About the Centre for Drug use, Addictive and Anti-social Behaviour Research
The Centre for Drug use, Addictive and Anti-social Behaviour Research (CEDAAR) conducts research into the psychological, biological, socio-political and clinical aspects of alcohol and other drug use (AOD), other addictive behaviours and consequent harm. Using a developmentally informed approach, our aim is to understand many of the problems associated with substance and other addictive behaviours, and related harms.
How our research drives health reform
Our aim is to inform evidence-based policy, treatment and prevention interventions, as well as providing service to the community.
Our approach is structured around three research questions:
- What matters in predicting, preventing and reducing harm from alcohol and other drug use (AOD) use, other addictive behaviours, and anti-social behaviour?
- What works to prevent and reduce harm from AOD use, other addictive behaviours and anti-social behaviour?
- What translates into sustainable policy, prevention and treatment programs?
Our research areas
The centre has six streams that conduct federally and state-funded research on substance use, gambling, prevention, treatment, harm reduction and related problem areas, such as violence, criminal justice settings and characteristics of rural addictive behaviours.
Prevention
This stream applies life-course and developmental systems research to design and evaluate interventions that enhance healthy child and youth development, and prevent substance use, gambling and other addictive behaviours.
Epidemiology
This stream examines the prevalence of substance use, gambling and other addictive behaviours in different groups within the Australian population to determine trends in usage patterns and investigates factors that might influence these trends over time.
Crime and anti-social behaviour
This stream focuses on the prevention of anti-social behaviour and crime, as well as interventions in anti-social and offending behaviour. We focus on a range of offence types and associated prevention and intervention strategies, particularly on the relationship between aggressive behaviour and addictive behaviours, such as substance use and gambling.
Psychological and social studies of addiction
This stream focuses on understanding the underlying psychological and social processes involved in the development, maintenance and treatment of addiction. Factors include impulse control, emotion dysregulation, reward sensitivity, negative affect, motivation, trait aggression, family processes and social identity.
Treatment
This stream involves the development, evaluation and translation of innovative evidence-based treatments for addiction. Specifically, we draw on trans-diagnostic approaches, e-technology and cognitive interventions for addiction.
Policy, evaluation and monitoring
This stream focuses on understanding and evaluating government and organisational policy, as well as monitoring and evaluating the impacts of alcohol, gambling and other addictive behaviours on the community.
Help us address our health challenges
When you study a PhD or postdoctoral research at CEDAAR you'll be supported by world-renowned researchers. Discover a supervisor who could help you further your research career goals.
Addiction and anti-social behaviour remain some of the leading social harms to communities around the world, but many of the causes of this harm are preventable. We are passionate about studying the drivers across the developmental spectrum and finding interventions and policies that make communities safer and give people back their lives.
Professor Peter Miller
Professor of Psychology
Our researchers
CEDAAR brings together the expertise of 38 researchers who use innovative approaches to understand substance and other addictive behaviours. Featured researchers:
Professor Peter Miller is Professor of Violence Prevention & Addiction studies and leads the Policy, Evaluation & Monitoring stream of CEDAAR. Peter’s work includes research on alcohol and drug-related violence, predictors of violence (including family and domestic violence), and Corporate Political Activity of alcohol and dangerous consumptions industries.
Associate Professor Petra Staiger conducts research with a focus on both theory and practice. Petra’s work aims to develop a deep understanding of the key psychological drivers of alcohol and other drug problems and identify how we might address these in treatment. She leads the Psychological and Social Studies of Addiction stream within CEDAAR.
Associate Professor Nicki Dowling conducts research focusing on three strategic areas of programmatic clinical research: the identification, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm for gamblers and their affected others. This includes a program of research developing and evaluating mobile and online interventions to reduce gambling harm.
Dr Ashlee Curtis conducts research focused on improving responsivity to intervention and intervention outcomes for those who engage or have engaged in offending behaviour. Specifically, Ashlee’s research focuses on factors that may impact on responsivity and outcomes, such as alcohol and other drug use, trauma and neurocognition.
Featured projects
We collaborate with national and international partners from universities, health care providers and philanthropic organisations to increase our impact.
Tackling alcohol-fuelled violence
Alcohol-related harm in night-time entertainment precincts is a major preventable problem. The 2016 Queensland Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence policy was evaluated during the Queensland Alcohol-related violence and Night-Time Economy (QUANTEM) study. This study also examined how context moderates the effect of policy on these harms.
Putting public health before profit
Tobacco, alcohol and gambling are major causes of illness and premature death in Australia. But the implementation of public health policies known to reduce harm are often delayed or stopped by industry groups who place private profits ahead of public health. Industry Insight is a collaboration of independent researchers who provide expert insight into the mechanisms industry groups use to influence the policy process.
Contact us
Stay in touch with us to hear about the latest alumni opportunities, research news and much more. Any questions? Contact Professor Peter Miller:
Phone: +61 (03) 5227 8138