Melissa R Schick, PhD
Assistant ProfessorAbout
Titles
Assistant Professor
Biography
Melissa Schick an Assistant Professor within the Division of Prevention and Community Research (DPCR) at the Yale School of Medicine. Her research aims to advance understanding of mechanistic processes influencing the development, course, maintenance, remission, and prevention of substance use among trauma-exposed individuals. Her work includes a specific focus on the use of experience sampling methodologies to examine factors that occur proximally to substance use, with the goal of ultimately informing the development and implementation of just-in-time substance use-focused interventions. She is further interested in exploring health disparities and inequities related to substance use, and is dedicated to conducting work focused on marginalized populations to better understand how such inequities might be considered in substance use treatment and research. Dr. Schick's work is currently funded through a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Dr. Schick obtained a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rhode after completing her predoctoral internship through the Charleston Consortium (Medical University of South Carolina/Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center), and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Suffolk University. She completed her postdoctoral training in the DPCR's NIDA-funded T32 in Substance Use Prevention Research. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Connecticut.
Appointments
Psychiatry
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow
- Yale School of Medicine
- PhD
- University of Rhode Island, Clinical Psychology (2022)
- Clinical Internship
- Medical University of South Carolina (2022)
- BS
- Suffolk University, Psychology (2013)
Research
Publications
2025
The Nature of Explicit and Implicit Firearm Threat by Intimate Partners Across the Life Course Among Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence
Sullivan T, Clayton A, Schick M, Maxwell C, Mastalli-Lowther G, O’Neil-Wild G, Scanlon M. The Nature of Explicit and Implicit Firearm Threat by Intimate Partners Across the Life Course Among Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence. Psychology Of Violence 2025, 15: 611-622. PMID: 40969784, PMCID: PMC12442739, DOI: 10.1037/vio0000573.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIntimate partner violenceIntimate partner violence experiencesFirearm threatsPartner violenceIntimate partnersLife courseIncident characteristicsPsychological intimate partner violenceSurvivor-centered practiceInfluence of alcohol/drugsTraining of providersWomen's perceptionsFirearmPrivate locationsViolencePartnersWomenCOVID-19 pandemicThreatParticipantsPolicyIntimateAlcohol/drugPracticeLifeThe Protective Role of Savoring on Coping Motives for Cannabis Use and Consequences
Trinh C, Girard R, Egan A, Schick M, Spillane N. The Protective Role of Savoring on Coping Motives for Cannabis Use and Consequences. Journal Of Psychoactive Drugs 2025, ahead-of-print: 1-11. PMID: 40767461, PMCID: PMC12331156, DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2537043.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCannabis use frequencyCannabis-related consequencesCoping motivesCannabis outcomesEffect of coping motivesCannabis use motivesSelf-report measuresYoung adultsCannabis motivesCannabis frequencyCannabis usePositive eventsPositive emotionsCannabisSavoringNegative consequencesMotivationLow levelsAdultsCopingEmotionsProtective roleConsequencesNegativelyOutcomesThe protective role of culture and family disapproval on substance use among American Indian adolescents
Girard R, Trinh C, Schick M, Spillane N. The protective role of culture and family disapproval on substance use among American Indian adolescents. The American Journal Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse 2025, ahead-of-print: 1-12. PMID: 40737626, DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2025.2535557.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAmerican Indian adolescentsCannabis useSubstance useFamily-based prevention effortsIndian adolescentsAssociated with lower alcohol useModerating RoleFamily disapprovalLower alcohol useSubstance use behaviorsAdolescent substance usePast-year alcoholSelf-reported dataLifetime alcoholAmerican Indian youthDisapproval of substance useAlcohol useSample of American Indian adolescentsCannabisProtective effectMultilevel analysisUse behaviorsAdolescentsProtective factorsNear reservationsExamining concordance between emotion-dependent risk-taking in the laboratory and in the real-world
Weiss N, Schick M, Raudales A, Thomas E, Ho D, Goldstein S, Kiefer R, Newberger N, Contractor A, Sullivan T. Examining concordance between emotion-dependent risk-taking in the laboratory and in the real-world. Behaviour Research And Therapy 2025, 187: 104716. PMID: 40037003, PMCID: PMC12288464, DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2025.104716.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk-taking behaviorRisk-taking propensityPositive emotional statesIntimate partner violenceEmotional statesBehavioral measure of risk-taking propensityMeasure of risk-taking propensityRisk-takingNeutral emotion inductionLaboratory paradigmBehavioral measuresEmotion inductionSubstance useSexual behaviorDrinking alcoholIllicit drugsPartner violenceCondomless sexParticipantsCannabisBehaviorEmotionsSubstancesAlcoholParadigmPatterns of substance-involved intimate partner violence perpetration: Findings from a daily diary study
Schick M, Clayton A, Maxwell C, Sullivan T. Patterns of substance-involved intimate partner violence perpetration: Findings from a daily diary study. Addictive Behaviors 2025, 166: 108305. PMID: 40049052, PMCID: PMC11968212, DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108305.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIntimate partner violenceSexual IPV perpetrationPsychological intimate partner violenceSexual intimate partner violenceIPV perpetrationSubstance use patternsAlcohol usePartners' IPV perpetrationDaily diary studyPatterns of substance usePatterns of IPV perpetrationReduce intimate partner violencePhysical IPV perpetrationRisk of IPV perpetrationPhysical intimate partner violenceTargeting alcohol usePartner's use of alcoholUse of alcoholPatterns of substancesDiary studyJust-in-time interventionsSubstance usePartner's useCo-usePartner violence
2024
Elucidating Heterogeneity of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women: Latent Class Analysis of Daily IPV, PTSD, and Substance Use Collected via Experience Sampling Methodologies
Chiaramonte D, Schick M, Woerner J, Hernandez A, Sullivan T. Elucidating Heterogeneity of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women: Latent Class Analysis of Daily IPV, PTSD, and Substance Use Collected via Experience Sampling Methodologies. Journal Of Interpersonal Violence 2024, 40: 3770-3799. PMID: 39445476, PMCID: PMC12316194, DOI: 10.1177/08862605241286026.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIntimate partner violenceIntimate partner violence typesExperience intimate partner violenceLatent class analysisPartner violenceSubstance useSexual intimate partner violenceIntimate partner violence experiencesWomen’s lived experiencesCross-sectional survey dataWomen's daily livesHeterogeneity of experiencesPhysical health outcomesMicro-longitudinal dataPTSD-related distressPolicy implicationsSurvey dataMultilevel analysisAssociated with heightened riskClass analysisLived experienceViolenceDevelopment of interventionsHealth outcomesHeightened riskExpectations and Preferences for Digital Cessation Treatment: Multimethods Study Among Older Adults Who Smoke Cigarettes
Fahey M, Carpenter M, O'Neal R, Pebley K, Schick M, Ware E, Toll B, Dahne J. Expectations and Preferences for Digital Cessation Treatment: Multimethods Study Among Older Adults Who Smoke Cigarettes. Journal Of Medical Internet Research 2024, 26: e52919. PMID: 39196628, PMCID: PMC11391153, DOI: 10.2196/52919.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeasurement invariance of the Perceived Stress Scale across race, sex, and time, and differential impacts on cocaine use treatment outcomes
Schick M, Kiluk B, Nich C, LaPaglia D, Haeny A. Measurement invariance of the Perceived Stress Scale across race, sex, and time, and differential impacts on cocaine use treatment outcomes. Journal Of Substance Use And Addiction Treatment 2024, 166: 209493. PMID: 39151798, PMCID: PMC11392621, DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2024.209493.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCocaine use disorderPerceived Stress ScaleTreatment retentionMeasurement invarianceTreatment outcomesSubstance Use Treatment OutcomesStress ScalePredicting treatment retentionSelf-EfficacyCoping self-efficacyTwo-factor modelInfluence treatment outcomeCocaine abuse/dependenceDSM-IVUse disorderCocaine useBetween-group differencesMetric invarianceScalar invarianceTwo-factorCocainePharmacological treatmentFactor analysisDifferential impactAbuse/dependenceSelf-Change from Alcohol Problems among Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Adults: A Systematic Review
Haeny A, Schick M, Crouch M, Bautista T, Chowdhary A, McKenley C, Funaro M. Self-Change from Alcohol Problems among Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Adults: A Systematic Review. Current Addiction Reports 2024, 11: 818-837. DOI: 10.1007/s40429-024-00591-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSelf-changeAlcohol problemsProcess of self-changeREM groupRelevant constructsMultiracial groupsRacial identityFormal treatmentNative groupsNative HawaiiansLatin groupAlaska Native communitiesAlaska Native groupsREMPacific IslandersAlcoholNative communitiesAdultsSystematic reviewSystematic literature reviewHealing strategiesA psychometric evaluation of the PTSD Checklist for DSM‐5 among women experiencing intimate partner violence
Schick M, Sullivan T, Alfano A, Weiss N. A psychometric evaluation of the PTSD Checklist for DSM‐5 among women experiencing intimate partner violence. Journal Of Traumatic Stress 2024, 37: 998-1008. PMID: 39031171, PMCID: PMC11631682, DOI: 10.1002/jts.23087.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPrevalence of posttraumatic stress disorderPTSD ChecklistPCL-5Intimate partner violenceDSM-5Self-report measures of PTSD symptomsPsychometric propertiesMeasures of PTSD symptomsPTSD diagnosisPosttraumatic stress disorderTrauma-exposed populationsPTSD prevalenceSample of community womenSelf-report measuresAdequate psychometric propertiesPartner violencePTSD symptomsStress disorderCutoff scorePsychometric evaluationInternal consistencyCommunity womenCronbach's aChecklistViolence
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Teaching & Mentoring
- Mentoring
- 4 Mentored Students and Faculty
- 3 Mentee Publications
News
News
- June 27, 2025
Sullivan Lab Welcomes South Dakota Researchers During Visit to Yale
- October 01, 2024
Schick Awarded Grant to Study Early Detection, Intervention of Substance Use Among Trauma-Exposed Individuals
- October 20, 2023
Members of Family Violence Research Lab Wear Purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Get In Touch
Contacts
The Consultation Center
389 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511
United States