Psychopathology, Behavioral Dysregulation, and Measurement Development Research Program

Overview

This program supports research on phenotypic structures that underlie psychopathology and contribute directly to mental disorders and impaired functioning, and on the development of interventions to change or moderate these structures; on the dysregulated behavioral and emotional processes that comprise the psychopathology of personality disorders, and related intervention development studies grounded in findings from psychopathology research; and on the development of statistical methodologies and state-of-the-art measures (using modern psychometrics) for psychopathology constructs, disorders, symptoms, and moderators and mediators of intervention.

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 J. Kozak, Ph.D.
Acting Program Chief
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7118/MSC 9625
301-443-6471, kozakm@mail.nih.gov