2023

Professor Andrew Chanen, chief of clinical practice at Orygen, has been announced as the recipient of the 2023 Perry Hoffman BPD research award in recognition of his world-leading research in the field of personality disorder.

Awarded by the International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders (ISSPD), the Perry Hoffman BPD research award acknowledges individuals who have undertaken significant work, contributing to a better understanding of the emotional and social aspects of borderline personality disorder (BPD).

President of the ISSPD, Associate Professor Giles Newton-Howes, said the award recognises Professor Chanen’s long and remarkable career supporting those who live with, and support people with, personality disorder.

“In particular, the committee noted his ground-breaking research into prevention, early diagnosis and early intervention, and destigmatizing BPD,” Associate Professor Newton-Howes said.

“Professor Chanen has had a long and distinguished career in the field of BPD, with an academic focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for young people. 

Professor Chanen said it was a very special tribute to receive the award, named in honour of the late Dr Perry Hoffman.

“Perry was an exceptional person in the field of personality disorder and a good friend. She was an enthusiastic advocate around the globe for the prevention and early intervention work of the HYPE program at Orygen and holds a special place in our hearts,” he said.

“More than that, Perry was an incredibly warm, sincere, effective, energetic and compassionate champion for all people living with personality disorder and their families.”

Professor Chanen describes personality disorder as mental health’s ‘forgotten child’.

“It has its onset from puberty, the same time as the other major mental health problems, and it is a leading cause of burden of disease, with severe personal, social and economic consequences.

“Shockingly, people with severe personality disorder live two decades less than the rest of the population. Despite all this, those who live with personality disorder, and their families and loved ones, still struggle to be taken seriously.

“We can and must do better than stand by and watch these outcomes develop when the work that we have done in HYPE over more than two decades demonstrates that early intervention is effective, achievable and far less difficult than we imagined.”

Professor Chanen said that in the future, personality disorder must be a mainstream concern for youth mental health.

“We aim for those young people living with personality disorder and their families to get the attention that they need and deserve by having early access to a functioning, properly equipped, effective and integrated mental health system,” he said.

Learn more about Orygen’s personality disorder research program.