I am currently a T32 postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown Medical School. My early research experiences working at New York Presbyterian Hospital and as an undergraduate at Cornell University, my graduate school training at American University, and my pre-doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown Medical School have provided a strong background for pursuit of my long-term career goal of developing a program of research focused on innovative, technologically- sophisticated interventions to improve and advance the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). My research and clinical focus has been on BD, depression, and dysphoria for ten years, and I have completed numerous projects using ecological momentary assessment paradigms. The pilot study proposed in this K23 application aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary evidence for efficacy of an innovative intervention designed to improve treatment adherence in BD. The intervention, My Treatment (MyT), will draw from psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioral principles to target gaps in knowledge and beliefs about illness and treatment that serve as risk factors for non-adherence. MyT will be provided using an Ecological Momentary Intervention paradigm, via personal digital assistants. We hypothesize that MyT will result in improved treatment adherence, decreased mood symptoms, and a lower rate of psychiatric re-hospitalization. We also expect that certain momentary factors (e.g., negative automatic thoughts about illness and treatment) will predict short-term treatment adherence behaviors. The proposed research training and pilot study are definitive steps towards developing one of the first interventions designed specifically to improve treatment adherence in BD. During the course of this award, I will focus on the following training areas: Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Treatment Adherence, Ecological Momentary Interventions, Clinical Trials Methodology, Focused Clinical Experiences in BD, Advanced Research Methods and Statistical Techniques, Manuscript and Grant- Writing, and Research Ethics and the Responsible Conduct of Research. Training activities will include a combination of regularly-scheduled consultation and collaboration with mentors and consultants, coursework, directed readings, workshops, tutorials, scientific meetings, clinical experiences, and committee participation. The primary site for this award will be the Psychosocial Research Program of the Brown Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Butler Hospital. Cited by an external panel of peers as one of the seven benchmark academic Departments of Psychiatry in the country, the activities of the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior are extensive and diverse. The Department has over 80 faculty members who are currently principal investigators on over 220 research studies, funded by more than 50 external sources. It is one of the leading centers for longitudinal and interventions research in the country.

Public Health Relevance

The pilot study proposed in this K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award is a definitive step towards developing one of the first interventions designed specifically to improve treatment adherence in bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder ranks in the top ten causes of disability worldwide and is associated with treatment non-adherence rates of up to 65%. A successful outcome to the study would likely make a significant positive public health impact by enhancing treatment outcomes, decreasing suffering, and improving functioning in BD, reducing treatment costs, and increasing treatment accessibility, thereby ultimately reducing public health burden.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
1K23MH093410-01A1
Application #
8383324
Study Section
Interventions Committee for Adult Disorders (ITVA)
Program Officer
Hill, Lauren D
Project Start
2012-08-17
Project End
2017-05-31
Budget Start
2012-08-17
Budget End
2013-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$167,581
Indirect Cost
$11,709
Name
Brown University
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001785542
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02912
Wenze, Susan J; Armey, Michael F; Weinstock, Lauren M et al. (2016) An Open Trial of a Smartphone-assisted, Adjunctive Intervention to Improve Treatment Adherence in Bipolar Disorder. J Psychiatr Pract 22:492-504
Wenze, Susan J; Battle, Cynthia L; Tezanos, Katherine M (2015) Raising multiples: mental health of mothers and fathers in early parenthood. Arch Womens Ment Health 18:163-76
Tran, Tanya B; Uebelacker, Lisa; Wenze, Susan J et al. (2015) Adaptive and Maladaptive Means of Using Facebook: A Qualitative Pilot Study to Inform Suggestions for Development of a Future Intervention for Depression. J Psychiatr Pract 21:458-73
Wenze, Susan J; Gaudiano, Brandon A; Weinstock, Lauren M et al. (2015) Adjunctive psychosocial intervention following Hospital discharge for Patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid substance use: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Psychiatry Res 228:516-25
Wenze, Susan J; Armey, Michael F; Miller, Ivan W (2014) Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Intervention to Improve Treatment Adherence in Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study. Behav Modif 38:497-515
Wenze, Susan J; Gaudiano, Brandon A; Weinstock, Lauren M et al. (2014) Personality pathology predicts outcomes in a treatment-seeking sample with bipolar I disorder. Depress Res Treat 2014:816524
Wenze, Susan J; Gunthert, Kathleen C; Ahrens, Anthony H et al. (2013) Biases in Short-Term Mood Prediction in Individuals with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms. Individ Differ Res 11:91-101
de Dios, Marcel A; Kuo, Caroline; Hernandez, Lynn et al. (2013) The development of a diversity mentoring program for faculty and trainees: A program at the Brown Clinical Psychology Training Consortium. Behav Ther (N Y N Y) 36:121-126
Wenze, Susan J; Gunthert, Kathleen C; German, Ramaris E (2012) Biases in affective forecasting and recall in individuals with depression and anxiety symptoms. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 38:895-906