The goal of this Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) is to provide a career development and research training program that will enable the candidate to conduct innovative multi-method research on aggression and borderline personality disorder (BPD) in young women. BPD is disproportionately diagnosed among women in clinical and forensic settings and is associated with aggressive behavior in young women. However, aggression remains an understudied aspect of BPD and women's mental health. Evidence suggests that emotional deregulation mediates the relationship between BPD and aggressive behavior, but the precise affective processes underlying the association between BPD and female aggression are unclear. This study is designed to test a comprehensive biopsychosocial model of female aggression that articulates the potentially mediating role of difficulties regulating shame and anger, especially in the context of perceived interpersonal rejection, in the association between BPD and women's aggression. These processes will be assessed among a diverse inner-city sample of 120 emerging adult women (ages 18 to 22) using a multi-method approach that includes laboratory paradigms, psychophysiological measures, a 21-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol, clinical interviews, questionnaires, and official records. The multi-method approach will allow for fine-grained assessment of the topography of women's aggression that includes both direct and indirect (e.g., relational) forms across a variety of contexts. To examine the processes related to the maintenance and exacerbation of young women's aggression over the course of the year, aggression and other symptoms will be assessed at 6- and 12-month follow-ups by clinical interviews, questionnaires, and official records. Participants will be drawn from a community-based longitudinal study of girls'emotional and behavioral health (Pittsburgh Girls Study) with maximal variability in aggressive behavior and BPD features. The proposed project has three specific aims: 1) Examine associations between BPD features and women's affective and aggressive responses to social rejection in the laboratory;2) Characterize associations between BPD features, affective experiences, and aggressive urges and behaviors in women's natural environments using EMA methodology;and 3) Integrate EMA and laboratory-based indices of shame and anger to test the validity of these measures for predicting trajectories of aggressive behavior over time. The candidate will receive in-depth training in the multi-modal assessment of aggression, psychophysiological assessment, EMA techniques, advanced statistics, and gender differences in the development and manifestation of aggression. Upon completion, the candidate will be poised to conduct high-impact research integrating lab-based and naturalistic assessments to understand the behavioral and biological mechanisms underlying women's aggression and BPD. Results will inform future intervention efforts designed to decrease female aggression and violence.

Public Health Relevance

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the most severe and debilitating psychiatric disorders, and is particularly prevalent among young women in clinical and forensic settings. In addition to heightening risk for suicide and self-injury, BPD symptoms are associated with aggressive and violent behavior among girls and women. The proposed study seeks to examine the biological and behavioral processes that explain associations between BPD features and female aggressive behavior, resulting in improved intervention efforts that target these processes to reduce women's aggression and violence.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01MH101289-02
Application #
8714064
Study Section
Psychosocial Development, Risk and Prevention Study Section (PDRP)
Program Officer
Chavez, Mark
Project Start
2013-08-06
Project End
2018-07-31
Budget Start
2014-08-01
Budget End
2015-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Victor, Sarah E; Scott, Lori N; Stepp, Stephanie D et al. (2018) I Want You to Want Me: Interpersonal Stress and Affective Experiences as Within-Person Predictors of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and Suicide Urges in Daily Life. Suicide Life Threat Behav :
Ehrenthal, Johannes C; Levy, Kenneth N; Scott, Lori N et al. (2018) Attachment-Related Regulatory Processes Moderate the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Stress Reaction in Borderline Personality Disorder. J Pers Disord 32:93-114
Beeney, Joseph E; Lazarus, Sophie A; Hallquist, Michael N et al. (2018) Detecting the Presence of a Personality Disorder Using Interpersonal and Self-Dysfunction. J Pers Disord :1-20
Lazarus, Sophie A; Scott, Lori N; Beeney, Joseph E et al. (2018) Borderline personality disorder symptoms and affective responding to perceptions of rejection and acceptance from romantic versus nonromantic partners. Personal Disord 9:197-206
Scott, Lori N; Wright, Aidan G C; Beeney, Joseph E et al. (2017) Borderline personality disorder symptoms and aggression: A within-person process model. J Abnorm Psychol 126:429-440
Girard, Jeffrey M; Wright, Aidan G C; Beeney, Joseph E et al. (2017) Interpersonal problems across levels of the psychopathology hierarchy. Compr Psychiatry 79:53-69
Beeney, Joseph E; Wright, Aidan G C; Stepp, Stephanie D et al. (2017) Disorganized attachment and personality functioning in adults: A latent class analysis. Personal Disord 8:206-216
Ross, Jaclyn M; Girard, Jeffrey M; Wright, Aidan G C et al. (2017) Momentary patterns of covariation between specific affects and interpersonal behavior: Linking relationship science and personality assessment. Psychol Assess 29:123-134
Herpertz, Sabine C; Huprich, Steven K; Bohus, Martin et al. (2017) The Challenge of Transforming the Diagnostic System of Personality Disorders. J Pers Disord 31:577-589
Wright, Aidan G C; Stepp, Stephanie D; Scott, Lori N et al. (2017) The effect of pathological narcissism on interpersonal and affective processes in social interactions. J Abnorm Psychol 126:898-910

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