STIRRED Lab

Sidebar

About 

My program of research seeks to identify mechanisms that are involved in the initiation and continuance of behaviors that lead to short-term relief but have long-term negative consequences (hereafter dysregulated behaviors) such as nonsuicidal self-injury, substance use and aggression.  Specifically, my work examines the roles of emotions, cognitions and their interaction as antecedents to these behaviors and how engaging in these behaviors affect emotion. My work uses multiple methods including laboratory-based experiments, ambulatory assessment and meta-analysis. The majority of my work has focused on understanding the role of negative emotion in dysregulated behaviors.  Many theories posit that negative affect is an antecedent to the engagement in a dysregulated behavior and that engagement in a dysregulated behavior has the consequence of temporary relief from negative affect (Baker et al., 2004; Linehan, 1993; Selby & Joiner, 2009).In several studies, I have found support for the role of affect as an antecedent to substance use (Bresin, Mekawi, & Verona, 20018; Bresin & Fairbairn, under review), nonsuicidal self-injury (e.g., Bresin, Carter, & Gordon, 2013) and aggression (Bresin & Gordon, 2013a).   My work has also tested the proposal that engagement in dysregulated behaviors leads to temporary relief from negative emotions.  Across several experiments and a meta-analysis, my work has shown that negative affect decreases after experiencing acute physical pain, a proxy for nonsuicidal self-injury (Bresin, et al., 2010; Bresin & Gordon, 2013b; Bresin, Kling, & Verona, 2018; Bresin & Verona, 2016). Recently my work has also focused on understanding why dysregulated behaviors are more common among members of the LGBTQ+ community compared to cis-gender, straight peers.  On-going studies are exploring the role of sexual and gender minority stress and social safety signally to potentially explain these health disparities 

Key Research Areas

  • Substance Use
  • Suicidal and Nonsuicidal self-injury
  • Aggression
  • LGBTQIA+ Health 

Recent Publications

  • Bresin, K., Hatfield, O. A., Ahrenholtz, M. S., & Verona, E. (in press). The role of positive and negative affect in illicit substance use and alcohol use: An ecological momentary assessment study. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.  
  • Nicolas, J. K., & Bresin, K. (in press). Everyday sexual and gender minority stress, identity affirmation, and health: A systematic review of ambulatory assessment studies. Archives of Sexual Behavior.
  • Bresin, K., Nicholas, J. K., Cowand, A. L., Alacha, H. F., Rodriguez, A. M., & Parrott, D. J (2023). The effects of sexual and gender minority stress on relationship functioning: A meta-analysis. Personal Relationships, 30, 1208-1231
  • Bresin, K. (2020). Toward a unifying theory of dysregulated behaviors. Clinical Psychology Review, 80, 101885. 

For a full list see https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=WZ_bt4AAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao 

Team 

Principle Investigator 

Dr. Konrad Bresin (He/him)

konrad.bresin@louisville.edu
View Research Profile

Graduate Students 

 

Short-Term Intense Relief: Refining the Etiology of Dysregulation (STIRRED) Lab

A&S Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Website about

Location

Life Sciences Room 103

Email