Stacy R. Ryan-Pettes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Psychology & Neuroscience
Education:
Fellow, HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute, 2018 - present
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for Addiction Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 2010-2012
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Emory University, 2010
Clinical Internship, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, 2009-2010
M.A., Clinical Psychology, Emory University, 2006
B.A., Psychology, Emory University, 2003
Biography:
Dr. Ryan-Pettes joined the department in 2017 following 4 years on faculty at the Neurobehavioral Research Laboratory and Clinic within the Department of Psychiatry at UT Health San Antonio. While at UT Health San Antonio, she directed longitudinal research on the development of adolescent substance use and served as clinic director of an outpatient substance abuse treatment program for adolescents. During this time, Dr. Ryan-Pettes received a career development award to develop expertise in using mobile phone technology to deliver evidence-based interventions to adolescents with a substance use disorder. Before this, Dr. Ryan-Pettes earned advanced degrees in clinical psychology (Ph.D.) at Emory University in Atlanta and received postdoctoral training in adolescent treatment outcome research in addiction with an emphasis on translational methods as a T32 National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Ryan-Pettes is a current fellow with the prestigious Fordham University HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute.
Academic and Research Interests:
Interests: Development of adolescent substance use and comorbid externalizing behaviors; the dissemination of evidence-based treatments to community settings; the use of technology to enhance adolescent treatment outcomes; and ethical conduct of treatment research with vulnerable populations.
My research is focused on adolescent substance use treatment outcome. Specifically, I am interested in how parent involvement in their child’s treatment affects adolescent treatment processes and outcome. I am currently a co-investigator of a randomized controlled trial examining the use of contingency management to increase parent involvement in their child’s drug treatment and drug court process. I am also developing a mobile app for parents as an aftercare tool once their child is discharged from substance use treatment.
A second area of study is research ethics with justice-involved youth who are required to attend drug treatment. Because justice-involved youth are required to attend drug treatment, researchers are often faced with ethical dilemmas when enrolling these youth in treatment research. Justice-involved youth who are required to attend treatment are vulnerable to feeling coerced, undue pressure, and limited voluntariness when approached for treatment research participation. My lab is working toward developing an understanding of youth and parent perceptions of enrolling in treatment research and developing guiding principles for consent forms and referral processes for juvenile probation departments.
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Current Grant Funded Projects:
Principal Investigator Research Investment Program, Ryan (PI) 6/18 – 5/19
Baylor University, Role: Principal Investigator
iParent: A Continuing Care Program for Caregivers to Facilitate Post-Treatment Outcomes among Substance Using Teens
Research Ethics Training Institute, Ryan (PI) 6/2018 – 7/20
HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute, Role: Principal Investigator
Justice-Involved Youth and Caregiver Concerns about Consenting to Drug Treatment Research
R01 MD011322, Cunningham & Ledgerwood (CO-PIs) 8/16 – 2/21
NIMHD, Role: Co-Investigator
Behavioral Incentives to Increase Caregiver Engagement in Juvenile Drug Court
Additional Projects Supported by Baylor:
The use of social media and mobile phone technology for substance use treatment in adolescent populations
Current Psy.D. Students:
Grace Beuley, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Kylie Li, University of California, Berkeley
Meghan Morrison, University of Vermont
Hannah Skiest, Franklin & Marshall College
Anna Milliken, Fairfield University
Current Ph.D. Students:
Kimberly Collamore, Auburn University
Graduate Student Recruitment:
Dr. Ryan-Pettes is currently accepting applications for Psy.D. and Ph.D. students.
Courses Taught at Baylor:
PSY 3330 – Psychopathology
PSY 3V90 – Community Internship in Psychology
PSY 3335 – Child Psychopathology
PSY 5426 – Clinical Interventions with Children