Sara L. Dolan, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience; Associate Dean for Professional Development, Graduate School | Baylor University
Waco, TX, UNITED STATES
Expert in neuropsychological functioning, addiction psychology and diagnosis/treatment of PTSD & traumatic brain injury (TBI)
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Biography
Dr. Dolan joined the Baylor faculty in 2007, after serving as a National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism-funded Postdoctoral Fellow and subsequently a National Cancer Institute-funded faculty member at the Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. While at Brown, she also served as a Research Scientist at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, as well as the Assessment Coordinator at Psychological Associates, in Warwick, RI. Prior to that, she earned her B.S. degree in psychology from Indiana University, followed by both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa. She then completed her clinical internship at Yale University, in the Division of Substance Abuse. In her spare time, she can be found serving as an alumnae advisor for her sorority on campus, at a Baylor football or men's basketball game, traveling, or volunteering in the community.
Areas of Expertise (3)
Addiction and Decision Making
Substance Abuse and Treatment
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Education (4)
University of Iowa: Ph.D., Clinical Psychology
University of Iowa: M.A., Clinical Psychology
Yale University School of Medicine: Clinical Internship, Division of Substance Abuse
Indiana University: B.S., Psychology
Links (3)
Media Appearances (5)
Sara Dolan and Joe Taube
Baylor Connections online
2024-03-29
AUDIO: Baylor celebrates Graduate Student Appreciation Week April 1-5, presenting an opportunity to recognize the nearly 5,500 Baylor graduate students who advance research, teaching and more throughout the University. In this Baylor Connections, Sara Dolan, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Professional Development in the Graduate School, and Joe Taube, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology and Graduate Program Director, share more about the importance of graduate education and how they’ve both have partnered with graduate students to advance high-level research.
Sara Dolan
Baylor Connections online
2023-03-31
AUDIO: National Graduate Student Appreciation Week runs April 3-7 this year, affording the perfect time to celebrate the more than 5,000 graduate students who daily enrich the Baylor campus community. In this Baylor Connections, Sara Dolan, Ph.D., associate dean for professional development in the Graduate School and longtime psychology professor and researcher, shares how graduate students impact teaching, research and scholarship at Baylor, and examines their impact long after their last class at Baylor.
Baylor hosts panel on Ukraine invasion
KXXV-TV online
2022-03-16
VIDEO: Sergiy Kudelia, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, Baylor President Linda Livingstone, Ph.D., Sara L. Dolan, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, and Stephen Gardner, Ph.D., professor of economics, were all quoted for their contributions to the discussion on the biggest issues facing Ukraine and the international community.
Why Most of Us Never Complete Our New Year’s Resolutions [Thoughts After Dark]
ThomasNet online
2022-01-06
Sara L. Dolan, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, is quoted in this article on New Year’s resolutions and why they are difficult to accomplish.
This Year, Try Downsizing Your Resolutions
The New York Times online
2020-12-29
Sara L. Dolan, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, is among the experts interviewed for this article about how to make goals for 2021 that feel both satisfying and doable.
Research Focus (1)
Neuropsychological Functioning and Substance Abuse Treatment
Diagnosis and treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
My research examines how neuropsychological dysfunction, including problems with memory and executive functions, is related to etiology of alcohol and substance use disorders and how these issues affect the treatment process and outcome. We study how cognitive functioning (e.g., memory, attention, problem-solving, decision-making) impacts wellbeing in those with addiction and other mental health disorders. We hope to improve addiction treatments so that those who enter treatment are getting the best treatments for their individual cognitive risk factors. We are currently conducting research on the relationship between craving and neuropsychological functioning in a population of non-psychotic substance dependent individuals. Undergraduates, PsyD, and PhD students are welcome to apply to work with us on these and related issues. Veterans are returning from combat zones at higher rates than before with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Substance Use Disorder. We are examining how their cognitive abilities, which may be compromised by these disorders, relate to overall psychological functioning and quality of life to improve diagnosis and treatment. Undergraduates with an interest in this work should consider applying for the VA-CERP internship program (information is here: https://www.baylor.edu/prehealth/index.php?id=93416).
Articles (4)
Treatment of alcohol use disorder: Integration of Alcoholics Anonymous and cognitive behavioral therapy
Training and Education in Professional PsychologyBreuninger, M. M., Grosso, J. A., Hunter, W., & Dolan, S. L.
2020-02-01
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are among the most common psychological disorders experienced by Americans. Only 10% of individuals with this disorder receive treatment, and the most popular treatment is some form of 12-Step involvement. Although there is evidence for the efficacy of 12-Step treatment, most AUD treatment providers are not well versed in 12-Step principles and practices. Recent work suggests that clinicians and training directors do not feel confident in their knowledge about and training in 12-Step programs. This concern is not new, and programs have struggled to find ways to help trainees bridge this knowledge gap in a way that would be beneficial to clients. Therefore, the current article seeks to address this by clarifying common misconceptions about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), describing AA’s conceptualization of alcoholism, and its goal. We also offer a number of ways in which the 12-Steps share principles and skills/techniques with cognitive behavioral therapies for AUD. Finally, we provide training recommendations for closing the training gap through increased trainee exposure to 12-Step programs and interprofessional training opportunities. It is our hope that once AUD treatment providers understand that the 12-Steps are meant to accomplish similar goals using similar techniques to Evidence Based Practices (EBPs) for AUDs, they will be able to provide more integrated, or at least less disparate, treatments to individuals with AUDs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)
Intimate partner cohesion and military unit cohesion: Different types of interpersonal relationships each uniquely predict soldier well-being
Military Psychology2019 Although research on military populations has found that measures of personal well-being are correlated with both intimate partner cohesion and military unit cohesion, it is not clear how these correlations should be interpreted.
Using the PAI-A to Classify Juvenile Offenders by Adjudicated Offenses
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma volume2019 To improve understanding and treatment of criminal behavior, researchers have developed typologies of juvenile offenders, primarily focusing on personality traits and criminal history to classify according to type of offense committed.
Association Between Negative Emotional States and Unhealthy Nutritional Behaviors in Soldiers
Military Behavioral Health2018 The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between food consumption behaviors and measures indicative of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and negative emotional states, including depression, anxiety, and stress.
