Treatment and Psychopathology of BDD

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application for a Mid-Career Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K-24) requests support for the candidate to increase mentoring of beginning clinical investigators and enhance her patient-oriented research. This research focuses on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance, which is a distressing, impairing, and relatively common disorder. BDD is associated with high rates of functional impairment, psychiatric hospitalization, and suicide attempts, as well as notably poor quality of life. Although this disorder has been described for more than a century, and despite its public health significance, it has received little empirical investigation. As one of the few researchers in this area, the candidate proposes to continue and expand her patient-oriented research on this understudied and severe mental disorder. The chief aim of this proposal is to use time liberated by the Mid-Career Investigator Award in Patient Oriented Research to increase the candidate's knowledge of several areas relevant to her future research and to develop, evaluate and disseminate new information on BDD's treatment and psychopathology. To this end, the career development plan increases the candidate's experience, knowledge, and skills in the following areas: 1) evidence-based psychotherapy--specifically, cognitive-behavioral therapy; 2) statistics; 3) intervention study design and methodology; and 4) developmental psychopathology and human development. The career development plan also proposes to 1) increase awareness of BDD and other mental disorders by educating professionals and the public, and 2) expand the candidate's mentoring of beginning investigators with the goal of attracting them to a career in patient-oriented research. This application's research plan focuses on two ongoing R01 studies of BDD's treatment and psychopathology, other ongoing research, and proposed intervention research (R-21 and R-0l applications) on BDD. In summary, this award would provide critical support for the candidate's career development, mentoring, and ongoing and new patient-oriented research on an understudied, relatively common, and severe mental disorder.