Dysfunctional behavior with friends during middle childhood as a precursor to borderline personality pathology

项目概要/摘要 边缘型人格障碍（BPD）是一种严重的精神障碍与高成本， 代际。BPD的人际关系表型以敏感性、敌对性归因为特征， 偏见，以及对关系中排他性的适应不良欲望。这种表型的特征可以在 与BPD的内在和外在病理以及后来的发展有关。 与2021年NIMH战略计划保持一致，以确定预防精神病理学的可延展目标， 研究这一关键机制的展开是必要的。这项建议 目的是在儿童中期（7-9岁; 50%女性），这是人际关系发展的关键时期。本研究测量的人际功能， 在儿童-朋友互动的背景下，BPD利用多模式评估，并侧重于一个中心 这个发展阶段的关系。这项研究的具体目的是：1）测试母亲的后代是否 与母亲的后代相比，BPD（n=60）在儿童中期表现出BPD的人际特征 抑郁症（n=60）和非障碍母亲（n=40）; 2）确定BPD人际关系的程度 童年中期的特征阻碍了友谊的发展; 3）BPD与儿童的关系 儿童的人际关系特征与精神病理学发展友谊稳定性和质量和孩子 将在基线和6个月时评估精神病理学（内化、外化、BPD特征）。的 中心假设是，相对于对照组，患有BPD的母亲的后代表现出 在儿童中期BPD所特有的人际关系障碍。这些行为都有负面影响 关于童年中期的一个重要发展里程碑：培养友谊中的亲密关系， 可能会有包括BPD在内的一系列精神疾病候选人Vanwoerden博士是一位临床心理学家 寻求过渡到一个独立的研究计划，重点是早期识别和预防 波士顿警局这个项目是实现这一目标的第一步，它有一个全面的培训计划， 问题，同时以重要的方式借鉴以往的经验。首先，她将接受有关纳入 以及对孩子和朋友的评估。其次，她将专注于（二元）测量， 将皮肤电活动解释为超敏反应的生理标志物。第三，她将获得 精通纵向研究设计，包括保留高风险家庭和使用 方法与动态系统理论相结合。Stephanie Stepp，阿曼达罗斯和Lauren Bylsma博士 在BPD的发展心理病理学，友谊过程和心理生理学方面具有专业知识 评估，分别将共同指导博士Vanwoerden。研究和培训计划将在 匹兹堡大学精神病学系，一个领先的研究机构， 支持，世界一流的发展精神病理学研究人员，和国家的最先进的设施。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental disorder associated with high cost that is transmitted intergenerationally. The interpersonal phenotype of BPD is characterized by hypersensitivity, hostile attribution bias, and maladaptive desire for exclusivity in relationships. Features of this phenotype can be identified in childhood and are associated with internalizing and externalizing pathology as well as later development of BPD. Aligned with the 2021 NIMH Strategic Plan, to identify malleable targets for prevention of psychopathology, it is necessary to study the unfolding of this critical mechanism prior to the onset of symptomatology. This proposal aims to do so among high-risk youth (based on maternal psychopathology) during middle childhood (ages 7-9; 50% female), a critical time for interpersonal development. This study measures the interpersonal features of BPD in the context of child-friend interactions to leverage multi-modal assessment and to focus on a central relationship of this developmental phase. Specific aims of the study are to 1) Test whether offspring of mothers with BPD (n=60) exhibit interpersonal features of BPD during middle childhood compared to offspring of mothers with depression (n=60) and non-disordered mothers (n=40); 2) Determine the extent to which BPD interpersonal features in middle childhood impede the development of friendship; and 3) Test associations between BPD interpersonal features and development of psychopathology in children. Friendship stability and quality and child psychopathology (internalizing, externalizing, BPD features) will be assessed at baseline and 6-months. The central hypothesis is that relative to controls, offspring of mothers with BPD are at highest risk of exhibiting interpersonal dysfunction that is specific to BPD during middle childhood. These behaviors have a negative effect on a central developmental milestone of middle childhood: fostering of closeness in friendship, which increases risk a range of psychopathology including BPD. The candidate, Dr. Vanwoerden, is a clinical psychologist seeking to transition to an independent research program focused on the early identification and prevention of BPD. This project is a first step toward this goal with a comprehensive training plan addressing the research questions while building on previous experiences in important ways. First, she will obtain training on the inclusion and assessment of children and friends in research. Second, she will focus on (dyadic) measurement and interpretation of electrodermal activity as a physiological marker of hypersensitivity. Third, she will gain proficiency in longitudinal research design, including retention of high-risk families and the analysis of data using methods aligned with dynamic systems theory. Drs. Stephanie Stepp, Amanda Rose, and Lauren Bylsma who have expertise in the developmental psychopathology of BPD, friendship processes, and psychophysiological assessment, respectively, will jointly mentor Dr. Vanwoerden. The research and training plan will be conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychiatry, a leading research institution with extensive research support, world class developmental psychopathology researchers, and state-of-the-art facilities.