Health Psychology

Tenured

Faculty

Education

• Ph.D.: The University of Iowa, 1998

Research Interests

Dr. Eric Benotsch's research focuses on substance use and HIV prevention. Recent projects have examined opioid and other prescription drug misuse in young adults, and associations between discrimination, mental health and substance use in sexual and gender minority adults. One of Benotsch's current projects is developing a microeconomic intervention to improve financial standing and lower risk in economically and behaviorally vulnerable transgender women. Another project examines genetic and environmental contributors to prescription drug misuse in a genetically informative twin sample.

Select Publications

• Benotsch, E. G., Zimmerman, R. S., Cathers, L., Heck, T., McNulty, S., Pierce, J., Perrin, P. B., & Snipes, D. J. (2016). Use of the Internet to meet sexual partners, sexual risk behavior, and mental health in transgender adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45, 597-605
• Benotsch, E. G., Martin, A. M., Koester, S., Mason, M. J., Jeffers, A. J., & Snipes, D. J. (2015). Driving under the influence of prescription drugs used non-medically: Associations in a young adult sample. Substance Abuse, 36, 99-105. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2013.854287
• Benotsch, E. G., Snipes, D. J., Martin, A. M., & Bull, S. S. (2013). Sexting, substance use, and sexual risk behavior in young adults. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52, 307-313.
• Benotsch, E.G., Zimmerman, R.S., Cathers, L., McNulty, S., Pierce, J., Heck, T., Perrin, P., & Snipes, D.J. (2013). Non-medical use of prescription drugs, polysubstance use, and mental health in transgender adults. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 132, 391-394.
• Benotsch, E. G., Perschbacher Lance, S., Nettles, C. D., & Koester, S. (2012). Attitudes towards methamphetamine use and HIV risk behavior in men who have sex with men. The American Journal on Addictions, 21, S35-S42.

Courses

• Health Psychology, graduate level
• Health Psychology, undergraduate level
• Health Psychology Research Colloquium, graduate level
• Psychology of the Abnormal, undergraduate level
• Research Methods in Health Psychology, graduate level

Awards

• Outstanding Scholarship Award, VCU Psychology Department, 2016
• Outstanding Service Award, VCU Psychology Department, 2012