Adult Treatment and Preventive Intervention Research Branch
Overview
This Branch supports research evaluating the therapeutic (acute, maintenance, and preventive) and adverse effects of psychosocial, psychopharmacologic, and somatic interventions of proven efficacy in the treatment of mental disorders in adult populations. The program focus is broad and inclusive with respect to the heterogeneity of patients, the severity and chronicity of disorders, and the variety of community and institutional settings in which treatment is provided. It includes trials evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of known efficacious interventions, as well as studies evaluating modified or adapted forms of interventions for use with specialized populations (such as women, or specific ethnic or racial groups), new settings (public sector, primary care, workplace, other non-academic sites), new methods of treatment delivery (e.g., web or computer-based), and people with comorbid physical or mental disorders.
Types of intervention research supported by the Branch include the full range of behavioral, psychotherapeutic, pharmacologic, and nonpharmacologic somatic or complementary/alternative approaches for which acute efficacy has been demonstrated, as well as rehabilitation or other adjunctive services, e.g., integrated approaches to the treatment of the chronically mentally ill. Outcome measures extend beyond symptom reduction to include short- and long-term assessment of functioning. Other examples of areas of research support include identification of disorder subgroups who may be more likely to benefit from treatment, evaluation of the combined or sequential use of interventions of similar or different modalities (e.g., to extend efficacy among refractory subgroups), determination of the optimal length of treatment, establishment of the utility of continuation or maintenance treatment with the same or different intervention as that used for acute response (i.e., for prevention of relapse or recurrence), and evaluation of the long-term impact of efficacious interventions on symptoms and functioning.
Acting Branch Chief
Robert K. Heinssen, Ph.D., ABPP.
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7164, MSC 9635
301-435-0371, rheinsse@mail.nih.gov
