Stephanie Goldstein, PhD, is an Associate Professor (Research) at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center (WCDRC) of The Miriam Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis on behavioral medicine, from Drexel University. Dr. Goldstein received high-quality training in obesity clinical research and cardiovascular behavioral medicine during her NHLBI-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the WCDRC & Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Her research focuses on electronic/mobile health (e/mHealth) approaches (e.g., ecological momentary assessment [EMA], sensor technology, just-in-time adaptive intervention [JITAI]) to assess and intervene on weight-related behaviors implicated in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, particularly eating. She specializes in using EMA administered via mobile phone to study dietary lapses (i.e., discrete instances of dietary non-adherence) and using JITAI to intervene on them. She has utilized EMA identify relevant environmental, cognitive, and physiological triggers for dietary lapses, and applied machine learning algorithms to these data to predict the real-time occurrence of dietary lapses before they occur. This algorithm informed a smartphone-based JITAI that predicts lapses and delivers intervention “just-in-time” when risk for lapse is high. The JITAI is now being optimized via a micro-randomized trial to examine the immediate effect of theory-driven interventions on lapse risk (R01 HL153543). She is also leading a project that utilizes micro-randomized trial design to evaluate the efficacy of several technology-enabled self-monitoring strategies within a behavioral obesity treatment (R01 DK136216). Given this expertise, has collaborated with other research teams employing micro-randomized trial design to develop and test digital interventions for eating behavior, heavy drinking, smoking cessation, and chronic pain. 

Dr. Goldstein has augmented this work by combining EMA and a wrist-worn sensor to inform objective assessment of dietary lapses via real-time passive detection and characterization of eating (F32 HL143954), and is now applying real-time, multimodal assessment to uncover phenotypes of dietary non-adherence within and across individuals (R01DK132210). She is working in close collaboration with an engineer at Clemson University to validate wearable sensors (smartwatches and smart rings) for automatically estimating energy intake during daily life (R01 DK135679). Dr. Goldstein has conducted and/or been substantially involved in numerous EMA studies across domains and has coordinated the development and pilot testing of 3 JITAIs that use EMA to collect information about behavior and deliver personalized intervention. Two of her studies focus on delivering behavioral obesity treatment to individuals with CVD risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes. She serves as a co-investigator on Bradley Hospital’s sleep and pediatric mental health COBRE (P20 GM139743) and Rhode Island Hospital's injury control COBRE (P20 GM139664), where she mentors researchers in incorporating technology into their research. She also serves as a mentor on the DPHB Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine T32 postdoctoral fellowship (T32 HL076134), and has co-mentored several mentored resesrch awards (i.e., K awards, COBRE Research Project Leads) seeking to develop and evaluate just-in-time interventions. 

Ongoing:

• Title: Optimizing Just-in-Time Adaptive Intervention to Improve Dietary Adherence in Behavioral Obesity Treatment: A Micro-randomized Trial (R01 HL153543), 08/01/2020 – 05/30/2026
  • A micro-randomized trial will be used to determine which of several theory-driven intervention approaches have an immediate effect on dietary lapse risk when delivered via just-in-time adaptive intervention in the context of behavioral obesity treatment.
  • Role: Principal Investigator

• Title: Using Multimodal Real-Time Assessment to Phenotype Dietary Non-Adherence Behaviors that Contribute to Poor Outcomes in Behavioral Obesity Treatment (R01 DK132210), 05/01/22-04/30/27
  • Real-time assessment of behavioral, psychosocial, and contextual information will be used to uncover and lapse phenotypes and these phenotypes will be validated by testing associations with weight and intake. 
  • Role: Principal Investigator

• Title: Validating Sensor-based Approaches for Monitoring Eating Behavior and Energy Intake by Accounting for Real-World Factors that Impact Accuracy and Acceptability (R01 DK135679), 04/01/23 - 03/31/27
  • This study will validate sensor-based estimation of energy intake across diverse samples, in three settings, incorporating minimal user input on foods and beverages and contexts, and using two sensors (commercial smartwatch and smart ring)
  • Role: Multiple Principal Investigator
• Title: Control Systems Engineering to Address the Problem of Weight Loss Maintenance: A System Identification Experiment to Model Behavioral & Psychosocial Factors Measured by Ecological Momentary Assessment (R01 DK137423; MPIs Thomas, Hekler, & Rivera), 09/15/23-06/30/28
  • This project aims to apply control systems engineering, in the form of a system identification experiment, to model how behavioral and psychosocial influences combine to influence weight loss maintenance, and to evaluate the effect of four “just-in-time” intervention strategies on the behavioral and psychosocial system.
  • Role: Co-Investigator
• Title: A Remote-based Yoga Intervention for Improving Long-term Weight Loss (R01 AT011868; PI Unick), 07/03/23 – 06/30/28 
  • This RCT examines the added effect of a yoga intervention to an Internet-delivered weight loss program on weight loss, dietary lapses, and potential lapse triggers, and also examines the mechanisms through which yoga impacts weight.
  • Role: Co-Investigator
• Title: COBRE Center for Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Child and Adolescent Mental Health - Pediatric Biopsychology Core (P20 GM139743; PI Wolff), 04/06/21-02/28/26
  • This COBRE supports excellence and innovation in research addressing sleep, circadian rhythms, and mental health. The Pediatric Biopsychological Core connects promising researchers to experienced mentors in evidence-based assessment of mental health, sleep, and the collection of biospecimens.
  • Role: Co-Investigator
• Title: A Micro-Randomized Trial to Optimize Just-in-Time Adaptive Intervention for Binge Eating & Weight-related Behaviors (R01DK133300 ; PI Graham), 08/01/22 – 07/31/27
  • This trial aims to optimize a digital guided self-help intervention to change binge eating and weight-related behaviors into a just-in-time adaptive intervention that delivers personalized interventions in real time based on users’ changing needs.
  • Role: Co-Investigator
• Title: Rhode Island Hospital Injury Control Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) – Digital Innovation Core (P20 GM139664; PI Mello), 02/01/24 – 01/31/27
  • This COBRE support the development of junior researchers into independent researchers capable of leading rigorous, innovative injury control research that changes practice and policy and improves health. The Digital Innovation Core establishes a regional and national hub leading the development, analysis, and dissemination of high-quality, scientifically sound, effective digital health innovations focused on injury control.
  • Role: Co-Investigator
• Title: Micro randomized Trial to Optimize Use of Burden-Reducing Self-Monitoring Approaches in Behavioral Obesity Treatment (R01 DK136216), 05/15/24 – 03/31/29

  • This project aims to optimize adherence to dietary self-monitoring in behavioral obesity treatment by conducting a micro-randomized trial to empirically optimize use of burden-reducing self-monitoring alternatives.

  • Role: Multiple Principal Investigator

• Title:Development and Evaluation of a Mobile Health Intervention for Co-Morbid Opioid Use Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder During Community Re-entry (R61 DA061335; PI Weiss), 09/15/24 – 08/31/26
  • This proposal will use a ground up approach to rigorously develop and evaluate a mobile app with both on-demand and automated features to reduce opioid use/ harms during community reentry of adults with comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid use disorder. The final product will be a highly scalable mobile app that has strong potential to improve health and quality of life.
  • Role: Co-Investigator
• Title: Optimizing a Weight Neutral Intervention to Improve Health Among Adults of Higher Body Weight: A MOST Preparation Phase Study (R03DK140291; PI Olson), 06/15/25-05/31/27
  • The purpose of this study is to use the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) to build and pilot test a weight neutral intervention for health promotion.
  • Role: Co-Investigator

Completed:

• Title: Center for Addiction and Disease Risk Exacerbation – Administrative Team Science Supplement (P20 GM130414; PI Monti), 09/01/24 – 08/31/25
  • This interdisciplinary Team Science supplement to the Center for Addiction and Disease Risk Exacerbation will examine leading lifestyle risk factors for chronic liver disease, specifically obesity and at-risk alcohol use. The study will investigate early signs of liver disease in individuals with obesity who drink above moderate guidelines and test the impact of lifestyle and liver health feedback to reduce risk of progression to irreversible liver damage.
  • Role: Co-Project Leader

• The Obesity Society Early Career Research Grant (PI Olson), 01/01/2021-01/01/2022

  • Title: Improving the experience of exercise among individuals with internalized weight bias using acceptance-based strategies
  • A two-phase study will be used to evaluate the effects and mechanisms (e.g., cognitive, emotional and motivational processes) of brief acceptance-based intervention on physical activity in the laboratory setting and physical activity uptake in daily life.
  • Role: Mentor

• American Psychological Foundation Wayne F. Placek Grant (PI Perry), 08/01/21-07/31/23
  • Title: Relationship processes and daily health behaviors among sexual minority female couples with overweight and obesity
  • This study uses wearable sensors for the collection of objective health data (i.e., physical activity, sleep) and ecological momentary assessment to capture social control processes, minority stressors, and sexual minority-specific vulnerabilities in sexual minority female couples with overweight/obesity.
  • Role: Co-Principal Investigator
• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32HL143954),  08/27/18-07/31/20 
  • Title: Applying Novel Passive Sensing Technology to Target Adherence to Diet in Behavioral Obesity Treatment for Patients with Cardiovascular Disease Risk
  • This project is designed to evaluate the ability of wrist-worn accelerometry to passively sense dietary lapses and investigate associations with weight loss and weight maintenance among overweight/obese individuals with CVD risk.
  • Role: Principal Investigator

Seminar Series presented at the Center for Digital Health: https://digitalhealth.med.brown.edu/news/2021-06-02/stephanie-goldstein

Lifespan Research Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVPlmyMi44k

mDOT Health Hub Webinar: https://mhealthhub.org/video/harnessing-jitai/

Award: Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Research, 2019-2025

Award: Bruce M. Selya Award for Excellence in Research (Lifespan), 2021

Award: Optimization of Behavioral and Biobehavioral Interventions “Up and Coming” Award (Society of Behavioral Medicine), 2021

Award: NIH Mobile Health (mHealth) Training Institute (mHTI) Scholar, 2019

Award: Nineteenth Annual OBSSR/NHLBI/ODP Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials Scholar and Scholarship Recipient, 2019

The Miriam Hospital

Brown Center for Digital Health