Associate Provost for Research Boston University Medical Campus
NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health	Research Resources

Abstract

Abstract: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Long-term goals: 1. To expand my knowledge and ability to conduct independent research in the psychology of aging. 2. To better understand how factors such as trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affect later psychosocial development and functioning. 3. To conduct an independent interdisciplinary research program on the psychology of aging that integrates methods from neuropsychology, molecular genetics, and neuroimaging. Specific Aims: 1. To explore genetic and environmental influences on marital outcomes; specifically we will assess the influences of genetic factors, the family environment, and the non-shared environment on whether an individual ever marries and whether an individual ever divorces. 2. To examine the nature of the relationships among marital status and marital adjustment in middle age and exposure to combat trauma and the development of PTSD during young adulthood. 3. To investigate if forgiveness, as part of post-war adaptations, moderates the relationship between exposure to severe combat trauma, PTSD, and marital outcome.

Thesaurus Terms:
gene environment interaction, marriage /marital status, mental health epidemiology, posttraumatic stress disorder, twin /multiplet, veteran
behavioral genetics, divorce /separation, human middle age (35-64), psychological shock, young adult human (21-34)
behavioral /social science research tag, clinical research, human data, male, predoctoral investigator

Institution:	BOSTON UNIVERSITY
	881 COMMONWEALTH AVENUE
	BOSTON, MA 02215
Fiscal Year:	2005
Department:	PSYCHOLOGY
Project Start:	01-MAR-2004
Project End:	30-JUN-2005
ICD:	NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
IRG:	ZRG1