From Randi Kreger

[Guest guest]

Date: Thu, June 29, 2006 11:14 am

To: " 'lisa' "

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Say it's exciting finally studing this issue!!!!!!!!!!

Grant Number: 1R03MH077841-01

PI Name: MACFIE, JENNY A.

PI Email: macfie@...

PI Title:

Project Title: Identifying Risk and Psychopathology in Children Aged 4-6

Whose Mothers Have BPD

Abstract: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Borderline Personality

Disorder (BPD) is a severe and chronic disorder that involves

self-destructive behavior, inappropriate displays of anger and high levels

of help seeking. Because of this combination, In addition to the burden of

individual distress, BPD imposes a severe burden on the health care

system.

In order to reduce this double burden of mental illness, successful

preventive interventions are needed. Although BPD is not diagnosed until

early adulthood there is theoretical and empirical support for its roots

lying in part in the caregiving environment in early childhood. From a

developmental psychopathology perspective, study of early child

development in children at high risk of developing BPD, including children

whose mothers have BPD, may inform the development of preventive

interventions. These interventions would address developmental deviation

and bring development back onto adaptive pathways. In this way, the l!

ikelihood that BPD will develop would decrease and the burden of mental

illness be reduced. Such preventive interventions could then be extended

to other children at high risk of developing BPD such as maltreated

children.

Prior to longitudinal study, a cross-sectional study of preschool-aged

children whose mothers have BPD is proposed. N = 32 offspring of BPD

mothers will be compared with both clinical and normative comparison

groups. The aims of the study are to examine (1) whether BPD offspring are

exposed to specific risk factors in the caregiving environment associated

with BPD (maltreatment, separation/loss, problematic maternal caregiving);

(2) whether BPD offspring's representations of this caregiving environment

in their stories reflect developmental deviation suggestive of precursors

to BPD (positive and negative self and other, fear of abandonment, and

intrusion of traumatic material); and (3) an adult observer's assessment

of current psychopathology. The current!

study will inform a longitudinal study of development of BPD offsprin g

between 12 months and 5 years designed to examine processes and timing

whereby risk factors result in deviations identified in the current study

in order to design developmentally sensitive preventive interventions. The

relevance of this proposed research to public health lies in its being the

first step in informing the design of preventive interventions for BPD.

Intervention would target developmental deviation in at risk children

bringing development onto an adaptive pathway and thus reducing the risk

of future BPD.

Randi Kreger

Randi@...

Eggshells Press

1915 N. Luther King Dr.

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Phone:

Fax:

R.

List Manager, The Welcome to Oz Online Community for Family Members with a

Borderline Loved One