Exploring how sleep, pain, and self-control affect marijuana use in teens
Official title: Mobile health applications in adolescent marijuana use: assessing the interplay among sleep, pain and inhibitory control
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-10988259 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how sleep problems, chronic pain, and marijuana use are related in teens aged 12 to 20, using apps and wearable devices to track their daily experiences, with the hope of finding better ways to help young people manage their substance use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $189,363 |
| NIH project number | 5K01DA057374-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10988259 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 12 to 20 who experience chronic pain and sleep disturbances.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have issues with marijuana use, chronic pain, or sleep disturbances may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the connections between sleep disturbances, chronic pain, and marijuana use among adolescents aged 12 to 20. By utilizing mobile health applications and wearable devices, the study aims to gather real-time data on these factors in the participants' everyday lives. The goal is to better understand how these elements interact and contribute to marijuana use, particularly in those experiencing chronic pain. This research could lead to the development of targeted interventions to help adolescents manage their substance use more effectively.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide insights that lead to improved interventions for adolescents struggling with marijuana use and related health issues.
How similar studies have gone: While the interplay of sleep, pain, and substance use in adolescents is a relatively novel area of research, there have been successful studies using mobile health approaches in related fields.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kossowsky, Joe — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kossowsky, Joe
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Targeting the brain’s fluid system to treat post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus
This grant explores a new approach to treating post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus by studying how the brain’s fluid system and immune cells manage CSF after a brain bleed.
-
National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at Boston Children’s Hospital
A patient-focused registry project at Boston Children’s Hospital will collect and study information from people with spina bifida to improve care and outcomes.
-
Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry for Patients
A patient-facing registry that tracks severe chronic low neutrophil counts to improve understanding and care for people with this condition.
-
Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry to Improve Care
A patient-focused registry gathers information from adults with severe chronic neutropenia to better understand infections, treatments, and outcomes over time.
-
Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry: Finding Better Ways to Prevent Infections
A patient-focused registry at a leading hospital helps people with severe chronic neutropenia learn how the condition progresses and how treatments work over time.
-
Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
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.