 |
|
|
 |
|
NIMH Grant 1 R13 MH081768-01 -
Translating Research into Practice
|
Abstract
HOFFMAN, PERRY D.
National Educational Alliance – Borderline Personality Disorder
|
| DESCRIPTION
(provided by applicant): The translation of accurate science to clinical practice is
crucial in dealing with all illnesses whether they be physical
or psychiatric. It may be particularly relevant for borderline
personality disorder (BPD) as the personal and societal impacts
of BPD, a misunderstood, misdiagnosed, under serviced disorder,
are enormous. One phrase, all too often heard, is, "The best
thing to do with a BPD patient is to refer them out."
Clinicians, understandably, have been fearful of the disorder
and its manifestations, and often feel deskilled in the
treatment process. This application requests funds to support
the project Translating Research into Practice: Borderline
Personality Disorder in Clinical Care (TRIP) to help clinicians
in their work and treatment of the disorder. TRIP includes two
components:1) four annual scientific conferences on BPD that
address the salient issues of the current research to direct
clinical practice, and 2) an accompanying dedicated scientific
web site both to allow for immediate and wide dissemination of
conference proceedings and to further promote dialogue among
researchers and clinicians. TRIP builds on the successful
foundation of the National Institute of Mental Health
(NIMH)-funded Family Perspectives Series (FPS) conferences
sponsored by the National Education Alliance for Borderline
Personality Disorder (NEA-BPD). To date, NEA-BPD has convened
four NIMH-funded conferences with the fifth and final conference
to be in October 2007. NEA-BPD also provided in-kind services to
co-host 16 regional symposiums across the country and abroad.
NIMH in proclaiming the Decade of Translational Research
recognizes the importance of translating the science into the
area of direct clinical services supporting the central goal of
this initiative, to inform treaters in the field of the current
research and provide a specific forum for its application to
clinical practice. In summary, the project brings together
researchers whose work informs treatment service with the
explicit goal to dialogue with clinicians, both in-person at the
conferences and through the dedicated web site, on the science
relevant to clinical issues. Thus, TRIP serves a unique role in
advances to treat BPD. Moreover, the proposed series underscores
the timeliness of the recent initiative of the National Alliance
on Mental Illness (NAMI) as it now, in 2006, officially includes
BPD in its portfolio with the stated policy of making treatments
more available. Borderline personality disorder is an often
devastating and confusing psychiatric illness with the diagnosis
encompassing patients with a pervasive pattern of affective
instability, severe difficulties in interpersonal relationships,
problems with behavioral or impulse control (including suicidal
behaviors), and disrupted cognitive processes. The prevalence of
the disorder is variously estimated at 0.7% to 2% (Swartz,
Blazer, George et al., 1990; Maier, Lichtermann, Klinger et al.,
1992; Samuels, Nestadt, Romanoski et al., 1994; Torgersen,
Kringlen & Cramer, 2001). With increasing research on the
disorder, it is important that clinicians in the field know
about the latest science and its implications and applications
for effective treatment. |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|