Personality Disorder

Led by Professor Andrew Chanen, this program focuses on understanding, preventing and treating severe personality disorder. A key part of the activities is the Helping Young People Early (HYPE) program.

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Led by Professor Andrew Chanen, this program focuses on understanding, preventing and treating severe personality disorder. A key part of the activities is the Helping Young People Early (HYPE) program. HYPE has pioneered the field of prevention and early intervention for borderline personality disorder in young people. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is Australia’s third most costly mental disorder. It starts in adolescence and emerging adulthood but treatment typically occurs late when problems in interpersonal relationships, education and employment are entrenched. Despite frequently seeking help, people with BPD are as likely to die from suicide as those with schizophrenia.

Our current research projects include:

  • HYPE 600
    This study is an evaluation of the long-term outcome of early intervention for borderline personality disorder
  • MOBY (Monitoring Outcomes in BPD in Youth)
    This study examines early intervention for borderline personality disorder in young people.
  • Stress Study
    This study examines the neuroendocrinological stress response system and stress vulnerability in youth with first-presentation BPD.
  • A 10-year follow up study examining premature mortality among individuals who met criteria for borderline personality disorder during their youth.
  • MS-BPD Trial (Making Sense of Borderline Personality Disorder)
    This is a randomised controlled trial of a group intervention for family and friends with borderline personality disorder
  • Voices study
    This study examines the role of interpersonal schema in the experience of auditory verbal hallucinations in borderline personality disorder
  • VERBATIM
    Verbatim is a randomised controlled trial of aripiprazole for treatment of auditory verbal hallucinations in borderline personality disorder.
  • The Functioning study
    Development of a measure of functioning for young people with borderline personality disorder
  • An evaluation of the effectiveness of a clinical pathway and screening tool in improving clinical practice in an early intervention program for borderline personality disorder
  • SPEARS
    This study examines the sexual, reproductive and physical health in youth with borderline personality disorder.
  • GendR
    This study investigates the sexuality, gender and identity in borderline personality disorder.
  • Kindred Study
    A Moderated Online Social Therapy for carers of youth with borderline personality disorder.
  • Evaluation of an Early Intervention for Borderline Personality Disorder training package for mental health clinicians targeting knowledge and attitudes