FUNDED RESEARCH
ACTIVITIES
Fall 2008
Dr. Joyce Chung
PI of a K-23 from NIMH (K23 MH067664) entitled Ethnographic
Studies of Depression and Help-Seeking. The overall goal of this
proposal is to develop expertise in understanding sociocultural barriers and
facilitators of mental health treatment among low-income community
residents. This expertise will inform the development of community-based
intervention trials to improve acceptance and effectiveness of treatments for
depression and other mental health treatment. This project runs through
2/10.
Dr. Mary Ann Dutton
PI of a R34 from NIMH (R34
MH070565) entitled Telehealth Trauma Intervention for Low-SES Abused
Women. This project is designed to develop and evaluate the
effectiveness and cost of an innovative and culturally competent telephone
intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in low SES African
American battered women. The intervention combines components of cognitive
processing therapy for PTSD with advocacy interventions, psychoeducation and
skills development, and grief counseling. The
study is funded through 12/08.
PI of a Department of Defense concept award (W81XWH-07-PTSD-CA) entitled
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury (PTSD/TBI)
Research Program, PTSD. The Veterans Administration Medical
Center (VAMC) Department of Psychiatry and Georgetown University Department of
Psychiatry are collaborating on this project to develop a multimedia toolkit for
veterans with PTSD . The overall goal of this proposal is to increase
military veterans' and their families' quality of life and wellness through the
use of day-to-day mindfulness practices. Co-PI at the VAMC is Dr. Richard
Admur. The study runs through 06/09.
PI of a NIMH R34 grant (R34 MH077066) entitled A First Line
Community-Based Mindfulness Trauma Intervention. The overall goal
is to address the mental health care disparity for low-income, minority
women exposed to intimate partner violence. This project will develop and
test an accessible, tailored, and culturally-appropriate mindfulness-based
intervention suitable for delivery in non-mental health community
settings. Drs. Bonnie Green and Janice Krupnick are
collaborating on this project. The study is funded through
01/10.
Site-PI of a NIMH R13 grant entitled Advancing Mental Health
Services for Victims of Crime.
The National Center for Victims of
Crime (NCVC) and Georgetown University Department of Psychiatry (GU) are
collaborating on this project to plan and hold three meetings to synthesize,
review, and advance the research on a) the mental health needs of crime victims,
b) the mental health services and outcomes for crime victims, and c) the
dissemination and implementation of empirically supported mental health services
for crime victims. The project is funded through
11/08.
Dr. Stephen Deutsch
PI of a R34 from NIMH (R34
MH077849) entitled Interventions to Test the Alpha 7 Nicotinic
Receptor. The aim of this study is to conduct a "proof of
concept" clinical trial combining galantamine and CDP-choline. The
hypothesis is that galantamine will prevent receptor desensitization, allowing
choline to serve as a selective agonist, rather than becoming a functional
antagonist secondary to receptor desensitization. The project anticipates
co-administration of these agents will reduce symptoms and improve memory and
attention. Fifty patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia or schizoaffective
disorder will be randomly assigned to either combination treatment or placebos
for both in a 16 week trial. Recruitment will be at the VAMC, Washington,
DC. Co-Investigators include Drs. Richard Rosse, Nina Schooler,
and Barbara Schwartz. The study is funded through
03/10.
Dr. Ayman Fanous
PI of a NARSAD Independent
Investigator award entitled Molecular Genetics of Schizophrenia in
Egypt. The goal of this project is to collect information (750
cases and 750 controls) on patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective
disorder, depressed type in Cairo, Egypt, in collaboration with the Ain Shams
University Hospitals in Cairo, where the controls will be collected from their
blood bank. In this pilot study, markers from a small number of previously
established susceptibility genes will be tested. The grant runs through
09/10.
Dr. Bonnie Green
PI of an NIMH-funded Developing
Center (P20 MH068450-01A1) entitled Trauma Interventions for Low-income
Women in Primary Care. The goal of the Georgetown Center for
Trauma and the Community is to develop innovative and sustainable
interventions to address trauma-related mental health needs in primary care
settings serving low-income, mostly minority populations through
academic-community partnerships with local jurisdictions. To increase the
adoption and sustainability of these interventions, the trauma-related services
are being developed in close collaboration with community partners: the
Department of Health in Prince George's County, MD; the Primary Care Coalition
in Montgomery County, MD; Greater Baden Medical Services in Upper Marlboro, MD
and Mid-Atlantic Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, Inc. Psychiatry
faculty members on this grant include departmental Co-Investigators Drs.
Chung, Dutton, Epstein, Kaltman, Krupnick, Townsend. Other
Co-Investigators include School of Nursing and Health Studies faculty
Drs. Rita Alinger and Deborah Schiavone; Family Medicine faculty Dr. Dan
Merenstein; United Biosource colleagues Drs. Frank, Stull
and Revicki; and Medstar Research Institute colleague Dr. Nawar
Shara. The grant runs through
6/09.
PI of an NIMH-funded R34 entitled Improving Communication between
Primary Care Providers and Their Trauma Patients. The aims of the
project are to adapt and pilot test a curriculum for primary care providers
(PCPs) to help them work more productively with trauma survivors. We plan to:
(1) adapt an existing manual and training curriculum on working therapeutically
with trauma survivors to be appropriate for PCPs, (2) evaluate initial
acceptability of the curriculum and material to providers and patients; and (3)
conduct a controlled study of the adapted training, all with a focus on
providers serving low-income populations. Providing PCPs with multiple
strategies to address the physical and mental health complaints of their
patients will improve primary care for vulnerable populations. This grant
runs through 11/10.
Dr. Stacey Kaltman
PI of a K23 from NIMH (K23
MH077071) entitled Trauma and Mental Health of Latina
Immigrants. The overall goal of the project is to gain an
understanding of trauma and loss-related mental health needs of Latina
immigrants from Central America and begin to develop culturally and
linguistically competent services that are acceptable, effective, and
accessible. Dr. Kaltman's primary mentor is Dr. Bonnie
Green (Georgetown University) with co-mentor Dr. Maria Cecilia
Zea (George Washington University). This grant runs through
06/12.
Dr. Janice Krupnick
PI of a project from the
Department of Veterans Affairs entitled Female Veterans with PTSD and/or
Depression. The project is a demonstration project aimed at
adapting Interpersonal Psychotherapy for military women with have experienced
trauma during their military service. This grant runs through
08/10.
Dr. Tiffany Townsend
PI of an R21 from NIH, National
Institute of Nursing Research (R21NR010511) entitled Aza Sisters:
An HIV Prevention Program for African American Adolescent Girls.
The goals of the project are 1) Develop and test a culturally appropriate HIV
prevention program for AA 12-13 year old girls, with attention trauma history;
2) Determine feasibility in an after school setting; and 3) Provide a
preliminary evaluation of the impact on behavioral outcomes, cultural factors,
and gender specific outcomes.
This project runs through
06/09.
PROFILES CAN BE LOCATED ON THE CENTER FOR TRAUMA AND THE
COMMUNITY WEBSITE UNDER PERSONNEL:
http://ctc.georgetown.edu
Recent grants that are in the process of data analysis and write-up
include the following:
An NIMH-funded grant entitled Treatment of Depression in
Disadvantaged Gynecology Patients (RO1 MH56864). This project screened
poor African American, Latina, and White women for depression in family planning
and WIC clinics in the greater DC area, and treated depressed women using one of
two treatments (group cognitive-behavioral or medication). Treatments were
compared to a "referral only" condition. PI was Dr. Jeanne
Miranda (UCLA). Site PI on the study was Dr. Joyce
Chung, and GU Co-Investigators were Drs. Krupnick and
Green.
An NIMH-funded grant entitled Effects on Children of Treating
Maternal Depression (RO1 MH58384). This grant studied the children of
the mothers treated in the "Treatment of Depression" study to evaluate changes
in the children associated with treatment of the mothers. PI was Dr. Ann
Riley at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Joyce
Chung was the GU site PI.
An R21 from NIMH (MH58220) entitled Interpersonal Group Therapy
for PTSD in Low-Income Women funded the development and pilot testing
of a new group treatment for poor and minority women who had PTSD related to
interpersonal violence. Dr. Janice Krupnick was PI, with
Dr. Green collaborating.
An R03 from NIMH (MH064739) entitled PTSD & Intimate Partner
Violence: A National Sample. This proposed study examined
risk and protective factors associated with current PTSD symptoms among a
nationally representative sample of adult women (397) who lived with an intimate
partner, and who reported being sexually assaulted, physically assaulted,
stalked, and/or threatened by them at some point during the course of the
relationship. Dr. Mary Ann Dutton was
PI.
A project funded from NIJ to Cosmos Corporation in collaboration with
Georgetown University, Department of Psychiatry entitled Use and
Outcomes of Protection Orders by Battered Immigrant Women. This
overall goal of the project was to examine the decision-making, accessibility,
and effectiveness of civil protection orders for battered immigrant women.
Dr. Dutton was the site PI at
Georgetown.
A Department of Justice grant entitled Ecological Model of
Battered Women's Experience over Time. This study characterized
and testes a model for longitudinal patterns of battered women's strategic and
traumatic responses to violence, as well as help-seeking, social support and
emotional well-being. Battered women's experiences within criminal and
civil protection-order courts and shelters were also investigated. The PI
was Dr. Mary Ann Dutton; Dr. Stacey Kaltman
was a collaborator.
PI of a Cosmos Corporation project entitled Development and
Validation of a Coercive Control Measure for Intimate Partner
Violence. This project will develop a conceptual model of
coercive control by conducting a comprehensive review of the literature followed
by input from an expert panel. The study will then develop an ecologically
and statistically valid measure of nonviolent coercive control using
ethnographic and classical test theory methodologies. Dr. Joyce
Chung was collaborating on the project.
A Center for Disease Control and Prevention grant entitled,
Longitudinal Study of Battered Women in the Health Care
System. This study compared the results from women recruited in
health care settings with an ongoing NIJ-funded study of 400 battered women
recruited from legal and shelter Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) services in the
same community. The goal of the study was to understand patterns of female
IPV victims' experiences with violence and in the health care system over
time to develop prevention strategies. Dr. Stacey
Kaltman collaborated with PI, Dr. Dutton, on the
project.
An NIMH-funded grant (R01 DK56975) to Virginia Commonwealth University
entitled Memory and Learning in Children with IDDM was
conducted at Georgetown and Children's National Medical Center. This
project was a longitudinal study of memory and learning skills in children with
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. A group of 120 diabetic adolescents
ages 12-15 were assessed over a 4-year period to ascertain the functional impact
of memory and learning skills on daily self-care behaviors, including adherence
to a treatment regimen. Modality specific learning and memory patterns
over time were evaluated and correlated. Dr. Clarissa
Holmes (VCU) was PI, and Dr. Erika Swift from
Psychiatry was Co-Investigator and Site PI.
A Ruth L.
Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F32 MH71011) entitled
Patterns of PTSD Symptoms in High-Risk Women over Time.
This project utilized advanced analytic strategies to investigate relationships
among PTSD symptoms, and how they cluster over time in longitudinal samples of
low-income women who have experienced interpersonal violence. Primary
mentor on this project is Dr. Dutton. Dr. Elizabeth
Krause was the PI.
An R01 from NIMH (MH60696) entitled Physicians' Decisions for the
Depressed Medically Ill. The project investigated patient and physician
factors associated with physicians' quality of care for depression among general
internists and family physicians through use of videotapes varying in regard to
medical morbidity, patient attributions for depression, treatment preferences,
race, and gender. Dr. Steven Epstein was the
PI.
An NIMH-funded grant (R34 MH070683) entitled Primary Care for PTSD and
PTSD Symptoms. This study of primary care providers was designed to better
understand primary care trauma management and to identify promising
evidence-based strategies for improving the care of patients suffering from the
psychological effects of trauma. The research was conducted in
collaboration with the Clinical Directors Network, Inc. (CDN) in the New York
area, a community-oriented practice-based research network that provides primary
and preventive health care services for poor, minority, and underserved
populations. PI was Dr. Lisa Meredith (RAND Corp.). Dr.
Bonnie Green was the site PI at Georgetown
University.
A project entitled The Cultural and Linguistic Competence Health
Practitioner Assessment CME Model. This web-based curriculum aims to
increase physician knowledge and self-awareness as they apply to treating
depression in diverse primary care populations. NCCC grant Co-Directors are
Dr. Suzanne Bronheim and Tawara Goode, MA,
with funding from Initiative for Decreasing Disparities in Depression supported
by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Drs. Chung and
Green collaborated with Georgetown's National Center for Cultural
Competence (NCCC) on the project.
A SAMHSA-funded grant (H79
TI15433) entitled Brief Effective Adolescent Treatment of Substance
Abuse. GU site-PI was Dr. Stacey Kaltman; PI was
Dr. Michael Mason (Villanova). This project provides
treatment for adolescents and their families by addressing the patients'
substance abuse, physical health, and mental health in a coordinated manner with
a multidisciplinary treatment team that includes a pediatrician, nurse
practitioner, child and adolescent psychiatrist, addiction psychiatrist, and
mental health and addiction counselors.
A NARSAD/Essel Foundation - funded grant (NARSAD llA) entitled
Facial Expressions of Emotion in Schizophrenia. The PI
was Dr. Barbara Schwartz. This project studied implicit
processing of emotion cues in the face and the neural structures that underlie
this function in schizophrenia.
A SAMHSA funded grant (5H79SP10687-04) entitled HIV and Substance
Use Prevention for African American Girls. Dr. Townsend's project was a
community collaborative, HIV prevention program funded by the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The program, entitled
I.S.I.S. is designed to provide an integrated substance abuse/HIV prevention
program that is tailored to the needs of African American adolescent girls
between the ages of 11 and 14, who reside in Southwest Philadelphia.
I.S.I.S., which is an acronym for Intelligent Sisters Improving Selves, attempts
to use the resilience and protective factors present in the population to
enhance overall well being and promote healthy, adaptive behaviors among girls
in this community.
