Skip to Main Content

Kelly S. DeMartini, PhD

she/her/hers
Research Scientist of Psychiatry
DownloadHi-Res Photo

Additional Titles

Administrative Director, Center for the Translational Neuroscience of Alcoholism

Contact Info

Psychological Medicine Section

Psychiatry, 20 York St., Fitkin Building

New Haven, CT 06510

United States

About

Titles

Research Scientist of Psychiatry

Administrative Director, Center for the Translational Neuroscience of Alcoholism

Biography

I am an expert in the development and analysis of alcohol interventions and the application of state-of-the-art statistical models to understand heavy drinking and predictors of hazardous alcohol use. My research focuses on the development and utilization of technology-based substance use and lifestyle health interventions. A key goal of my work is to utilize wearable and smartphone technologies for clinical digital phenotyping. This objective, data-driven measurement of individual health and functioning via personal biosensors can help build understanding of the connections among substance use and other health behaviors, including sleep, cardiac and respiratory functioning, and physical activity. I am particularly interested in how the use of these technologies can increase access to health interventions and engagement with health interventions across patient populations.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Postdoctoral Fellow
Yale School of Medicine (2013)
PhD
Syracuse University (2011)
Predoctoral Fellow
Yale School of Medicine (2011)
MS
Syracuse University (2007)
BA
Boston College (2004)

Research

Overview

My research is broadly aimed at the development of treatments and interventions for alcohol use across patient populations, including young adult drinkers and patients with alcohol use disorders and medical comorbidities. Epidemiological data indicate that rates of heavy drinking in young adults have not decreased, despite decades of intensive research to develop efficacious interventions for this population. Among all those over 18 years of age in the United States, approximately 25% report binge drinking in the past month. Across populations, heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a host of negative consequences, including legal, medical, relational and other problems, even alcohol-related death. A great deal more research is needed to develop novel alcohol use interventions and to identify mechanisms to maximize the benefit of current treatments.

My research focuses on:

1. The development of mobile technology-based interventions, including SMS-based, smartphone, and wearable platforms

2. Quantitative modeling (including person-centered models and Baysian models) of factors related to trajectories of alcohol use both during and post-treatment

3. Understanding factors, including gender, that mediate or moderate alcohol treatment response

4. The development of brief alcohol interventions for young adult drinkers

I have a particular interest in the development of technology-based treatments for hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorders, especially for patients with comorbid medical conditions. These conditions can limit a patient's ability to travel for treatment; provide adjunct care via technology-based interventions can provide necessary, additional support. For young adults, technology-based treatments can increase their willingness to participate in treatment and match their preferences for how to engage providers.

Overall, my research aims to develop efficacious treatments for alcohol use disorders, particularly treatments that can be accessed outside of the typical treatment setting. Building these treatments requires thorough understanding of key treatment mediators and moderators, including those that vary over time. Treatments that increase access to care and account for these person-specific mediators could greatly increase efficacy.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Alcoholism; Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms; Biostatistics; Clinical Trial; Health; Psychiatry; Psychotherapy; Technology

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Kelly S. DeMartini's published research.

Publications

Featured Publications

2024

2022

2021

Clinical Care

Overview

Clinical Specialties

Addiction Medicine; Behavioral Medicine; Digestive Diseases

Get In Touch

Contacts

Mailing Address

Psychological Medicine Section

Psychiatry, 20 York St., Fitkin Building

New Haven, CT 06510

United States