Digitally Enhanced CBT for Teens with Depression and Obesity
Official title: Digitally Enhanced Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents with Depression and Obesity
Funded at Colorado State University · NIH-11382978 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funded program tests a digital cognitive-behavioral therapy approach to help teenagers who are depressed and have overweight, aiming to improve mood and heart-health risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $212,841 |
| NIH project number | 5R34HL180788-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382978 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents aged 12-17 with depression and BMI at or above the 85th percentile who can engage in digital CBT and complete homework between sessions.
✕Less likely to help
Teens without depression or with BMI below the high-risk threshold may not be eligible or may not benefit from this specific intervention.
What this research studies
This project uses a digitally enabled CBT program for adolescents aged 12-17 with depression and high BMI to improve mental health and cardiometabolic outcomes. It builds on prior findings that reducing depression can lead to healthier behaviors like more physical activity and better sleep, which in turn may improve insulin resistance. The team will deliver a 6-week, 6-session group therapy tailored for digital delivery and measure changes in mood, activity, and metabolic risk, with follow-up data to assess durability. The study emphasizes diverse populations and real-world applicability, addressing barriers to adherence such as homework completion and engagement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, teens could experience better mood and healthier metabolic profiles, potentially lowering diabetes and heart-disease risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior small-to-moderate effects on depression and insulin resistance were observed, suggesting potential but still needing confirmation in a broader, digitally-delivered format.
Where this research is happening
-
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shomaker, Lauren Berger — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Shomaker, Lauren Berger
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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.