Child & Adolescent Mental Health Research

Abstract/Project Summary: This application is a competitive renewal of 5T32 MH18951-32, a clinical/translational research training program in child mental health (MH). Support is requested annually for 5 post-doctoral trainees (child psychiatrists and doctorates in other disciplines) and 4 medical students for summer research electives. This 2-3 year postdoctoral training program builds on previous success recruiting and training scientists who formulate impactful research to improve child MH. The program targets current priorities in child MH research: improving understanding of pathogenesis, course and treatment of child MH disorders; enhancing health outcomes; utilizing technological advances; and community-partnered research. An accomplished multi-disciplinary Training Faculty provides mentorship. Each trainee selects an academically successful mentor and 2 co-mentors who together develop a career development plan with targeted goals for skill acquisition, presentations, publications, pilot data, and grant proposal preparation. The mentors, trainee, Program Director and selected Training Executive Committee (TEC) members review the plan every 6 months to ensure progress. An individually tailored course of didactic study is developed for each trainee to ensure acquisition of knowledge in Core Content (e.g., research design, statistics). Trainees also participate in “Career and Research Development” seminars on grant writing, project management, and training on responsible conduct of research. Monthly T32 seminars facilitated by junior faculty further foster community among trainees and a forum for open dialogue around professional development topics. Since the last renewal, we have further strengthened program leadership by expanding the TEC; enhanced depth and breadth among our Training Faculty; offer monthly journal clubs led by Training Faculty in Core Content Areas; and added an expert External Advisory Board. We now offer coursework in 3 Cross-Cutting Areas critical to the conduct of impactful clinical science in child MH: Enhancing Health Outcomes, Technological Advances, and Community-Based Research. There is high institutional commitment to this T32, with Departmental salary and benefit supplementation, formal grant review processes for trainees, and extensive CTSI resources to support project development and management. Of 27 T32 postdoctoral trainees since 2013, 70% attained faculty appointments and 70% received external funding (including 10 K-awards). In the summer research program aiming to stimulate interest in child psychiatry research, medical students work on a research project with a Training Faculty mentor. Of 40 predoctoral trainees since 2013, 78% entered a child-related residency and 88% published at least one peer-reviewed paper.