Building social connection for Clarkston's diverse adults
RFA-DP-24-004, PRC Core: Promoting Social Connectedness in the Most Diverse Square Mile in America
This project adapts and offers an eight-session mindfulness and cognitive-behavior program to help adults and older adults in Clarkston, Georgia feel less isolated and more connected.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136811 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be invited to take part in an eight-session program that uses mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral techniques to reduce loneliness and strengthen social ties. The team will work with a community advisory board and local partners to tailor the sessions for Clarkston's refugees, immigrants, and long-time residents. Sessions will be delivered in community settings and include participant feedback and simple measures of social connectedness and wellbeing. The center will also offer training for local prevention researchers and keep participants informed through a communications component.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults and older adults living in Clarkston, Georgia — including refugees, immigrants, migrants, and African American community members — who are experiencing social isolation or loneliness.
Not a fit: People who are not experiencing loneliness, children under 18, or anyone unable to attend group sessions or provide consent are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help reduce loneliness and improve social and mental wellbeing for adults in a highly diverse, underserved community.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies of CBT- and mindfulness-based programs have shown promising reductions in loneliness, though adapting these approaches for highly diverse refugee and immigrant communities is less well tested.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia State University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lyn, Rodney S — Georgia State University
- Study coordinator: Lyn, Rodney S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.