Peggilee Wupperman, Ph.D.
pwupperman@jjay.cuny.edu
City University of New York - John Jay College and Yale University School of Medicine
About Me:
Peggilee Wupperman, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at John Jay College and The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She is also Assistant Clinical Professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Wupperman is invested in improving the understanding and treatment of individuals with dysregulated emotions and behaviors. She is the author of Treating Impulsive, Addictive, and Self-Destructive Behavior: Mindfulness and Modification Therapy, published thorugh Guilford Press. She has conducted basic and applied research related to Mindfulness and Modification Therapy since receiving her doctorate more than a decade ago. Her publications have focused on behavior dysregulation (addictive, impulsive, and self-destructive behaviors), mindfulness, emotion regulation, and personality disorders. Specific dysregualted behaviors of focus include alcohol/drug use, physical and verbal aggression, binge eating and builimia, and a variety of other behaviors. Dr. Wupperman also conducts research related to gender and behavior. Dr. Wupperman regularly teaches classes and workshops for mental health professionals and trainees.
Research Interests
Health Politics and Policy
Gender and Politics
Addiction
Domestic Violence
Gendered Violence,
Opioid Crisis
Improving Therapy/Treatment
Mental Health
Mindfulness
Publications:
Journal Articles:
Substantial research has noted the serious consequences of (1) co-occurring severe mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders and (2) use of illicit drugs while methadone maintained for opioid dependence. However, treatment needs of individuals who meet both of the above criteria remain largely unmet. This pilot study investigated the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week, transdiagnostic group therapy (Mindfulness and Modification Therapy; MMT) tailored for opioid-dependent individuals with SMI and drug use. Retention was 83%. At posttreatment and 2-month follow-up, participants rated the treatment as highly helpful (9 of 10; 8.67 of 10), reported routinely practicing the guided-mindfulness exercises, and reported high confidence they would continue to practice. Assessments revealed clinically meaningful decreases in reported days of drug use at posttreatment and follow-up, with large effect sizes. Preliminary evidence suggests that MMT may be a feasible and acceptable therapy that may improve treatment engagement in this underserved population. Keywords: substance; psychosis; bipolar; mindfulness; intervention
OBJECTIVES: Disorders of behavioral dysregulation often involve more than one dsyregulated behavior (e.g., drug abuse and aggression, alcohol abuse and gambling). The high co-occurrence suggests the need of a transdiagnostic treatment that can be customized to target multiple specific behaviors. METHOD: The current pilot study compared a 20-week, individual transdiagnostic therapy (mindfulness and modification therapy [MMT]) versus treatment as usual (TAU) in targeting alcohol problems, drug use, physical aggression, and verbal aggression in self-referred women. Assessments were administered at baseline, post-intervention, and 2-month follow-up. RESULTS: Wilcoxon signed-ranked tests and multilevel modeling showed that MMT (n = 13) displayed (a) significant and large decreases in alcohol/drug use, physical aggression, and verbal aggression; (b) significantly greater decreases in alcohol/drug use and physical aggression than did TAU (n = 8); and (c) minimal-to-no deterioration of effects at follow-up. Both conditions showed significant decreases in verbal aggression, with no statistically significant difference between conditions. MMT also displayed greater improvements in mindfulness. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings support the feasibility and efficacy of MMT in decreasing multiple dysregulated behaviors.
Objectives: The current preliminary study investigated whether deficits in mindfulness (awareness, attentiveness, and acceptance of the present experience) may underlie the relationship of borderline personality disorder (BPD) features to self-injury and overall acts of harmful dysregulated behavior. Method: Nonparametric bootstrapping procedures were used to examine theoretical relationships among variables in a psychiatric sample of adults (N = 70). Participants were asked to imagine themselves in distress-inducing situations and then write what they would actually do to decrease distress in such situations. Results: As hypothesized, mindfulness statistically mediated the relationship of BPD features to reported acts of (a) self-injury and (b) overall harmful dysregulated behaviors. Conclusions: Difficulties in the ability to be aware, attentive, and accepting of ongoing experience may play a role in the relationship of BPD features to harmful dysregulated behaviors. Future research should clarify potential reciprocal effects between BPD features and mindfulness with prospective, multioccasion designs.
Increasing evidence suggests that deficits in mindfulness (awareness, attentiveness, and acceptance of the present moment) play a role in a range of disorders involving behavioral dysregulation. This paper adds to that literature by describing a transdiagnostic psychotherapy (Mindfulness & Modification Therapy; MMT) developed to target behavioral dysregulation. An open-treatment pilot-trial investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and pre-post effects of MMT targeting women (N = 14) court-referred for alcohol abuse/dependence and aggression. Pre-post comparisons revealed significant decreases in alcohol use, drug use, and aggression. In addition, the retention rate was 93%. Preliminary evidence suggests that MMT is a feasible and acceptable treatment that decreases dysregulated behaviors such as substance use and aggression, while also potentially increasing retention.
This study investigated whether deficits in mindfulness (attention, awareness, and acceptance of the present moment) underlie variability in borderline personality disorder (BPD) features and related impairments in interpersonal functioning, impulsivity, and emotion regulation. A path analytic approach was used to examine the relationships of trait mindfulness with BPD features, interpersonal effectiveness, impulsive and passive emotion-regulation, and neuroticism in a psychiatric sample of adults (N = 70). As hypothesized, mindfulness was associated inversely with BPD features and core areas of dysfunction, and these associations continued when controlling for neuroticism. Furthermore, mindfulness deficits continued to predict BPD features even when interpersonal effectiveness, passive and impulsive emotion-regulation, and neuroticism were controlled. These findings suggest that mindfulness may be a unique predictor for the expression of BPD pathology. An emphasis on mindfulness may thus be crucial in enhancing the formulation and treatment of BPD.
To improve understanding of the complex dynamics in intimate partner violence (IPV) in heterosexual relationships, we explored violence and substance use among the female partners of men entering treatment for both IPV and substance-related problems. All male participants (n = 75) were alcohol dependent and had at least one domestic-violence arrest. Results showed that female partners were as likely as men to engage in substance use the week before treatment; however, according to reports by the men, the female partners were more likely than men to use substances during the last week of treatment, due to a reported increase in use during the men's treatment. Regarding violence, 59 percent of female IPV victims reported engaging in some form of mild violence against their male partners, and 55 percent reported engaging in some form of severe violence. By contrast, only 23 percent of male batterers reported that their female partners had engaged in mild violence, and only 19 percent reported that their partners had engaged in severe violence. Regardless of whether the violence was defensive in nature, the data suggest that women in relationships involving substance abuse and IPV are in need of treatment. Implications of these findings are discussed.
The current study investigated whether deficits in mindfulness (the awareness, attention, and acceptance of the present moment) can account for variability in borderline personality (BPD) features and characteristic difficulties in emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and impulsivity. Structural equation modeling and hierarchical regressions were utilized to examine the associations of trait mindfulness with BPD features, interpersonal problem-solving, impulsive and passive emotion-regulation strategies, and neuroticism in a sample of young adults (N = 342). As hypothesized, mindfulness was related inversely to BPD features and core areas of difficulty, and these associations continued even when controlling for neuroticism. Additionally, mindfulness deficits continued to predict borderline features even when interpersonal effectiveness, passive and impulsive emotion-regulation, and neuroticism were controlled. It is concluded that deficits in mindfulness may be integral to BPD features. Difficulties with attention, awareness, and acceptance of internal and external experience appear to explain borderline pathology even when controlling for problems with negative affectivity, behavioral dyscontrol, and emotional and interpersonal dysfunction--which have been described as definitional of this disorder. Thus, attention to mindfulness deficits may enhance clinical formulation of BPD symptomatology, as well as provide a vital component of effective BPD treatment.
The current study examined the relations between biological sex, socialized masculinity, rumination, neuroticism, and depressive symptoms in a large sample of young adults (N = 589). As hypothesized, socialized masculinity negatively predicted rumination, neuroticism, and depression even when biological sex was con-trolled. Structural equation modeling revealed that rumination-on-sadness predicted neuroticism and depression, whereas rumination-in-general predicted only neuroticism. Controlling for masculinity, rumination, and neuroticism, men were more likely to experience depressive symptoms than were women.
Books Written:
This accessible book presents time- and cost-effective strategies for helping clients break free of dysregulated behaviors—such as substance abuse, binge eating, compulsive spending, and aggression—and build more fulfilling, meaningful lives. Mindfulness and modification therapy (MMT) integrates mindfulness practices with elements of motivational interviewing, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and other evidence-based approaches. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or a precursor to more intensive therapy. In a convenient large-size format, the book includes session-by-session implementation guidelines, case examples, practical tips, guided mindfulness practices, and 81 reproducible client handouts and therapist sheets. Purchasers get access to a companion website where they can download audio recordings of the guided practices, narrated by the author, plus all of the reproducible materials.
Media Appearances:
Blog Posts:
Beyond Self-Destructive Behavior Overcoming addictive, impulsive, and self-destructive behaviors that interfere with life values