Jessica R Peters

Dr. Jessica (Jess) Peters is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University's Alpert Medical School. Her research focuses on biological and behavioral mechanisms underlying maladaptive impulsivity, self-destructive behavior, and borderline personality disorder (BPD) in adolescents and adults, with a particular emphasis on ovarian steroid hormone influences on emotion dysregulation and premenstrual disorders like PMDD.

• Co-developed the Dimensional Affective Sensitivity to Hormones across the Menstrual Cycle (DASH-MC) framework
• 2021 NIMH/NIGMS R01 grant recipient for studying steroid mechanisms in menstrual cycle exacerbation of psychopathology
• 2018 NIMH K23 grant for anger rumination research
• Active in LGBTQ+ mental health research and clinical work

Research Areas: BPD, emotion regulation, impulsivity, menstrual cycle psychopathology, self-destructive behaviors, shame, aggression, substance abuse. Her work employs daily diary studies, fMRI investigations, and transdiagnostic models to understand hormonal vulnerability.

Scientific Leadership:

• Editorial Board, Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment
• Advisor for International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD)
• Communications Director, North American Society for Study of Personality Disorders (NASSPD)

Clinical Training: Provides instruction on personality disorders, gender-affirming care, and high-risk patient management to psychology and psychiatry residents.