Functioning of People with Mental Disorders (R01)

Purpose. Although considerable advances have been made in improving the symptoms associated with mental disorders, symptom improvement is often only modestly associated with improvements in daily functioning (i.e., the performance of social, occupational, and instrumental tasks of daily living), and most current treatments have limited impact on the functioning and participation of those with mental disorders. The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is the application of biobehavioral science methods and approaches to: a) develop and refine definitions and measures of function, disability, and daily participation relevant to those with mental disorders; b) understand the ecological mechanisms, independent of symptom severity, that contribute to functioning and disability in this population; and c) develop and test novel interventions that specifically and directly target functional capacity and performance deficits of this population. Emphasis will be on the application of basic behavioral processes (e.g., cognition, affect, knowledge, attitudes, motivation, learning, decision-making, interpersonal processes), and environmental parameters (e.g., social support, structural adaptations, community involvement) that influence functional outcome. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the NIH Research Project Grant (R01) award mechanism. Applications of identical scientific scope and appropriateness for the grant mechanism are encouraged also under the NIH Small Research Grant (R03), the NIMH Clinical Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R34), and the NIMH Collaborative Grants Program (Collaborative R01) award mechanisms, responding to FOAs PA-06-180, PA-06-248, and PA-07-092, respectively. Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Budget and Project Period. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed 5 years. Applicants for an R01 award are not limited in dollars but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. Application Research Plan Component Length: The R01 application Research Plan component of the PHS398 (Items 2-5) may not exceed 25 pages, including tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts (see also http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm). Eligible Institutions/Organizations. Institutions/organizations listed in Section III, 1.A. are eligible to apply. Eligible Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs). Include Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution/organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. Number of PDs/PIs. More than one PD/PI (i.e., multiple PDs/PIs), may be designated on the application. Number of Applications. Applicants may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct. Application Materials. See Section IV.1 for application materials.