Toni Spinella
MSc candidate
Email: toni.spinella@dal.ca
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Why Dal?
I chose Dal because it was one of the only academic institutions in Canada that offered a combined Psychology and Neuroscience graduate degree. Additionally, the departmental faculty is comprised of lead researchers in their field, a few of whom specialize in addictions work closely related to my interests
Research interests
My research primarily focuses on examining the role of craving in substance misuse and dependence. I am particularly interested in the mechanisms involved in maintaining addictive behaviour and facilitating relapse in humans. My work often uses a combination of methodologies that encompass psychological (self-report questionnaires, reward-reinforcement tasks) and physiological (heart rate, cortisol, fMRI) measures.Ìý
Teaching
- NESC 2000: Research Methods Lab Instructor
Affiliations with research groups
- Substance Use and Addictions Lab (AV¾ãÀÖ²¿)
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute
Honours Thesis
Spinella, T. (2017) Just A Number: Does age predict treatment outcomes from computer-assisted therapy for substance misuse? B.A. Department of Psychology, Carleton University.
Awards and honours
- Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarship (AV¾ãÀÖ²¿)
- Royal Ottawa Hospital: Community Inspiration Award Recipient (Student Alliance for Mental Health, Carleton University)
- Minto Academic Scholarship (Minto)