This K-award investigates the subjective experience of adolescents (ages 14-17) under
psychotropic treatment conditions. The candidate will receive training in applied
psychopharmacology, medical anthropology, longitudinal research, qualitative software data
management, and training in the responsible conduct of child and adolescent research. Case Western
Reserve University , school of medicine, departments of anthropology, sociology, and pediatric
psychology offer nationally recognized scholars and programs in each of the candidate's training
needs. The short-term objective is to produce a grounded theory explanation of adolescent
psychotropic experience. The long-term objective is to conduct future interdisciplinary
research on inter-relationships among child and adolescent development, culture, and the subjective
experience of psychotropic treatment, and to produce practice guidelines that will use
developmental and cultural theory to improve adherence. Training and research aims are (1) to
investigate adolescents treated with psychotropic medication for illness and disease themes,
mastery or competency themes, and other personal experiences, and (2) to investigate adolescent
medication management. The project will produce pilot data to test (1) if adolescent psychotropic
narratives show less concern with illness themes, and (2) if self-monitoring the effects of
medication produces positive adolescent perceptions of treatment, therefore less resistance of
medication regimens. Representing a non-random, convenient, outpatient clinic sample and
using the KSADS diagnostic research instrument, 32 adolescents who are currently receiving atypical
antipsychotic medication will be screened for bipolar disorder. Anthropological qualitative
methods, including adapting the mentor's adult Subjective Experience Medication Instrument,
standardized side effect and symptom reduction instruments, and a medication management interview
schedule will collect longitudinal (16 months) treatment experience data.
|
