Elizabeth J. D'Amico

Elizabeth J. D'Amico serves as a Senior Behavioral Scientist at the RAND Corporation and a Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. Her expertise focuses on adolescent health, substance use prevention, and interventions targeting at-risk youth. She holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Texas and is a licensed clinical psychologist.

Her research spans epidemiological studies, clinical trials, and policy evaluations, with a focus on marginalized populations such as urban American Indian/Alaska Native emerging adults and homeless youth. Current projects include a large clinical trial addressing suicide prevention among Alaska Native youth and longitudinal studies tracking substance use patterns from adolescence through young adulthood.

Research Interests

• Adolescent and emerging adult substance use prevention
• Cultural influences on health behaviors
• Motivational interviewing interventions
• Health disparities in Indigenous communities

Recent Trends in Articles

Her recent work emphasizes the intersection of social networks, cultural identity, and substance use among marginalized groups. Key studies include analyzing protective behavioral strategies for homeless youth, exploring discrimination's mental health impacts on Native American populations, and evaluating interventions to reduce alcohol and cannabis use among adolescents.

Awards

• Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 50, 2016)
• Mentor of the Year Award, RAND Behavioral and Policy Sciences (2018)

Grants & Advising

• Principal investigator for longitudinal substance use studies (18-year follow-up)
• Grants on primary care-based substance use prevention and Alaska Native suicide prevention

Labs/Teams

Core member of the RAND Behavioral and Policy Sciences department, collaborating with the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).