Kara Thompson

Program affiliation: Lifespan Psychology

Supervisor: Dr. Tim Stockwell, Director for the Centre for Addictions Research of BC

Research interests

Kara Thompson Recognizing how alcohol use fits into the lives of young people is a necessary foundation for designing effective remedies to counter risky patterns of use and prevent lifelong difficulties. My research seeks to understand the mechanisms of continuity and discontinuity in drinking patterns in adolescence and emerging adulthood. My goal is to apply contemporary statistical methods to improve understanding about the normative developmental trajectories of substance use across adolescence and emerging adulthood, as well as attend to the contextual and environmental factors that may exacerbate or attenuate increases in use. The specific focus of my recent work is on the association between alcohol use and heterogeneity in pathways of post-secondary education, including different types of education and degree obtainment. My goal is to advance our understanding of this developmental period, and enhance the well-being of youth and young adults by informing practices and policies that shape the lives of youth.

Awards

Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Award, Canadian Institute of Health Research
SSHRC Canadian Graduate Scholarship, Masters Award
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Trainee Award
Pacific Century Graduate Scholarship, UVIC

Representative publications

Thompson, K., Stockwell, T., MacDonald, S. (2011). Is there a “low-risk drinking level for youth? The risk of acute harm as a function of quantity and frequency of drinking. Drug and Alcohol Review, Early online, 1-1, doi: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2011.00378.x

Zeisser, C., Thompson, K., Stockwell, T., Duff, C., Chow, C., Vallance, K., Ivsins, A. Michelow, W., Marsh, D, Lucas, P. (2011). A “standard joint”? The role of quantity in predicting cannabis-related harm. Addiction Research and Theory, Early online, 1-1, doi:10.3109/16066359.2011.569101

Representative presentations

Thompson, K. & Stockwell, T. (2012). Using Multiple-Group Methods to Study the Development of Alcohol Use Across the Transition to Adulthood: A Systematic Review. SRCD 2012 Themed Meeting: Developmental Methodology. Tampa Bay, Florida, US.

Homel, J., Thompson, K., Leadbeater, B. (2012). Positive peer influences on mental health across the transition to adulthood: changing relationships, changing contexts.2012 ISSBD Biennial Meeting, Edmonton AB, Canada.

Zeisser, C., Thompson, K., & Stockwell, T. (2012). Trajectories of Cannabis Use and Anxiety during the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood. 2012 SRA Biennial Meeting. Vancouver, Canada.

Gruppuso, V., Homel, J., Thompson, K, & Leadbeater, B. (2012). Female Adolescent Depression Symptoms and Post-Secondary Education Enrollment: It’s a Matter of Time. 2012 SRA Biennial Meeting. Vancouver, Canada.

Leadbeater, B., Thompson, K., Gruppuso, V. (2012) Co-occurring Trajectories of Depression, and Oppositionality from Adolescence to Young Adulthood. 2012 SRA Biennial Meeting. Vancouver, Canada.

Thompson, K., Reist, D., & Coleman, P. (2011). Engaging young people in a discussion about substance use; The AME program: Awareness, Motivation, and Engagement. Child & Youth Care in Action III: Leading Conversations in Research, Practice and Policy. Canada; Victoria, BC.

Thompson, K., Leadbeater, B & Gruppuso, V. (2011). The Co-development of anxiety, depression and oppositional behaviors during the transition to young adulthood. 2011 Society for Research on Child Development Biennial Meeting. Canada; Montreal.