Purpose and Program Characteristics: This program in cardiovascular behavioral medicine provides research training into the biobehavioral influences on cardiovascular disease and health. Five topics are emphasized; 1) Emotional contributions to cardiovascular stress reactivity; 2) alcohol abuse as a contributor to cardiovascular disease; 3) Caffeine plus behavioral stress in hypertension risk; 4) Cardiovascular disease risk in American Indians; and 5) Development of advanced ambulatory monitoring technologies. Multi-disciplinary didactic training is provided in Psychology, Epidemiology, Physiology, and Medicine. Research experience is offered within the context of doctoral program in biological psychology in a highly structured curriculum and supervisory and supervisory framework. A strong disciplinary focus and programmatic identification is maintained for all trainees via a continuing seminar in cardiovascular behavioral medicine. The fact that the program is based in a department of psychiatry on a major health sciences campus reinforces our philosophy that behavioral contributions to health and disease are best studied by researchers well grounded in the biological sciences as well as the behavioral sciences. The success of prior graduates tends to substantiate this approach to training. Trainees. The program now supports 2 predoctoral trainees in biological psychology, and we propose adding 2 predoctoral fellows to be drawn from psychology, physiology, and epidemiology. Trainees interact with faculty in biological psychology, physiology, neurobiology, and epidemiology and with clinical faculty in medicine and clinical psychology. All trainees are chosen based on excellences in academic achievement and commitment to program training and research goals. Faculty. Primary research faculty include 16 Ph.D.s and M.D.s in relevant departments having direct classroom, laboratory, or clinical training contact with trainees. Facilities. The program is located in the Behavioral Sciences Laboratories at the Veterans Administration Medical Center and the Biological Psychology, education core facility on the O.U. medical campus. Training will utilize classroom, laboratory, and clinical facilities at several departments and hospitals on campus.
