Michelle J. Zaso

Michelle J. Zaso is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Syracuse University. Her research focuses on understanding the cognitive and environmental factors influencing alcohol use in trauma-affected populations, particularly examining how stress and PTSD symptoms relate to drinking behaviors. She employs mixed-methods approaches including ecological momentary assessment, longitudinal studies, and experimental paradigms. Dr. Zaso’s work has been recognized with the Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award (2022).

Teaching includes courses such as Research in Clinical/Health Psychology and Seminar in Psychopathology. She leads the IMPACT Lab, investigating mechanisms to prevent alcohol-related consequences over time. Active grants include NIH-funded research on cognitive antecedents of alcohol use in PTSD populations.

Key Research Themes:

• Trauma and substance use comorbidity
• Cognitive processes in alcohol-related decision-making
• Health disparities in multiracial and minority youth
• Gene-environment interactions in addiction

Publications focus on PTSD-related drinking, discrimination effects, and developmental alcohol use. Recent work includes systematic reviews on self-compassion in recovery and affective cognition in trauma contexts.