# Social-Ecological Resilience: Adapting a Measure for Individuals with Lived Experience of AUD and Homelessness.

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2021 · $42,657

## Abstract

Project Summary
While researchers have begun to explore resilience in managing and negotiating adverse circumstances
associated with homelessness, no research to date has explored the resilience of individuals who have both
experienced homelessness and are actively using alcohol. Understanding and being able to leverage these
individuals’ resilience as strengths in AUD treatment and service provision stands to improve treatment
outcomes in this vulnerable population. The long-term career goal for the candidate, Mx. Taurmini Fentress
(LICSW, MPA), is to become an independent alcohol researcher with expertise in resilience and protective
factors in substance use treatment and intervention development. The primary objective of this proposed
NIAAA Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research is to validate and test an
established measure of resilience (RRC-ARM) to characterize resilience in study participants and test it as a
correlate of improved alcohol and QoL outcomes, as well as a potential mediator of the hypothesized treatment
effects. This objective will be accomplished by examining three specific aims: 1) psychometrically validate the
RRC-ARM for use with adults who have experienced homelessness and AUD; 2) test self-reported resilience
as a mediator of the LEAP effect on alcohol and QoL outcomes; 3) qualitatively analyze and document
definitions, perceptions and experiences of resilience in this population using semi-structured interviews and
conventional content analysis. To fulfill these aims, the RRC-ARM will be administered to LEAP study
participants at the baseline, 3, 6 and 12-month time points and qualitative interviews will be conducted at the
12-month time point. Quantitative analyses will test the psychometric properties of the RRC-ARM in the sample
(N=500) and will then explore the RRC-ARM as a predictor and potential mediator of the hypothesized
amelioration of alcohol and QoL outcomes over the course of the study. The proposed supplement fits within
NIAAA’s strategic plan and has significant implications for public health, including introducing tools that have
the potential to enhance risk assessment and tailoring of cost-effective treatment services for marginalized
community members with lived experience of homelessness and AUD. The candidate will conduct the
research under the supervision of Dr. Seema Clifasefi and the parent grant’s team of Co-I’s, as well as the
candidate’s graduate school mentor, Dr. Michael Spencer to gain expertise in alcohol research, community
based participatory research, qualitative research methodology, measurement development, and grant and
scientific writing. Training activities include mentorship meetings, a T32 grant writing course, statistical
consults, quantitative workshops, manuscript and conference paper preparation, and opportunities for
professional development. This diversity supplement will allow the candidate to dedicate her time to the
proposed activities aimed...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10402620
- **Project number:** 3R01AA026593-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Seema Lisa Clifasefi
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $42,657
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2024-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10402620

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10402620, Social-Ecological Resilience: Adapting a Measure for Individuals with Lived Experience of AUD and Homelessness. (3R01AA026593-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10402620. Licensed CC0.

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