Helping South African teens build strong emotional control

Resilient Emotion Regulation Development in a South African Birth Cohort

['FUNDING_R01'] · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · NIH-11400236

Researchers are learning how supportive experiences help adolescents in Cape Town develop healthy emotional control and brain resilience.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorCOLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11400236 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would join a long-term project that follows children born in Cape Town into their teenage years to see how emotions and the brain change over time. The team combines MRI brain scans with detailed behavior questionnaires, tasks, and thorough information about family and neighborhood experiences. Local community members help shape the questions and procedures so the work reflects everyday life in the neighborhoods involved. Advanced data methods will link these pieces to find patterns showing which supports help teens develop healthy emotional control and resilient brain development.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are adolescents from the Cape Town birth cohort (and their caregivers) who can take part in brain scans, behavioral visits, and questionnaires.

Not a fit: Children or adults who are not part of the Cape Town cohort, who cannot travel for visits, or who cannot undergo MRI scanning may not directly benefit from joining this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to supports and early markers that prevent mental health problems and strengthen emotion skills in adolescents.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research in wealthier countries has linked emotion regulation to brain development, but applying detailed imaging and community-guided methods in low- and middle-income settings is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

NEW YORK, 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.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.