Expanding the network approach to integrate cognitive control and relevant psychopathological processes.

Our research is dedicated to advancing the network theory of mental disorders by integrating relevant psychopathological mechanisms (e.g., drinking motives) and behavioral measures of cognitive control (e.g., behavioral inhibition). Central to our approach is the understanding that mental health conditions, such as substance use disorders, are complex and dynamic, influenced by the interplay among symptoms, cognitive processes, and behaviors across various time scales (ranging from minutes to decades).

Our recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Open emphasizes the role of cognitive control in moderating the symptom interplay among adolescents. This study highlights how deficits in cognitive control, such as impaired response inhibition and attentional bias, contribute to the network of symptoms observed in clinical populations.

In a study published in Addiction, we examined the dynamic interplay between various distal and proximal risk factors of problematic alcohol use.  Employing advanced panel network approaches, our research evaluated a prominent theory that highlights how distal risk factors converge on proximal drinking motives. Our findings underscore the critical importance of targeting heavy alcohol consumption among adolescents to prevent alcohol-related problems later on.