Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz, Ph.D.

Dr. Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz joined OBSSR as a Social & Behavioral Scientist Administrator in February 2021. In this role, she supports the OBSSR mission to enhance the impact of health-related behavioral and social sciences research, coordinate and integrate these sciences within the larger NIH research enterprise, and communicate health-related behavioral and social sciences research findings. Dr. Brethel-Haurwitz’s areas of focus are social processes and contexts that affect health-related behavior and outcomes, and relevant intersections with neuroscience. Dr. Brethel-Haurwitz is a cognitive neuroscientist and social psychologist, with expertise in empathy and social decision making and experimental research methods ranging from surveys and laboratory behavioral tasks to noninvasive human brain imaging and stimulation. Prior to OBSSR, Dr. Brethel-Haurwitz was an NIMH Kirschstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, studying the role of empathic processes in social decision making using behavioral and cognitive neuroscience methods including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Dr. Brethel-Haurwitz earned a PhD in psychology with a concentration in lifespan cognitive neuroscience from Georgetown University, where she studied emotional processing in altruistic kidney donors using behavioral tasks and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

NIH Releases Report Summarizing Research on Vaccine Communication

This report, which was developed in consultation with leading experts in social and behavioral sciences and public health, outlines evidence-informed communication strategies in support of national COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts across federal agencies and their state and local partners. The report builds on four foundational principles (coordinated and consistent messaging, building trust, consideration of health literacy, and prioritizing equity) to offer concrete recommendations for targeted and tailored communication.

The NIH Strategic Planning Committee: Contributions of Social and Behavioral Research in Addressing the Opioid Crisis (CSBR-AOC)

The CSBR-AOC is a NIH-wide committee charged with identifying resources, goals, potential areas for further development, activities, and other strategies to identify opportunities for the behavioral and social sciences to contribute to the broader NIH mission to combat the opioid and pain crises.

COVID-19 Initiatives

Many of the strategies to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, include social and behavioral interventions like handwashing, social distancing, paid sick leave, and risk communication. These measures significantly impact not only disease transmission but also the economy, social life, and other health conditions, such as mental health, substance use, and stress.

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