Researcher biography

Jacob is a Clinical Psychologist and Research Fellow in the School of Psychology, at the University of Queensland. Jacob works on projects under the Meaningful Outcomes in Substance use Treatments Centre of Research Excellence (MO-CRE) and the National Centre for Youth Substance use Research (NCYSUR).

Jacob completed his PhD in Clinical Psychology at Griffith University in 2022, where his projected examined the motivational influencers on alcohol and drug preloading behaviours across youth populations in entertainment districts. After completion of his PhD, Jacob developed further clinical specilisation into the treatment of substance use disorders, behavioural addictions, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and long-term emotional dysregulation. While focusing on his clinical career, Jacob honed his scientist-practitioner skills, published several journal articles and presented in conference proceedings.

Jacob's research interests lie in the overlap between mental health and substance use difficulties, improving outcomes in AOD treatment services through brief interventions, as well, the motivational predictors of alcohol and substance use with relation to preloading and broader policy implications.

Current projects:

  • Examining alcohol and substance use trends in youth college populations
  • Exploring the potential role of lived experience peer workers in early AOD treatment
  • Investigating and testing theoretical components and predictors of alcohol and drug preloading behaviours
  • Projects under the MO-CRE and NCYSUR