Dennis McChargue
Professor Psychology University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Contact
- Address
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BURN 321
Lincoln NE 68588-0308 - Phone
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402-472-3721 On-campus 2-3721
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dmcchargue2@unl.edu
** Dr. McChargue will be accepting a student for the 2025-2026 Academic Year.
Dr. McChargue received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Oklahoma State University with his internship at the Boston VAMC Consortium. Before joining the faculty in 2005, he finished his postdoctoral training in 2000 and transitioned into a Research Assistant Professor position at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Health Research Scientist at the Edward Hines VA Hospital.
Lab site: Biobehavioral Substance Mechanisms And Related Treatments
Overall Research Interest
Dr. McChargue's overarching research aims are to examine factors associated with the development of novel approaches that reduce substance-related harm, motivate those to abstain from use, and reinforce recovery efforts that innoculate individuals from substance use challenges. He examines these aims within college and community samples (i.e., recovery community and criminal justice involved individuals). An additional focus is to examine the effectiveness of restorative justice interventions within probation, prison and jail populations. Current research directions involve a) the examination of mobile technology to provide just-in-time interventions for those recovering from substance use challenges; b) the use of digital humans to reduce stigma associated with substance use; c) the use of digital humans combined with embodiment exercises to improve emotional awareness, mindfulness and tolerance to distress among recovering populations; d) the examination of transdiagnostic bio-psychosocial mechanisms that reinforce substance use patterns and that can be targets for novel treatments and e) to evaluate a brief restorative justice intervention effectiveness at reducing criminal recidivism.
Please click the link above for further information about the B-SMART lab, current projects, current funding and future directions.
Teaching
As Dr. McChargue has transitioned into more administrative roles, he maintains his graduate cores courses of Psychopathology: Asessment and Conceptualization as well as Clinical Intervention.
Service
Dr. McChargue serves as the Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology Training Program at UNL. He is also the Director of the Substance Abuse Specialty Clinic in the Psychology Consultation Clinic as well as the Consulting program evaluator at the Community Justice Center and Practicum supervisor at the Substance Abuse Supervision Unit in State Probation. Lastly, he is an Associate member of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center and member of the Rural Drug Addiction Research Center.
Representative Publications
Please click on the following links to review Dr. McChargue's peer-reviewed publications.
Licenses
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, State of Nebraska #719