Child and teen mental health questionnaire and 10-question screener
Integration and Evaluation of the cMHQ, a Novel Transdiagnostic Mental Assessment in Clinical Pediatric Practice
This project will use a new pediatric mental health questionnaire (cMHQ) and a short MHQ-10 screener in pediatric clinics to help find and guide care for children and adolescents with mental health needs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sapien Health LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Arlington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184449 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, this work will introduce a short 10-question screener (MHQ-10) to be offered first in pediatric primary care, and the longer child-friendly cMHQ for those flagged by the screener or recommended for further evaluation. The team will integrate these tools into clinic workflows at two Rady pediatric primary care sites and one mental health referral hub and train clinicians on how to use the results. The cMHQ is designed to capture emerging adolescent symptoms as well as positive strengths, lifestyle factors, and trauma history so clinicians get a whole-person view. The project will measure whether the tools are feasible to use, acceptable to families and clinicians, and useful for guiding triage and referrals.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children and adolescents seen at the participating pediatric primary care clinics or referred to the affiliated mental health hub.
Not a fit: People who are not seen at the participating clinics, or who need immediate emergency psychiatric care, are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tools could help clinics spot a broader range of mental health concerns earlier and steer children and teens to the right care faster.
How similar studies have performed: Brief mental health screeners have helped detect youth mental health needs in other settings, but this pediatric cMHQ is a newer, more comprehensive transdiagnostic tool that is still being tested in clinics.
Where this research is happening
Arlington, United States
- Sapien Health LLC — Arlington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thiagarajan, Tara — Sapien Health LLC
- Study coordinator: Thiagarajan, Tara
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.