About the Lab
Welcome to the Addiction and Recovery in Context (ARC) lab research webpage! We are a research group within the Social Work Integrative Research Lab (SWiRL) in the Department of Social Work at George Mason University’s College of Public Health. Our work focuses on elucidating the individual, social, and environmental factors that contribute to substance use disorders and related challenges, including trauma and involvement in the criminal legal system.
Our mission is to translate this knowledge into more effective and accessible interventions for individuals affected by substance use disorders, as well as the providers who support them. We aim to deepen our understanding not only of what works, but for whom, and in what contexts. Ultimately, we strive to promote meaningful and sustainable pathways to recovery.
Current Lab members
- Anna Rigby
- Charlie Cooper
- Amberleigh Fretwell
Current Projects
Our current work uses survey data to examine whether different forms of coping are equally effective in mitigating the relationship between trauma symptoms and substance use, as well as whether social determinants of health (e.g., income, discrimination, and criminal legal system involvement) influence the effectiveness of these coping strategies.
Contact Us
Questions? Please reach out to Dr. Anna Parisi at [email protected]