The investigator's goal is to pursue a research career in an academic setting with a substantive focus on the etiology of adolescent psychopathology. In particular, he is interested in understanding the factors that promote bulimic pathology. Although the applicant's past training has provided him with a foundation in conducting longitudinal studies, none of his prior mentors have been eating disorder researchers. The central aims of the proposed Research Career Award (RCA) will be to (1) provide advanced training in research methods and quantitative techniques necessary for him to develop into an independent investigator and (2) to conduct two investigations that will advance understanding of the etiology of bulimic pathology. His training mentors will be Drs. Agras, Taylor, and Kreamer from Stanford University School of Medicine. The applicant would like to develop a unique system of inquiry that pairs prospective community studies with naturalistic randomized experiments in an effort to produce findings with maximal external and internal validity. Dr. Agras will provide training in conducting randomized experiments, Dr. Taylor in conducting longitudinal studies, and Dr. Kraemer in the use of quantitative techniques. Dr. Agras will serve as Primary Mentor and will coordinate the career development activities. Under the guidance of these mentors, the investigator will conduct a four year longitudinal community study of adolescents. This investigation will attempt to validate six putative risk factors for bulimic pathology that have emerged from the literature within a study that addresses some of the limitations of past research and employs advanced analytic techniques. This longitudinal study will be paired with a randomized experiment that attempts to corroborate the findings from prospective research. Specifically, this investigation will experimentally decrease body dissatisfaction (with a validated intervention), and assess the effect on consequent bulimic attitudes and behaviors. Furthermore, because past eating disorder research has focused almost exclusively on main effects, these two studies will also examine factors that may potentiate or buffer (moderate) the main effects of these six risk factors. He will also (1) participate in ongoing projects in Drs. Agras' and Taylor's labs, (2) learn state-of- the-art treatments for eating pathology and other adolescent psychopathology, (3) take courses in quantitative techniques, methodology, and ethics, and (4) receive training in grant writing.
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