This revised application seeks funding to support the Duke Program in Psychological Intervention Research Training (PPIRT), a comprehensive program designed to produce clinically trained researchers specializing in the development, validation, and application of psychological interventions for medical and mental health problems. We propose to establish a training program based in the Department of Psychology: Social and Health Sciences (SHS) that draws on both SHS faculty and the faculty and resources of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Clinical psychologists or post-residency psychiatrists will be enrolled as postdoctoral fellows;doctoral students in clinical psychology who will be enrolled as predoctoral fellows. The program will offer comprehensive training in psychological interventions research, including adult and child populations as well as medical illnesses and psychiatric disorders. The PPIRT will provide training in intervention skills, empirically supported interventions, translating basic behavioral science into new interventions, design, implementation, and analysis of clinical trials, preventive interventions, and grant writing and related professional skills. The goals of the Duke PPIRT are (1) to provide young investigators with the training needed to develop, validate, and disseminate psychological interventions for mental disorders and psychological aspects of medical disorders;(2) to ensure those investigators develop the clinical expertise to provide a range of psychological interventions;(3) to provide rigorous training in clinical research, statistical methods, psychometrics, research ethics, research management, and protection of human subjects;(4) to provide experience delivering and investigating psychological interventions with minority populations;(5) to help the investigators develop a professional identity through training and mentoring in grant-writing, networking, and interacting with the community;and (6) to assist young investigators in finding appropriate academic or research positions upon completion of the program.
