# Neurocognitive Targets of Hostile Interpretation Bias Training to Treat Irritability

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2020 · $189,674

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 My long term goal is to independently investigate evidence-based therapeutics targeting the
neurocognitive basis of affective disorders in youth. As a critical first step, the objectives of the research plan
are to advance the development of interpretation bias training (IBT) to treat severe, chronic irritability in youth.
Few evidence-based treatments exist for irritability, despite its impairing nature and long-lasting adverse
effects. By establishing the targets of interpretation bias training, this treatment may be advanced towards
efficacy trials. Whatever the outcome, this project will inform us of the neurocognitive basis of pathologic
irritability, ultimately improving the mental health of irritable youth.
 My clinical interests led to an NIMH Clinical Fellowship to learn behavioral assessment and functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of youth with severe affective psychopathology. The Fellowship prepares
trainees to seek independence via a K-series mechanism. Now, as an Assistant Professor at the University of
Colorado (CU) School of Medicine, I have support to train to independence through a K23 mechanism. CU has
resources at its medical and Boulder campuses necessary to pursue training in computational modeling, its
application to neuroimaging, to further our understanding of pediatric mental illness. My mentorship team is led
by Guido Frank, M.D. and includes experts in computational modeling and neuroimaging (Drs. Frank and
Jones) as well as affective psychopathology and cognitive retraining trials (Drs. Leibenluft and Pine). My
training plan provides the foundation for an independent research program. My training objectives are to: (1)
train in the application and evaluation of cognitive retraining techniques to pediatric mental illness, (2) train in
the development of computationally-intensive models describing brain-behavior interactions, (3) train in
advanced neuroimaging and programming, (4) improve my research collaboration, writing, and presentation
skills, (5) obtain additional training in the responsible conduct of research. I will accomplish these training
objectives through coursework and other educational activities, guidance from my mentors/consultants, and
completion of my research project.
 The research project proposed in this application is the first study to examine the neural and cognitive
underpinnings of a recently developed IBT program to treat irritability transdiagnostically. It lays the foundation
for a preliminary test of efficacy of IBT on irritability by establishing IBT's neurocognitive treatment targets:
hostile interpretation bias and response in the neural threat-learning system. The design is a single-blinded,
randomized controlled trial of IBT on its targets. We plan to apply established computational models to
measure target response to IBT.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10004740
- **Project number:** 5K23MH113731-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Joel Johnson Stoddard
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $189,674
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10004740

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10004740, Neurocognitive Targets of Hostile Interpretation Bias Training to Treat Irritability (5K23MH113731-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10004740. Licensed CC0.

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