North American Society for the Study of Personality Disorders

We are pleased to invite submissions for the 2026 Biennial Meeting of the North American Society for the Study of Personality Disorders (NASSPD), taking place in Toronto, Canada. This year’s theme, “Development and Personality Pathology,” highlights the importance of understanding how personality disorders emerge and evolve across the lifespan.

We welcome proposals in all areas of personality disorder research, clinical practice, and theory, and we especially encourage submissions that emphasize developmental processes, trajectories, and mechanisms.

We will be accepting proposals in the following formats:

Oral Presentations (10-20 min):

• An oral presentation is a 10-20 min talk with slides from one or more presenters.

• Accepted talks will be grouped into sessions by topic following submission. 

• Submissions for oral presentations must include elements required for CE (see below).

• For this year's conference, we are enthusiastic to receive individual oral presentation submissions - we look forward to grouping them into sessions. For potential submitters who have a talk but not a whole symposium, please submit!

Symposia (1 hour OR 1.5 hours); 3-4 presenters and a moderator, may include a discussant:

• A symposium is a thematically linked group of 3-4 oral presentations.

• Submission includes one overall abstract (150 words maximum) and one separate abstract for each presentation (same structure as oral presentations).

• Total time should be either 1 hour or 1.5 hours.

• Submissions for symposia must include a single set of documents for CE (i.e. one set of learning objectives, see details below).

• There will be a limited number of spaces in the conference program for symposia. If you are interested in organizing a symposium but would like assistance identifying potential co-presenters on a specific research and/or practice-related topic, we encourage you to contact us ahead of the submission deadline directly at nasspdconference@gmail.com. We are happy to help facilitate connections among researchers and clinicians with shared interests—especially early-career investigators and individuals who have not yet attended or presented at a NASSPD meeting. Our goal is to foster collaboration and create an inclusive, welcoming environment for all participants.

Clinical Workshops (1 hour OR 1.5 hours); Usually 3-5 presenters and a moderator, may include a discussant:

• A clinical workshop is a session focused on explaining clinical material, often focused on teaching skills for providers.

• Submission includes one overall abstract (150 words maximum) and one separate abstract for each presentation (same structure as oral presentations).

• Total time should be either 1 hour or 1.5 hours.

• Submissions for clinical workshops must include a single set of documents for CE (i.e. one set of learning objectives, see details below).

Speed Data Blitzes: 5 mins, one presenter—open to all submitters this year, not just early career participants!

Poster Presentations: Printed/presented in a session. 

Please note, presenters with accepted abstracts will be expected to register for the meeting. This meeting does not include a virtual presentation option.

Awards will be presented for Best Poster and Best Speed-Data Blitz presentations. We also encourage eligible individuals to apply for the NASSPD Awards, including the Young Investigator Award, Early Career Investigator Award, Mid-Career Investigator Award, and Senior Career Investigator Award.

Submission DEADLINES

November 1, 2025 for talks, December 1, 2025 for posters

Portal opened October 1, 2025: click HERE to submit

For any questions or concerns, please email us at nasspdconference@gmail.com.

General Submission Process

• All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer review process conducted by a scientific committee to ensure quality and relevance.

• All abstracts must be a maximum of 300 words and submitted using one of the following structured formats, depending on the nature of the presentation:

• • Empirical Studies: Use the following section headings: Objective: State the primary aim or research question. Method: Briefly describe the study design, participants, procedures, and measures. Results: Summarize key findings with relevant data. Conclusion: Highlight the implications of the findings for personality disorder research, practice, and/or policy.

  • Clinically-Focused (Not Presenting Empirical Data): Background: Describe the clinical focus, practice challenge, setting, and/or theoretical framework. Objective: State the aim of the presentation or the clinical insight being shared relevant to personality disorders. Clinical Approach/Description: Outline the treatment model/framework, case presentation, clinical vignette, supervision/training model, and/or ethical or cultural considerations. For case-based presentations, summarize the case (anonymized), including key features and context. Outcomes: Share key takeaways, lessons learned, and/or implications for practice.

• Symposia will also include an overall abstract (max 150 words) in addition to a single abstract for each talk.

• Due to limited space in the scientific program, not all submissions can be accommodated in the format proposed. Each submitter will be asked to indicate whether they would like their proposal to be considered for alternative presentation formats if not selected for your first choice. For symposium submissions, we will ask if authors would like to be considered for individual presentations if the symposium is not selected.

• You will be able to indicate the names of co-authors in the submission platform.

• To satisfy requirements for Continuing Education credits for psychologists, all submissions for any presentation type that is not a poster must include:

• • At least three relevant peer-reviewed citations. 

  • Three (3) learning objectives, which you will be prompted to enter within the abstract submission portal. For guidance on writing learning objectives, please see Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Objectives. 

  • The presenter’s CV.

  • Indication if the target audience is beginner, intermediate, or advanced.

  • Responses to conflict of interest questions.

  • Indication if any proprietary or confidential information will be shared during the presentation and if so what you will do to protect the information.

Join us in Toronto for a vibrant exchange of ideas, research, and clinical insights that will shape the future of personality disorder science and practice!