How friends can help teenagers manage their emotions
Official title: Social Facilitation of Emotion Regulation in Adolescence
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-10886502 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how teenagers can manage their emotions better with the support of friends, and it wants to see if having a buddy around makes a difference compared to handling feelings on their own.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | July 12, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $196,875 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD108751-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10886502 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation are adolescents aged 12 to 20 who are interested in understanding and improving their emotional regulation skills.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not in the adolescent age range or those who do not have access to supportive peer relationships may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how adolescents can better regulate their emotions with the help of friends. It focuses on the brain's response to social interactions and aims to understand if having a friend provide support can enhance emotional regulation compared to doing it alone. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the study will compare the effectiveness of social support in managing negative feelings among adolescents and adults. By exploring these dynamics, the research seeks to develop interventions that leverage peer influence for improved emotional well-being.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for adolescents to manage their emotions more effectively, potentially improving their mental health.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that social support can enhance emotional regulation, suggesting that this approach may be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Silvers, Jennifer Ashley — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Silvers, Jennifer Ashley
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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.