David Shaffer
Encyclopedia
David Shaffer, M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.Psych., is the Irving Philips Professor of Child Psychiatry in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
at Columbia University
in New York City
. He is also the chief of pediatric psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
, undertook his training in pediatrics at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, and trained in at the Maudsley Hospital
.
in older male teens who committed suicide
, and the significance of a prior suicide attempt as a predictor in males, but not females, for whom major depression was especially important.
The finding of specific profiles and the almost universal presence of treatable psychiatric disorders among suicide victims suggested that case finding would be a viable method for preventing suicide. However, one approach to this—suicide-awareness educational programs—was found to offer few benefits and potential risks. This stimulated the development of a screening strategy instead. Ultimately, Shaffer led a team of colleagues in creating the Columbia TeenScreen
Program. TeenScreen has since became a nationwide program, now run by Shaffer's colleague Laurie Flynn.
(NIMH) to develop a child version of the DIS for use in large field studies. The NIMH DISC "is a highly structured diagnostic interview, designed to assess more than 30 psychiatric disorders occurring in children and adolescents, and can be administered by "lay" interviewers after a minimal training period." Shaffer has led the development of several editions of the DISC, including the current version (NIMH DISC-IV), which is based closely on DSM-IV. DISC-IV includes a computerized version of the interview that incorporates voice technology. This has greatly reduced the cost of administration, and allowed for self-completion by youth unable to read, obviating the constraining presence of an adult interviewer. The DISC has been translated into nine languages and has been used in approximately two hundred child research projects. Elements of the DISC have been employed by large, multi-site studies, such as the MTA
; federally administered regular surveys, such as NHANES
; and a number of other longitudinal studies. The availability of the instrument has, for the first time, allowed careful examination of patterns of psychiatric comorbidity and how this emerges over time, a matter of great importance for DSM. The American Psychiatric Association
has just funded a grant to Shaffer’s group to reexamine DISC data on twenty-six thousand subjects for the purpose of identifying critical questions for DSM-V.
Shaffer’s contribution to psychiatric classification dates back to 1966, when he collaborated with Sir Michael Rutter
to explore the benefits of a multi-axial system for ICD-9. This would subsequently be adapted for DSM-III. He served on the Child and Adolescent Work Group for DSM-III and DSM-IIIR and was co-chair of that group for DSM-IV. He is currently a member of the Child and Adolescent Work Group and the Mood Disorder
s Work Group for DSM-V and is co-chair of the Disruptive Behaviors Disorder Workgroup for DSM-V.
/Columbia University (CU) in May 2008, but retains his academic position and is actively engaged in research on DSM-V, on the determinants and triggers of suicide ideation, and on the categorization of suicide ideation and behavior in adolescents. He thus maintains his ties with the Division of Child Psychiatry at NYSPI/CU, which, under his leadership, grew from a small department with seven hundred visits a year to one with over thirty five thousand; from one without research grants to one that holds a portfolio of over $30 million per annum; and from one with four child psychiatrists in training to one that is now the largest in the country, with five endowed chairs, over twenty-four clinical trainees, eight research trainees, and junior researchers from all continents.
He has served as a consultant on suicide prevention
for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Indian Health Service, and the York State Office of Mental Health. He was a member of the Surgeon General
’s Advisory Task Force on Suicide Prevention. He is a past president of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
and of the Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology.
In addition to these research studies, he has contributed to the debate about the relationship between SSRI antidepressants and suicidal behavior for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychiatric Association, and both the American College of Neuropsyhopharmacology and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
editor in chief Anna Wintour
.
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He is also the chief of pediatric psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Training
Shaffer obtained his medical training in London. He qualified as a physician at University College LondonUniversity College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, undertook his training in pediatrics at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, and trained in at the Maudsley Hospital
Maudsley Hospital
The Maudsley Hospital is a British psychiatric hospital in South London. The Maudsley is the largest mental health training institution in the country...
.
Study of suicide
At Maudsley, Shaffer conducted the first epidemiological study of child and early adolescent suicide using the psychological autopsy method. Unexpected—at the time—findings were: the short delay between experiencing a stressor and the act of suicide, the frequency of aggressive behavior, and the suggestions that imitation played a role in youth suicide. These findings would later be confirmed by his much larger controlled study in New York and by others in the United States and throughout the world. Important findings from the New York Study were the very high prevalence of alcohol and substance abuseSubstance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
in older male teens who committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, and the significance of a prior suicide attempt as a predictor in males, but not females, for whom major depression was especially important.
The finding of specific profiles and the almost universal presence of treatable psychiatric disorders among suicide victims suggested that case finding would be a viable method for preventing suicide. However, one approach to this—suicide-awareness educational programs—was found to offer few benefits and potential risks. This stimulated the development of a screening strategy instead. Ultimately, Shaffer led a team of colleagues in creating the Columbia TeenScreen
TeenScreen
The TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University is an evidence-based, national mental health and suicide risk screening initiative for middle- and high-school age adolescents. The organization operates as a center in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry...
Program. TeenScreen has since became a nationwide program, now run by Shaffer's colleague Laurie Flynn.
Study of diagnosis
Other research interests have included the development of diagnostic instruments. He was charged by the National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
(NIMH) to develop a child version of the DIS for use in large field studies. The NIMH DISC "is a highly structured diagnostic interview, designed to assess more than 30 psychiatric disorders occurring in children and adolescents, and can be administered by "lay" interviewers after a minimal training period." Shaffer has led the development of several editions of the DISC, including the current version (NIMH DISC-IV), which is based closely on DSM-IV. DISC-IV includes a computerized version of the interview that incorporates voice technology. This has greatly reduced the cost of administration, and allowed for self-completion by youth unable to read, obviating the constraining presence of an adult interviewer. The DISC has been translated into nine languages and has been used in approximately two hundred child research projects. Elements of the DISC have been employed by large, multi-site studies, such as the MTA
MTA
MTA may refer to:* 4-Methylthioamphetamine* Manufacturing Technologies Association, UK trade association* Material transfer agreement, governing the transfer of research materials between two organizations* Metastasis-associated protein:**MTA1**MTA2...
; federally administered regular surveys, such as NHANES
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a survey research program conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics to asses the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States, and to track changes over time. The survey combines interviews and...
; and a number of other longitudinal studies. The availability of the instrument has, for the first time, allowed careful examination of patterns of psychiatric comorbidity and how this emerges over time, a matter of great importance for DSM. The American Psychiatric Association
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
has just funded a grant to Shaffer’s group to reexamine DISC data on twenty-six thousand subjects for the purpose of identifying critical questions for DSM-V.
Shaffer’s contribution to psychiatric classification dates back to 1966, when he collaborated with Sir Michael Rutter
Michael Rutter
For the motorcycle racer, see Michael Rutter Sir Michael L. Rutter is the first consultant of child psychiatry in the United Kingdom. He has been described as the "father of child psychology"...
to explore the benefits of a multi-axial system for ICD-9. This would subsequently be adapted for DSM-III. He served on the Child and Adolescent Work Group for DSM-III and DSM-IIIR and was co-chair of that group for DSM-IV. He is currently a member of the Child and Adolescent Work Group and the Mood Disorder
Mood disorder
Mood disorder is the term designating a group of diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders classification system where a disturbance in the person's mood is hypothesized to be the main underlying feature...
s Work Group for DSM-V and is co-chair of the Disruptive Behaviors Disorder Workgroup for DSM-V.
Later years
Shaffer retired as director of the Division of Child Psychiatry at the New York State Psychiatric InstituteNew York State Psychiatric Institute
The New York State Psychiatric Institute, established in 1895 and located on Riverside Drive at the foot of Washington Heights, the far upper west side of Manhattan in New York City, was one of the first institutions in the United States to integrate teaching, research and therapeutic approaches to...
/Columbia University (CU) in May 2008, but retains his academic position and is actively engaged in research on DSM-V, on the determinants and triggers of suicide ideation, and on the categorization of suicide ideation and behavior in adolescents. He thus maintains his ties with the Division of Child Psychiatry at NYSPI/CU, which, under his leadership, grew from a small department with seven hundred visits a year to one with over thirty five thousand; from one without research grants to one that holds a portfolio of over $30 million per annum; and from one with four child psychiatrists in training to one that is now the largest in the country, with five endowed chairs, over twenty-four clinical trainees, eight research trainees, and junior researchers from all continents.
He has served as a consultant on suicide prevention
Suicide prevention
Suicide prevention is an umbrella term for the collective efforts of local citizen organizations, mental health practitioners and related professionals to reduce the incidence of suicide....
for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Indian Health Service, and the York State Office of Mental Health. He was a member of the Surgeon General
Surgeon General of the United States
The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government...
’s Advisory Task Force on Suicide Prevention. He is a past president of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention was founded in 1987 by a group of experts on suicide who wanted to create a 5013 organization to fund research in suicide prevention....
and of the Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology.
Awards and honors
- The American Psychiatric AssociationAmerican Psychiatric AssociationThe American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
awarded him the McGavin Award in 1995 and the Itteleson award in 2000. - In 2007, he received lifetime achievement awards from NARSADNARSADNARSAD, or National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, is a private, not-for-profit public charity. It is the largest donor-supported organization that supports research on brain and behavior disorders...
and from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. - He received the American Suicide Foundation’s award for research in suicide in 1989 and the American Mental Health Fund Research Award for research on suicide in 1990.
- The American Academy of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryAmerican Academy of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryThe American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is a 501 non-profit professional association in the United States dedicated to facilitating psychiatric care for children and adolescents. Established in 1953, the Academy is headquartered in Washington, D.C...
awarded him the Philips Prize for outstanding contribution to prevention in 1998, the Klingenstein Third-Generation Foundation Award for Research in Depression or Suicide in 2004, and the Catcher in the Rye Award in 2006. - In 2009, he received the Joseph Zubin Award from the American Psychopathological AssociationAmerican Psychopathological AssociationThe American Psychopathological Association is an organization, "devoted to the scientific investigation of disordered human behavior, and its biological and psychosocial substrates."The association was founded in 1910...
.
Offices held
- President of the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- President of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- President elect of the International Society for Research in Suicide Prevention.
- Chairman of the Work Group on Research for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
In addition to these research studies, he has contributed to the debate about the relationship between SSRI antidepressants and suicidal behavior for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychiatric Association, and both the American College of Neuropsyhopharmacology and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
Family life
He has been married and divorced twice. His first wife was the caterer Serena Bass, by whom he has two sons. His second wife, by whom he has a daughter and a son, is VogueVogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
editor in chief Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour, OBE is the British-born editor-in-chief of American Vogue, a position she has held since 1988. With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and sunglasses, Wintour has become an institution throughout the fashion world, widely praised for her eye for fashion trends and her support for...
.