Ryan Carpenter

Ryan Carpenter is an Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame, affiliated with the Studying Processes in Everyday Life (SPIEL) Lab. His primary research area is clinical psychology, focusing on substance use disorders, pain management, and the application of mobile health interventions. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri (2018) and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Brown University (2018-2020).

Dr. Carpenter’s work examines substance use in naturalistic environments using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), with a focus on alcohol, opioids, cannabis, and co-use behaviors. His research explores how aversive experiences like pain and negative affect drive substance use and self-destructive behaviors. He also evaluates the efficacy of mHealth interventions to prevent substance use in daily life.

Recent studies highlight his expertise in polysubstance overdose patterns, the role of pain in self-injury, and the impact of social contexts on substance use. His publications span epidemiological analyses of overdose trends, methodological innovations in experience sampling, and clinical trials assessing insomnia treatments for veterans with alcohol use disorders.

Key thematic threads in his work include: (1) Bidirectional relationships between negative affect and substance cravings, (2) Structural barriers faced by marginalized populations in substance use treatment, and (3) Development of real-time behavioral interventions. His research bridges clinical psychology, public health, and implementation science to address substance use disparities and improve intervention accessibility.