Affective Processes and Anxiety Disorders Research Program

Overview

This program supports translational research on the etiology and course of anxiety disorders, including research aimed at an improved understanding of the similarities and differences in psychopathology among different anxiety disorders. It also encourages research on emergent preventive and treatment interventions. Research on affective processes may be basic or translational and may be conducted from a behavioral or integrative perspective. Topic areas of basic research include emotion, motivation, temperament/personality, and social affective processes that contribute to an enhanced understanding of risks for disorders and to new approaches for preventive or treatment interventions.

Areas of Emphasis

• Identifying phenotypes and endophenotypes as new targets for assessment and therapeutics, that are emerging from integrative genetics, pathophysiology, and psychopathology research.
• Conducting translational research on emotion and affect dysregulation to find new strategies for treating disorders of anxiety and mood.
• Identifying ways in which genetic and environmental factors interact to raise or lower risk for mental disorders.
• Developing new preventive and treatment interventions targeted to specific cognitive, emotional, or interpersonal components of the psychopathology of disorder.
• Using modern psychometric and statistical theories to advance fundamental conceptualizations of nosology and consequent approaches toward more focused assessment and treatment of the many dimensions and subtypes that constitute complex psychiatric disorders.

Contact

Michael Kozak, Ph.D.
Program Chief
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7127, MSC 9625
301-443-6471, mkozak@mail.nih.gov