A Meditation App for Youth in the Legal System

Effectiveness and Implementation of a Meditation App addressing Substance Use, Sexual Health, and Emotion Regulation among Legal-Involved Youth

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · NIH-11192266

This project is exploring if a meditation app can help young people involved with the legal system manage their emotions, reduce substance use, and improve sexual health.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO (nih funded)
Locations1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11192266 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Young people in the legal system often face challenges with substance use and sexual health, and difficulty managing emotions can play a big role. This project is testing a mindfulness meditation app designed to help improve emotion regulation. The app is being offered to youth on probation, allowing them to access support in their daily lives. The goal is to see if using this app can lead to better outcomes for these young individuals.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are young people involved with the legal system, specifically those on probation, who may be struggling with emotion regulation, substance use, or sexual health issues.

Not a fit: Patients who are not involved with the legal system or who do not struggle with emotion regulation, substance use, or sexual health issues as described may not receive direct benefit from this specific intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this app could offer a widely accessible and effective tool for young people in the legal system to improve their well-being and reduce risky behaviors.

How similar studies have performed: A prior pilot study showed strong feasibility, acceptability, and promising signals of reduced substance use problems and sexual risk behaviors among youth using the meditation app.

Where this research is happening

Chicago, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.