Introduction & Projects
Rob Turrisi has been engaged in research on prevention science topics for nearly 35 years. His initial work looked at methods for reducing drunk driving—a subject on which he is passionate and continues to engage both with graduate fellows and his research team. His research also includes externally funded studies on brief parent interventions, substance abuse prevention, and skin cancer prevention.
The contributions of this work have been acknowledged by several organizations and national publications, including the most recent Surgeon General’s Report. Rob has also been the recipient of the Prevention Research Award from the Society for Prevention Research; the Faculty Scholar Medal from Penn State; and the Ralph Hingson Prevention Scientist Researcher of the Year Award. He serves on the Child Endangerment Expert Panel for MADD.
He is an active mentor and reviewer. All of his doctoral students since his joining the Penn State faculty in 2004 have received NIH F31 training fellowships. Rob has been a standing member or an ad-hoc member of NIH grant review study sections since 1988 and he regularly evaluates articles submitted to scientific journals, including Contemporary Psychology, Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, and the Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, among others. As an active researcher in drunk driving and substance abuse prevention topics, he has been interviewed on NBC Dateline, Good Morning America, and CBS Health Watch, and featured in USA Today.
Rob is also a lifetime member of Trout Unlimited and can be found fly-fishing when not in his lab or office.
For more information on Dr. Turrisi, click here. For more information on the PRO Health Lab, click here.
Prevention-related Projects
Recent Publications
Waldron, K.A., Turrisi, R.J., Mallett, K.A., Romano, E. (in press). Examining parental permissiveness toward drinking and perceived ethnic discrimination as risk factors for drinking outcomes among Latinx college students. Addictive Behaviors.
Are co-users of alcohol and marijuana more willing to experience consequences from drinking? A longitudinal examination among first-year college students
Linden-Carmichael, A. N., Mallett, K. A., Sell, N., & Turrisi, R. (2019). Are co-users of alcohol and marijuana more willing to experience consequences from drinking? A longitudinal examination among first-year college students. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 43, 1567-1574. doi: 10.1111/acer.14075 PMCID: PMC6602848
An examination of consequences among college student drinkers on occasions involving alcohol-only, marijuana-only, or combined alcohol and marijuana use
Mallett, K. A., Turrisi, R., Trager, B., Sell, N., & Linden-Carmichael, A. N. (2019). An examination of consequences among college student drinkers on occasions involving alcohol-only, marijuana-only, or combined alcohol and marijuana use. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 33, 331-336. doi: 10.1037/adb0000458
A web-based intervention to reduce indoor tanning motivations in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial
Hillhouse, J., Turrisi, R. J., Scaglione, N. M., Baker, K., Cleveland, M. J., Baker, K., & Florence, L. C. (2017). A web-based intervention to reduce indoor tanning motivations in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial. Prevention Science, 18(2), 131–140. PMCID: PMC5247320
When alcohol is only part of the problem: An event-level analysis of negative consequences related to alcohol and other substance use
Mallett, K. A., Turrisi, R. J., Hultgren, B. A., Sell, N., Reavy, R., & Cleveland, M. J. (2017). When alcohol is only part of the problem: An event-level analysis of negative consequences related to alcohol and other substance use. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 31(3), 307–314 PMCID: PMC5422123
Self-confidence and embarrassment about partner-assisted skin self-examination for melanoma
Robinson, J. K., Hultgren, B., Mallett, K. A., & Turrisi, R. J. (2017). Self-confidence and embarrassment about partner-assisted skin self-examination for melanoma. JAMA Dermatology,153(3), 342–344. PMCID: PMC5500009
A different view on parenting: Automatic and explicit parenting processes in adolescents’ drinking behavior.
Koning, I. M., Spruyt, A., Doornwaard, S. M., Turrisi, R. J., Heider, N., & De Houwer, J. (2017). A different view on parenting: Automatic and explicit parenting processes in adolescents' drinking behavior. Journal of Substance Use, 22(1), 96–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/14659891.2016.1217088
Enhancing the relevance of skin self-examination for Latinos
Robinson, J. K., Nodal, M., Chavez, L., Ali, Y., Mallett, K. A., & Turrisi, R. J. (2017). Enhancing the relevance of skin self-examination for Latinos. JAMA Dermatology, 153(7), 717–718. PMCID: PMC5509464
Sun protection read-along books: Assessing the feasibility of delivering the intervention in pediatrician's offices
Robinson, J. K., Andrade, A. C., Onate, A., Reidy, K., Angst, D. B., Hultgren, B. A., & Turrisi, R. J. (2017). Sun protection read-along books: Assessing the feasibility of delivering the intervention in pediatrician's offices. Pediatrics & Health Research, 2 (1–2). https://doi:10/2574-2817.100006
First- and second-hand consequences of alcohol in college: Differential associations with later alcohol use
Abar, C. C., Mallett, K. A., Turrisi, R. J., & Abar, B. (2016). First- and second-hand consequences of alcohol in college: Differential associations with later alcohol use. Journal of Substance Use, 21(1), 107-111.
Drinking norms, readiness to change, and gender as moderators of a combined alcohol intervention for first-year college students
Grossbard, J. R., Mastroleo, N. R., Geisner, I. M., Atkins, D., Ray, A. E., Kilmer, J. R., Mallett, K. A., Larimer, M. E., & Turrisi, R. J. (2016). Drinking norms, readiness to change, and gender as moderators of a combined alcohol intervention for first-year college students. Addictive Behaviors, 52, 75-82.
Theory-driven longitudinal study exploring indoor tanning initiation in teens using a person-centered approach
Hillhouse, J. J., Turrisi, R. J., Cleveland, M. J., Scaglione, N. M., Baker, K., & Florence, L. C. (2016). Theory-driven longitudinal study exploring indoor tanning initiation in teens using a person-centered approach. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 50(1), 48-57.
Effectiveness of a multi-component sun protection program for young children: A randomized clinical trial
Ho, B. K., Reidy, K., Huerta, I., Dilley, K., Crawford, S., Hultgren, B., Mallett, K. A., Turrisi, R. J., & Robinson, J. K. (2016). Effectiveness of a multi-component sun protection program for young children: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 170(4), 334-342.
Influence of quality of relationship between patient with melanoma and partner on partner-assisted skin examination education: A randomized clinical trial
Hultgren, B. A., Turrisi, R. J., Mallett, K. A., Ackerman, S. D., & Robinson, J. K. (2016). Influence of quality of relationship between patient with melanoma and partner on partner-assisted skin examination education: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatology, 152(2), 184-190.
Examining the effects of drinking and interpersonal protective behaviors on unwanted sexual experiences in college women
Sell, N. M., Turrisi, R. J., Scaglione, N. M., Hultgren, B. A., & Mallett, K. A. (2016). Examining the effects of drinking and interpersonal protective behaviors on unwanted sexual experiences in college women. Addictive Behaviors, 54, 40-45.
The Behavioral Addiction Indoor Tanning Screener (BAITS): An evaluation of a brief measure of behavioral addictive symptoms
Stapleton, J. L., Hillhouse, J., Turrisi, R. J., Baker, K., Manne, S. L., & Coups, E. J. (2016). The behavioral addiction indoor tanning screener (BAITS): An evaluation of a brief measure of behavioral addictive symptoms. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 96(4), 552-553.
An examination of the relationship between consequence
Reavy, R., Cleveland, M. J., Mallett, K. A., Scaglione, N. M., Sell, N. M., & Turrisi, R. J. (2016). An examination of the relationship between consequence-specific normative belief patterns and alcohol-related consequences among college students. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 40(12), 2631-2638.
A parent based intervention reduces heavy episodic drinking among first
LaBrie, J. W., Earle, A. M., Boyle, S. C., Hummer, J. F., Montes, K., Turrisi, R. J., & Napper, L. E. (2016, In Press). A parent-based intervention reduces heavy episodic drinking among first year college students. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
Early detection of new melanomas by patients with melanoma and their partners using a structured skin self examination skills
Robinson, J. K., Wayne, J. D., Martini, M. C., Hultgren, B. A., Mallett, K. A., & Turrisi, R. J. (2016). Early detection of new melanomas by patients with melanoma and their partners using a structured skin self examination skills training intervention: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatology, 152(9), 979-985.
Related News
March 10, 2021
Interventions for single-parent families?
Single-parent households make up approximately 1/3 of U.S. households, and many adolescent children of single parents are at significant risk of engaging in risky drinking behaviors, according to a new article by Racheal Reavy, Rob Turrisi, and Kimberly Mallett in the Journal of Adolescent Health. However, the authors found that while parent-based interventions have a potentially powerful role to play in reducing the scope of the adolescent drinking problem, their content focuses primarily the parenting behavior of two-parent households.
Read more.
December 07, 2020
Preventing risky drinking by college students the focus of new Penn State study
University Park, Pa. -- Is there a simple way for parents to reduce the chance of their college-age children having problems resulting from drinking alcohol? Professor of Biobehavioral Health Robert Turrisi was recently awarded a 5-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to determine whether brief interviews with randomly selected parents of incoming Penn State University Park students will result in less risky drinking and associated negative consequences.
Read more.