Saturday, April 19, 2025
4/19/2025
Characterizing alcohol use disorder recovery-related exposures on Twitter: Content, cluster, and network analysis - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overarching goal of this K01 is to support the training of Dr. Alex Russell. His goal is to become an independent alcohol use disorder (AUD) recovery researcher with expertise in how to leverage social media platforms to enhance AUD treatment and recovery outcomes in novel and innovative ways. To help achieve this goal, the candidate proposes an original mentored research study focused on developing scientific knowledge about AUD and recovery-related social media exposures in order to define prominent social-media based barriers to and facilitators of AUD recovery, and thereby informing narrative-based social media interventions designed to enhance AUD treatment and recovery outcomes. In aim 1, we will characterize AUD and recovery- related exposures on Twitter by conducting a qualitative content analysis using an unsupervised machine learning and inductive coding approach – identifying potential barriers to/facilitators of recovery present on Twitter. In aim 2, we will use latent class analysis to identify underlying content similarities between clusters of tweets, over and above individual themes. We will also determine how varying post characteristics (e.g., format, source) and content cluster themes are associated with user engagement (i.e., likes, retweets). In aim 3, social network analysis will be used to examine the network structure of barriers/facilitators-related posts, identifying important opinion-leaders and topics about AUD and recovery on Twitter (targets for later intervention) and to determine how network position of posts varies by post characteristics (e.g., format, source) and domains of AUD recovery barriers and facilitators. This mentored study is intended to facilitate training to help the candidate develop the expertise to build an independent research career. More specifically, Dr. Russell’s mentorship team (Philip Massey, Brandon Bergman, John Kelly, Dana Litt, and Brian Primack) will foster his scientific development in the following areas: 1) AUD recovery science (addiction treatment and recovery, mechanisms of recovery- related behavior change, digital recovery support services); 2) social media-based research methods (theory, data collection, measurement, analyses, and interpretation); 3) latent class analysis; 4) social network analysis; and 5) career development and grantsmanship. Additionally, Dr. Russell’s training plan will supplement practical experiences and mentorship with formal coursework and workshop attendance, and dissemination of research findings at conferences. His career goals are in line with NIAAA’s emphases on a) the identification and development of strategies to reduce personal and organizational barriers that prevent people with alcohol use disorders from seeking and receiving appropriate care, b) the study of potentially vital recovery mechanisms during an at-risk developmental stage, c) the development and testing of methods that can enhance the diffusion and adoption of evidence-based alcohol-related treatment practices across the full spectrum of services for at- risk, harmful, and dependent drinkers, and d) the development of innovative behavioral strategies to promote drinking-related behavior change (PA-15-299).
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