Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Medical School, Clinical Psychology Adjunct Assistant Professor
Ph.D. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus-
Area: Clinical
Contact Information
Email: brianhic@umich.edu
Psychology Office: Psychiatry 4250 Plymouth Road
Psychology Phone: 734-323-0231
Research and Teaching Interests
Research:
I have broad interests in the genetic, environmental, and developmental influences that contribute to substance use disorders (SUDs), antisocial behavior, and personality. Most of my research uses longitudinal twin and adoption studies conducted at the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research. I am currently working on developing models that incorporate specific risk genes into developmentally informative models of gene-environment interplay for SUDs. The major lines of my research include:
(1) Co-occurrence (i.e., comorbidity) among SUDs, antisocial behavior, and disinhibited personality traits focusing on the highly heritable (80%) externalizing liability.
(2) Developmental course of SUDs focusing on the correlates and effects of an adolescent onset and persistent course and the factors that contribute to desistence.
(3) Developing new measures that index pre-morbid risk for SUDs, that is, behaviors and traits present prior to the initiation of substance use that predict later SUDs, and using these measures to delineate gene-environment interplay for SUDs in adolescence.
(4) Normative personality development, in particular the impact of life events (e.g., puberty, initiation of sexual intercourse, leaving home, marriage, parenthood) and substance use have on personality change.
(5) Psychopathy (psychopathic personality disorder) and borderline personality disorder including measurement, subtypes, heritability, developmental change, and environmental correlates.
Publications:
Hicks, B. M., Iacono, W. G., & McGue, M. (2010). Consequences of an adolescent onset and persistent course of alcohol dependence in men: Adolescent risk factors and adult outcomes. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 34, 819-833.
Hicks, B. M., Vaidyanathan, U., & Patrick, C. J. (2010). Validating female psychopathy subtypes: Differences in personality, antisocial and violent behavior, substance abuse, trauma, and mental health. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, & Treatment, 1, 38-57.
Hicks, B. M., South, S. C., DiRago, A. C., Iacono, W. G., & McGue, M. (2009). Environmental adversity and increasing genetic risk for externalizing disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry, 66, 640-648.
Hicks, B. M., Blonigen, D. M., Kramer, M. D., Krueger, R. F., Patrick, C. J., Iacono, W. G., & McGue, M. (2007). Gender differences and developmental change in externalizing disorders from late adolescence to early adulthood: A longitudinal twin study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116, 433-447.
Hicks, B. M. & Patrick, C. J. (2006). Psychopathy and negative emotionality: Analyses of suppressor effects reveal distinct relations with emotional distress, fearfulness, and anger-hostility. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 115, 276-287.
Hicks, B. M., Krueger, R. F., Iacono, W. G., McGue, M., & Patrick, C. J. (2004). Family transmission and heritability of externalizing disorders: A twin-family study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61, 922-928.
