Deborah J. Brief, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
Biography
Dr. Brief is the Section Chief for Substance Abuse Treatment Services in VA Boston Healthcare System and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at Boston University. She received her Doctorate in Psychology from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1984 and completed an NIAAA post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Washington in 1987. She is a clinical supervisor and faculty member in the Boston Consortium in Clinical Psychology Internship Training Program and the VA Boston Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program.
Dr. Brief’s research has focused on evaluating the effectiveness of psychosocial and pharmacological treatment interventions for alcohol and drug dependence, and co-occurring substance use and posttraumatic stress disorder. Most recently she has begun to research the effectiveness of web-based interventions to address problem drinking and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in returning veterans. Her research has been funded by NIAAA, the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) and the VA.
Other Positions
- Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
- VA Boston Healthcare System
Websites
Education
- University of Illinois, PhD
- University of Illinois, MA
- University of Pennsylvania, BA
Publications
- Published on 10/3/2023
Polizzi CP, Sistad RE, Livingston NA, Brief D, Litwack S, Roy M, Solhan M, Rosenbloom D, Keane TM. Alcohol-Related Problems As Moderators of PTSD Symptom Change During Use of a Web-Based Intervention for Hazardous Drinking and PTSD. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2024 Jan; 85(1):51-61. PMID: 37796630.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/10/2023
Sistad RE, Livingston NA, Crowe ML, Newberger N, Spitzer E, Brief D, Litwack S, Helmuth E, Roy M, Solhan M, Rosenbloom D, Keane TM. Network analysis of reasons for and against changing alcohol use among veterans engaged in a web-based intervention for hazardous drinking and PTSD symptoms. Addict Behav. 2023 Aug; 143:107689. PMID: 36924646.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/16/2023
Sistad RE, Enggasser J, Livingston NA, Brief D. Comparing substance use treatment initiation and retention between telehealth delivered during COVID-19 and in-person treatment pre-COVID-19. Am J Addict. 2023 May; 32(3):301-308. PMID: 36645267.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/7/2022
Newberger NG, Yeager S, Livingston NA, Enggasser JL, Brief DJ, Litwack S, Helmuth E, Roy M, Rosenbloom D, Keane TM. Life satisfaction following treatment-related reductions in alcohol use and PTSD symptoms: Results from VetChange. Psychol Trauma. 2023 Nov; 15(8):1299-1306. PMID: 35254847.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/13/2022
Possemato K, Wu J, Greene C, MacQueen R, Blonigen D, Wade M, Owen J, Keane T, Brief D, Lindley S, Prins A, Mackintosh MA, Carlson E. Web-Based Problem-solving Training With and Without Peer Support in Veterans With Unmet Mental Health Needs: Pilot Study of Feasibility, User Acceptability, and Participant Engagement. J Med Internet Res. 2022 01 13; 24(1):e29559. PMID: 35023846.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/29/2021
Livingston NA, Simpson T, Lehavot K, Ameral V, Brief DJ, Enggasser J, Litwack S, Helmuth E, Roy M, Rosenbloom D, Keane TM. Differential alcohol treatment response by gender following use of VetChange. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021 04 01; 221:108552. PMID: 33556659.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/24/2020
Pugatch M, Chang G, Garnick D, Brolin M, Brief D, Miller C, Fleming J, Blaney D, Harward B, Hodgkin D. Rates and predictors of brief intervention for women veterans returning from recent wars: Examining gaps in service delivery for unhealthy alcohol use. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 04; 123:108257. PMID: 33612192.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/11/2020
Enggasser JL, Livingston NA, Ameral V, Brief DJ, Rubin A, Helmuth E, Roy M, Solhan M, Litwack S, Rosenbloom D, Keane TM. Public implementation of a web-based program for veterans with risky alcohol use and PTSD: A RE-AIM evaluation of VetChange. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021 03; 122:108242. PMID: 33509419.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/7/2020
Schreiner AM, Livingston NA, Heilman M, Lynch T, Vittorio L, Brief DJ, Rubin A, Enggasser JL, Roy M, Solhan M, Helmuth E, Rosenbloom D, Keane TM. Understanding motives for and against hazardous drinking and change among returning veterans. Psychol Serv. 2021 Nov; 18(4):523-532. PMID: 32378932.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/20/2020
Livingston NA, Mahoney CT, Ameral V, Brief D, Rubin A, Enggasser J, Litwack S, Helmuth E, Roy M, Solhan M, Rosenbloom D, Keane T. Changes in alcohol use, PTSD hyperarousal symptoms, and intervention dropout following veterans' use of VetChange. Addict Behav. 2020 08; 107:106401. PMID: 32272356.
Read at: PubMed
View 13 more publications: View full profile at BUMC