A Clinician's Perspective:
The longitudinal study represents a decades-long effort examining psychosocial factors in subjects with characteristics of BPD. Participants are recruited from outpatient and inpatient treatment settings, as well as from the greater Pittsburgh community. Those interested in joining the study undergo a series of diagnostic interviews and self-reports to determine eligibility, administered by a clinician. Once enrolled, participants work with a clinician to compile baseline data on demographic information such as family history, education, and work history, as well as clinical data related to suicidal behavior, impulsivity, aggression, quality of life, and other relevant areas.
Contact is maintained over the ensuing years through follow-up interviews. Participants touch base with the study at regular intervals to report updates in demographics, treatment, socioeconomic factors, and other life changes, while also sharing experiences related to suicidality, impulsivity, and further behavioral indicators. Brief diagnostic assessments are conducted at follow-up to track changes in BPD and other comorbid presentations.
The larger study is in its fourth decade and continues to actively enroll new participants, many of whom have passed follow-up milestones of 10, 20, even 30-plus years. Aside from the immediate material compensation, those who remain active say they stay motivated by contributing to a large body of work that aims to increase understanding of BPD and its outcomes. Through maintaining long-term contact, many also find some benefit in tracking and reflecting on their own changes over time.
Contact Us
- dnpl@upmc.edu
- (412) 647-2774
- 100 N Bellefield Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15208