Ducel Jean-Berluche, PhD
Department of Psychiatry
Ducel Jean-Berluche, PhD, is a newly appointed trainee under the mentorship of Emeka Okafor, MPH, PhD. His research focuses on identifying and strengthening psychosocial mechanisms that support adaptive recovery among individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), particularly those with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He is currently active on a mentored research grant to pilot study a virtual reality artmaking app designed to support individuals with co-occurring SUD and PTSD. Thus far, he has been able to gain experience on protocol development and approvals of institutional review boards' submissions for human subjects. During this T32 training program he plans on receiving mentorship on data analysis from data collected from this pilot study. He will also gain future data analysis using public data sets such as the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and data retrieved from the Be Well Texas Clinic to address recovery outcome related questions.
RESEARCH AREAS
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Post-traumatic growth (PTG)
- Comorbid SUD/PTSD
BIOGRAPHY
My research to date has centered on the psychosocial processes that shape recovery following trauma and adversity, with a particular focus on resilience and post-traumatic growth (PTG). I am especially interested in developing adjunctive interventions to improve recovery trajectories in individuals with SUD and comorbid SUD/PTSD. I view substance misuse not only as a public health challenge but also as a lived trauma, and I am committed to exploring recovery frameworks that foster both abstinence and psychological flourishing.