Dana A Cavallo PhD Clin

Associate Research Scientist in Psychiatry

Research Interests

Weight Concerns and smoking; marijuana

Current Projects


  • Development of a novel high school based tobacco cessation intervention for adolescent smokers using behavioral techniques and pharmacotherapy.
  • Development of a novel incentive based smoking cessation and prevention program for high school and middle school students.
  • Development of a novel marijuana prevention and cessation program for adolescents

    • Research Summary

    My research is focused on developing the optimal smoking cessation program for adolescent smokers, with an emphasis on the factors that maintain smoking beahvior, such as weight concerns and other drug use.

    Selected Publications

    • Schepis, T.S., Desai, R.A., Cavallo, D.A., Smith, A.E., McFetridge, A., Liss, T.B., Potenza, M.N., & Krishnan-Sarin, K. (2011). Gender differences in adolescent marijuana use and associated psychosocial characteristics. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 5, 65-73.
    • Cavallo, D.A., Nich, C., Schepis, T.S., Smith, A.E., Liss, T.B., McFetridge, A.K., & Krishnan- Sarin, S. (2010). Preliminary examination of adolescent spending in a Contingency Management based smoking cessation program. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, 19, 335-342.
    • Cavallo, D.A., Smith, A.E., Schepis, T.S., Desai, R.A., Potenza, M.N., & Krishnan-Sarin, S. (2010). Smoking expectancies, weight concerns, and dietary behaviors in adolescence. Pediatrics, 126, e66-72.
    • Krishnan-Sarin, S., Reynolds, B., Duhig, A.M., Smith, A., Liss, T., McFetridge, A., Cavallo, D.A., Carroll, K.M., & Potenza, M. (2007). Behavioral impulsivity predicts treatment outcome in a smoking cessation program for adolescent smokers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 88, 79-82.
    • Cavallo, D.A., Cooney, J.L., Duhig, A.M., Smith, A.E., Liss, T.B., McFetridge, A.K., Babuscio, T., Nich, C., Carroll, K.M., Rounsaville, B.J., & Krishnan-Sarin, S. (2007). Combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Contingency Management for smoking cessation in adolescent smokers: A preliminary comparison of two different CBT formats. American Journal on Addictions, 16, 468-474.
    • Krishnan-Sarin, S., Duhig, A.M., McKee, S., McMahon, T.J., Liss, T., McFetridge, A., Cavallo, D.A. (2006). Contingency management for smoking cessation in adolescent smokers. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 14, 306-310.

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