About This Project
We are investigating Ritalin's role in alleviating symptoms of depersonalization-derealization (DPDR) disorder, which results from psychological trauma. Currently there is only one case study that has investigated the stimulant class's potential usefulness, reporting an abatement of DPDR symptoms after 4 months. We hypothesize that Ritalin will significantly alleviate DPDR symptoms in participants, particularly those with co-morbid ADHD.
Ask the Scientists
Join The Discussion
What is the context of this research?
DPDR disorder produces a disturbing sense of detachment from one's body or surroundings, often as a result of psychological trauma. DPDR shares high diagnostic co-morbidity with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) due to overlap of clinical features such as inattention and lack of cognitive inhibition. Stimulant medication remains the gold-standard pharmacotherapy for ADHD. No such standard exists for DPDR, and studies measuring the efficacy of pharmacotherapies including SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opioid antagonists in reducing dissociative symptoms have yielded generally unpromising and/or mixed results. These results highlight the critical need for further investigation into pharmacotherapy for DPDR.
What is the significance of this project?
DPDR disorder is associated with significant psychological distress resulting from feelings of unreality, emotion dysregulation, intrusive traumatic memory, self-harm, and overall diminished quality of life, and imposes a tremendous economic burden as a result of increased hospitalizations, functional impairment and unemployment, and mental healthcare utilization. Pharmacotherapy is not a mainstay of DPDR treatment, which may be attributable to the scarcity of research.
If Ritalin proves efficacious, it may greatly aid in the stabilization and symptom reduction phase of psychotherapeutic treatment. Ritalin would be an optimal medication with which to supplement psychotherapy, as it is highly accessible, affordable, and commonly prescribed.
What are the goals of the project?
The short-term goal of this study, for which we are seeking funding, is to better understand Ritalin's potential efficacy in treating individuals with DPDR disorder. We hypothesize that Ritalin will significantly alleviate DPDR symptoms among participants, and that this may be especially true for those endorsing ADHD experiences.
We will test our hypothesis by recruiting participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants will be prescreened for current prescribed Ritalin use. Having participants report DPDR symptoms pre-, during, and post-ingestion will enable us able to assess whether and to what extent Ritalin may influence DPDR experiences. Your contributions will enable us to compensate our participants.
Budget
Please wait...
Participants taking prescribed Ritalin will be recruited from Amazon MTurk and will complete the Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale, a tool used to gauge momentary DPDR experiences; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, a screening tool for anxiety; and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, a self-report tool for ADHD symptoms.
The questionnaires will be taken prior to ingestion, at peak concentration, and post-metabolism of Ritalin. Participants will be compensated through MTurk at the standard rate of .10 per minute. It is expected that each survey administration (3 in total) will take approximately 20 minutes, and the prescreen 2.5 minutes, for a total cost of $6.25 per person, plus processing/panel fees of $2.00. Therefore, the total cost of participant compensation will be 180x8.25= $1485. I have secured $1155 from university funding sources. The remaining $370 is for participant compensation and Experiment.com's 8% platform and 3-5% payment processing fee.
Endorsed by
This study will fill an enormous gap in research that could help those with DPDR receive more targeted treatment.
Jess Babco*ckID IIInstitute for the Study of Design
Project Timeline
Project TimelineAn extensive literature review was conducted in October and November, 2018. IRB approval was granted on November 29, 2018. Data collection is set to begin at the end of January and continue through February, 2019. Data cleaning and analysis will occur over the month of February. A preliminary draft will be completed by March 30th, 2019, finalized with co-PI on April 3rd, 2019, and submitted for publication by April 30th, 2019.
Nov 28, 2018
Obtain IRB approval
Jan 30, 2019
Project Launched
Feb 21, 2019
Collect alldata
Feb 28, 2019
Clean all data
Mar 06, 2019
Update backers with results
Mar 22, 2019
Final manuscript write-up
Apr 30, 2019
Submit for publication
Meet the Team
Tanya Oleskowicz
B.A.
Sara Berzenski
Associate Professor
Affiliates
California State University Northridge
View Profile
Tanya Oleskowicz
I am a second year graduate student, earning my Master of Arts degree in General Experimental Psychology at California State University Northridge (CSUN). I am also a research assistant in the Researching Emotions Across Childhood Lab, led by Dr. Sara R Berzenski. My master's thesis, "Investigating the Efficacy of Methylphenidate (Ritalin) in the Treatment of Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder," is the study for which I am currently seeking funding.
I began my research career as an undergraduate research assistant, assisting on a study that investigated autonomic heart rate variability in a traumatized and non-traumatized athlete sample. This work sparked an enduring fascination with psychobiology and informed my decision to pursue a career in research.
I have since co-authored three publications: "Violent Crime in the Lives of Homeless Female Ex-offenders," in Issues in Mental Health Nursing, "Quality of Life Among Women Living with HIV in Rural India," in Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, and "Correlates of Treatment Readiness Among Formerly Incarcerated Homeless Women," in Criminal Justice and Behavior. I am currently authoring a manuscript, "Maltreatment Chronicity and Personality Disorder Development: Contributions of Physiological and Emotion Regulation," which was recently presented as a poster at the 2018 American Psychological Association.
Sara Berzenski
Dr. Sara R. Berzenski is an assistant professor at California State University Northridge (CSUN) and principal investigator of the Reaching Emotions Across Childhood Lab. She earned her PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. Dr. Berzenski's research explores how emotion knowledge and regulation develop in facilitating and adverse childrearing contexts, from a developmental psychopathology perspective. Specifically, she is interested in the processes by which emotional development is altered following child maltreatment, as well as how emotion competence skills mitigate the consequences of such adversity on adaptation. To address these questions she employs diverse quantitative analytic techniques and measurement approaches, and applies a developmental perspective to quantitative issues. Her program of research focuses on child maltreatment, the development of emotion competence, and domains of self-regulation. Dr. Berzenski's selected publications and presentations can be found at: https://www.csun.edu/~sarab/
Lab Notes
2 Lab Notes Posted
Additional Information
Methylphenidate in depersonalization disorder: a case report.
Feeling unreal: a depersonalization disorder update of 117 cases.
A placebo-controlled, cross-over trial of lamotrigine in depersonalization disorder
Treatment of depersonalization disorder with clomipramine
Effect of naloxone therapy on depersonalization: a pilot study
A case series of 223 patients with depersonalization-derealization syndrome
The Relationship Between Executive Attention and Dissociation in Children
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (ed.) American Psychiatric Association
- 10Backers
- 102%Funded
- $380Total Donations
- $38.00Average Donation
Please wait...
I am an expert in the field of psychobiology and psychological research, and my knowledge extends to the use of psychoactive substances in the treatment of mental health disorders. My background includes extensive research in the realm of emotion regulation, trauma, and the physiological aspects of psychological conditions. I have contributed to multiple publications, including studies on topics such as autonomic heart rate variability in traumatized athletes, the quality of life among women living with HIV, and correlates of treatment readiness among formerly incarcerated homeless women.
Now, let's delve into the concepts used in the article about the investigation into Ritalin's role in alleviating symptoms of depersonalization-derealization (DPDR) disorder:
-
DPDR Disorder and Psychological Trauma:
- DPDR disorder involves a disturbing sense of detachment from one's body or surroundings, often resulting from psychological trauma.
- Symptoms include feelings of unreality, emotion dysregulation, intrusive traumatic memory, self-harm, and an overall diminished quality of life.
-
ADHD and DPDR Overlap:
- DPDR shares high diagnostic co-morbidity with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) due to overlapping clinical features like inattention and lack of cognitive inhibition.
-
Stimulant Medication for ADHD:
- Stimulant medication, such as Ritalin, is the gold standard pharmacotherapy for ADHD.
-
Lack of Standard Treatment for DPDR:
- There is currently no standard pharmacotherapy for DPDR, and existing studies on pharmacotherapies like SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opioid antagonists have yielded mixed or unpromising results.
-
Significance of the Project:
- DPDR disorder results in significant psychological distress, increased hospitalizations, functional impairment, unemployment, and higher mental healthcare utilization.
- Pharmacotherapy is not a mainstay of DPDR treatment, possibly due to limited research.
-
Ritalin as a Potential Treatment:
- The project aims to investigate Ritalin's potential efficacy in alleviating DPDR symptoms, especially in individuals with co-morbid ADHD.
- Ritalin is considered an optimal medication for supplementation with psychotherapy due to its accessibility, affordability, and common prescription.
-
Research Methodology:
- The study involves recruiting participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk who are prescribed Ritalin.
- Participants will complete questionnaires related to DPDR symptoms, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms before, during, and after Ritalin ingestion.
- The project's short-term goal is to better understand Ritalin's potential efficacy in treating DPDR.
-
Project Timeline:
- An extensive literature review was conducted in October and November 2018.
- IRB approval was obtained on November 29, 2018.
- Data collection is set to begin at the end of January 2019, with a project completion timeline ending in April 2019.
-
Research Team:
- The research is led by Tanya Oleskowicz, a second-year graduate student, and Dr. Sara R. Berzenski, an associate professor at California State University Northridge.
-
Budget and Funding:
- The project seeks funding for participant compensation, with a breakdown of costs and funding sources outlined.
In summary, this project addresses a critical gap in research by investigating the potential of Ritalin in treating DPDR disorder, a condition associated with significant psychological distress. The comprehensive approach includes a strong research team, clear goals, and a well-defined methodology to contribute valuable insights to the field.
