Finding why teens vape to guide better quitting programs

A Motivation-Based Adolescent Vaping Typology to Inform Cessation Interventions

NIH-funded research University of Louisville · NIH-11182570

Researchers will identify different reasons teens use e-cigarettes to help design quitting programs for adolescents.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Louisville NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Louisville, United States)
Project IDNIH-11182570 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, researchers will ask teens who vape about their reasons for using e-cigarettes through surveys and brief interviews. They will use those answers to group teens into different motivation-based types (for example, social use, stress relief, curiosity, or addiction). The team will use these groups to create quitting supports that match each type of vaper. They may also test small, tailored quitting approaches to learn which ideas teens find acceptable.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Teens who currently use e-cigarettes (vape) and can answer questions about their reasons for vaping, typically recruited in the adolescent age range.

Not a fit: People who do not use e-cigarettes, adults, or teens needing immediate clinical treatment for severe nicotine dependence are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could lead to quitting programs better matched to why individual teens vape, increasing the chances they stop using e-cigarettes.

How similar studies have performed: Tailored quitting approaches have helped adult smokers in other studies, but programs specifically designed for adolescent e-cigarette users are still limited and relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Louisville, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.