James McKay, PhD

Additional Information & Contact: Dept. of Psychiatry link

Selected Publications

Coughlin, L., Zhang, L., Frost, M.C., Khazanov, G., McKay, J.R., DePhilippis, D., Lin, L. (2025).  Contingency management for stimulant use disorder and association with mortality: a cohort study.  American Journal of Psychiatry. ePub in advance of publication.

McKay, J.R., Gustafson, D.H., Ivey, M., Pe-Romashko, K., Curtis, B., Thomas, T., Oslin, D.W., Polsky, D., Quanbeck, A., Lynch, K.G. (2022).  Efficacy and comparative effectiveness of telephone and smartphone remote continuing care interventions for alcohol use disorders: A randomized controlled trial.  Addiction.  117, 1326-1337.

McKay, J.R., Drapkin, M., Van Horn, D.H.A., Lynch, K.G., Oslin, D.W., DePhilippis, D., Ivey, M., Cacciola, J.S. (2015).  Effect of patient choice in an adaptive sequential randomization trial of treatment for alcohol and cocaine dependence.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83, 1021-1032.

McKay, J.R., Van Horn, D., Lynch, K.G., Ivey, M., Cary, M.S., Drapkin, M., Coviello, D., Plebani, J.G. (2013).  An adaptive approach for identifying cocaine dependent patients who benefit from extended continuing care. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81,1063-1073. PMCID: PMC3938091

McKay, J.R., Van Horn, D., Oslin, D., Lynch, K.G., Ivey, M., Ward, K., Drapkin, M., Becher, J., & Coviello, D. (2010).  A randomized trial of extended telephone-based continuing care for alcohol dependence:  Within treatment substance use outcomes.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,78, 912-923. PMCID: PMC3082847

Bio 

Dr. James McKay is a Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.  He is also the Director of the Philadelphia VA Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education (CESATE), which leads national efforts to improve treatment in the VA for substance use disorders.  Dr. McKay received a Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University, and completed a clinical psychology internship at McLean Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship in treatment outcome research at Brown University.  He is the recipient of K02 and K24 career development and mentoring awards from NIDA, as well numerous R01 research grants and a P01 Center.  Dr. McKay is the author or coauthor of over 230 peer reviewed journal articles, 22 book chapters, and two books.  His work has included the development and evaluation of continuing care treatments for substance use disorders and the identification of factors over time that predict relapse following treatment. He is a fellow of Division 50 of the American Psychological Association and has been a member of two standing NIH grant review committees and a member of VA and American Society of Addiction Medicine substance use disorder clinical practice guideline committees.  Dr. McKay’s current research efforts are focused on the development and evaluation of adaptive approaches to the management of addiction; the impact of mobile health technology and monetary incentives on outcomes; and treatment of addiction in primary care, the emergency department, and other medical settings.