Research

Question 1

Dissertation topic

Answer 1

• Dissertation stems fro my NRSA, which consists of two studies using different methods to examine an overarching question
• In general: What are the mechanisms that link sleep quality to risk for suicide among high-risk (i.e., chronically suicidal adults)
• Study 1: DBT diary cards to examine daily associations between nightly sleep and next day ratings of SIB, and if self-report affective processes mediated this association.
• Study 2: Recruit individuals with and without SIB hx. Examine if sleep (measured over 3 nights) relates to affectiveresponses to laboratory stressor, and if this is mediated by RSA. See if SIB hx moderates the above association.

Question 2

Describe theory for hypotheses

Answer 2

• Consensus in lit that insomnia/sleep disturbance is a known predictor for suicide
• To understand this, I approached using FVT
• FVT understands risk for suicide as being fluid in nature, and that change in risk across time is due to the effects that day-to-day and more persistent internal/external factors impact cognitive, behavioral, physiological, and affective domains of funcitoning.
• I believe that sleep disturbance contirbutes to impairment in all of these domains, both from an acute perspective and chronic perspective

Question 3

Tell me about your masters

Answer 3

• Wanted to examine interpersonal mechanisms linking BPD symptoms to risk for CVR
• BP is a marker for long-term risk for CVR
• Heightened physio responses to interpersonal stressors is psychosocial mechanisms for CVR
• Wanted to see if BPD symptoms related to heightened BP responses to lab stressor involving hostile role playing

Question 4

How do you think this internship can help you develop your research program?

Answer 4

• My research centers on suicide prevention among those with high-risk psychiatric conditions (e.g., BPD). Therefore, exposure to these types of clinical cases will inform my research hypotheses.
• There are several faculty members in your program with overlapping interests with whom I can collaborate
• I hope to conduct research in AMC/VAMC context, and exposure to labs in your internship will provide me insight into how research is done in this context (e.g., securing grants, balancing clinical work with research, etc.).