Causes and consequences of mental disorders: how parents shape their children
Official title: Causes and consequences of mental disorders: The environmental and genetic influences of parents on offspring.
Funded at University of Colorado · NIH-11374811 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A parent-focused study uses genetic and environmental data to understand how parental traits influence children’s mental health and behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 15, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $723,749 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH130448-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374811 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents whose development may be affected by parental traits or family history could benefit from insights generated by this research.
✕Less likely to help
Children with mental health concerns unrelated to parental influence or those not represented in biobank cohorts may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses publicly available genetic and family data to separate the influences of genetics and upbringing on kids’ mental health and behavior. By applying a new design called SEMPGS, researchers will look at how parental traits affect offspring through the rearing environment, without relying on many old assumptions. The work involves analyzing existing biobank and cohort data to refine methods and gain clearer insights into family influences on child cognition, attention, anxiety, and behavior. The goal is to improve understanding of how family dynamics and genetics combine to shape child outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could improve how clinicians and families understand risk factors for child mental health and inform more effective prevention and support strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous genetically informed designs have provided clues, and this project aims to enhance accuracy with a novel SEMPGS approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado
Boulder, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keller, Matthew Charles — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Keller, Matthew Charles
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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.