Helping parents of children with learning and attentional disabilities build resilience
Official title: Adaptation of virtual group interventions to promote resilience among English and Spanish speaking parents of children with Learning and Attentional Disabilities (LAD)
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-10848137 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a friendly online program called SMART-LAD that helps parents of kids with learning and attention challenges by teaching them stress-relief techniques and providing a supportive community to boost their well-being.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 14, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $578,579 |
| NIH project number | 1R56AT011869-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10848137 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are English and Spanish-speaking parents of children aged 0-21 with learning and attentional disabilities.
✕Less likely to help
Parents of children without learning or attentional disabilities may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a remote group intervention designed to support parents of children with learning and attentional disabilities. The program, called SMART-LAD, adapts an existing mind-body resiliency intervention to meet the unique needs of these parents, who often experience high levels of stress and mental health challenges. Through virtual sessions, parents will learn coping strategies and techniques to enhance their resilience and overall well-being. The goal is to improve their mental and physical health outcomes while providing a supportive community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the mental health and resilience of parents, leading to better outcomes for both them and their children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success with similar mind-body interventions for stress management, indicating a promising approach for this population.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park, Elyse R. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Park, Elyse R.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Mental Health Risk and Resilience of Latinx SGM Teens and Their Families
A project to understand how family support and cultural factors influence mental health for Latinx sexual- and gender-minority adolescents and their parents.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
-
Understanding how neurons resist and recover from toxic chemicals
Researchers are studying how brain cells fight back against harmful chemicals to help people survive exposure.
-
Fostering Community Connections to Strengthen Youth Resilience and Well-Being
A Hawaii-based effort helps teens and young adults get mental health and preventive care more easily by building local networks and smart referral pathways.
-
Indigenous healthy homes and communities to improve health and resilience
A community-led effort in Indigenous communities in the US Southwest aims to improve housing and health, focusing on safer homes, cleaner indoor environments, and access to culturally competent care.
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.