The PEBL lab examines emotion difficulties that underlie personality disorders and maladaptive behaviors. The lab utilizes self-report questionnaires, clinical interviews, and measures of autonomic nervous system activity (EDR, RSA).
A primary focus of the lab is self-injury, defined as the intentional and direct destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent (e.g., skin-cutting or burning). The lab primarily views self-injury as a means of coping with intense and overwhelming negative emotions. Our research examines the phenomenology, functions, and mental health implications of self-injury (e.g., Klonsky, 2007, Clinical Psychology Review; and Klonsky, Oltmanns, & Turkheimer, 2003, American Journal of Psychiatry).
A second line of research focuses on suicide. Our work, supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, examines psychological characteristics that distinguish suicide attempters from those who have only considered suicide. Our research is guided by a desire-capability framework in which variables motivating suicide (e.g., psychological distress) are considered independently from variables increasing capability for suicide (e.g., access to lethal means, diminished ability to anticipate consequences of suicidal behavior, reluctance/inability to seek support).
A third focus of the lab is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) (e.g., Klonsky, 2008, Journal of Personality Disorders). We view emotional instability as the central feature of BPD that drives the other BPD symptoms (e.g., impulsive behaviors, suicidality, problematic anger, relationship difficulties). One line of research aims to disambiguate negative emotionality and emotion dysregulation. Other lines of research examine features of BPD that represent important clinical phenomena in and of themselves, such as impulsivity and chronic emptiness. Also, as indicated above, self-injury and suicide are symptoms of BPD that represent major foci of research.
Finally, the lab maintains an interest in the validity of clinical inference and assessment (e.g., Klonsky, 2002, American Psychologist).
"The Functions of Adolescent Self-Injury: Measurement,
Structure, and Mental Health Implications"
National Institute of Mental Health (R03)
6/06/08 - 05/30/10; Total costs: $152,134
Role: Principal Investigator
"Personality Disorder and Suicide"
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
7/01/07 - 7/31/08; Total Costs: $20,000
Role: Principal Investigator
"Self-Injury in Youth: Consolidating Definitional and Methodological Approaches"
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
6/01/07 - 5/31/09; Total costs: $30,000
Role: Investigator
"Establishing a Laboratory for Adolescent Psychopathology"
Office of the Vice President of Research, Stony Brook University
9/01/05 - 8/31/08; Total costs: $56,000
Role: Principal Investigator
"Deliberate Self-Harm"
National Institute of Mental Health (F31)
9/01/02 - 8/31/04; Total Costs: $49,000
Role: Principal Investigator