, Emmanuel Eduardo
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.