Helping parents support their child after a psychiatric emergency
Official title: Developing and testing a text-messaging intervention to support parents after their child's psychiatric emergency
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-10994613 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a helpful text-messaging program called iPEACE for parents whose kids have just gone through a mental health crisis, aiming to give them the support and information they need to better care for their child after leaving the emergency room.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $226,159 |
| NIH project number | 5R34MH132711-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10994613 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are parents of children aged 0-11 who have recently been discharged from an emergency department following a psychiatric crisis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have children or whose children are not experiencing psychiatric emergencies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a text-messaging intervention designed to assist parents whose children have experienced a psychiatric emergency. The program, called iPEACE, aims to provide parents with essential information and support during the critical period after their child is discharged from the emergency department. By enhancing parents' mental health literacy and self-efficacy, the intervention seeks to improve their engagement with outpatient mental health services and reduce the likelihood of their child returning to the emergency department. The study will involve iterative development and testing of the messaging system over an 8-week period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could empower parents with the tools and knowledge needed to better support their child's mental health, potentially leading to improved treatment outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that text-messaging interventions can be effective in supporting mental health, suggesting a promising avenue for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Benningfield, Margaret Mccullough — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Benningfield, Margaret Mccullough
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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.