The Decision Sciences Institute (DSI), located in Providence,
Rhode Island, was created in May 1999 as a PIRE Center. The long-term goal of DSI is to bring modern quantitative and qualitative thinking to bear on addictions and
mental health service delivery and clinical research. We seek to advance clinical research and clinical policy through the use of empirical studies.
Researchers at DSI participated in some of the early landmark
studies on less intensive treatment modalities for alcoholics. Dr. Stout, the Center Director of DSI, led the data analysis team for the NIAAA-funded Project MATCH,
one of the largest randomized alcohol treatment studies ever conducted. Project MATCH demonstrated that low-cost treatment modalities such as Motivational Enhancement
Treatment and Twelve-Step Facilitation treatment are highly viable alternatives to costlier clinical models. Currently, DSI researchers are examining treatment policy and
treatment systems to determine how treatment quality and organizational management impact clinical outcomes.
The application of advanced analytical methods to research
problems in behavioral health is another DSI focus. The foundations of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment are surprisingly uncertain. Common psychiatric diagnoses, such as
obsessive-compulsive disorder, are frequently found to covary over time with other diagnoses in a complex manner. Modern quantitative methods applied by DSI scientists help to
clarify some of these poorly understood patterns. Ongoing major studies include those of anxiety disorders, personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and body dysmorphic
disorders.
DSI researchers are also involved with the development of computer
simulation models that examine how tobacco, alcohol, and obesity policy changes affect rates of prevalence, consumption, morbidity, and mortality. These models have achieved both national
and international recognition for their innovative approaches and are being used for surveillance and evaluation by a number of states and countries.
DSI Areas of Expertise
Substance abuse and mental health prevention, treatment, and services research
Long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of behavioral health
Impact of behavioral health treatment on medical care and outcomes
