How Sleep Affects Mood and Social Skills in Pre-Teens
Official title: Developmental Impacts of Sleep on Positive Valence Systems and Socioemotional Functioning during Pre-Adolescence
Funded at Montana State University - Bozeman · NIH-11190974 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how sleep patterns in children aged 8-12 affect their mood and social interactions, aiming to understand how sleep influences their emotional well-being.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Montana State University - Bozeman NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bozeman, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $619,955 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH137263-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11190974 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are non-clinical youth between 8 and 12 years old who are willing to participate in longitudinal monitoring and behavioral tasks.
✕Less likely to help
Patients already diagnosed with severe psychiatric disorders or those outside the specified age range may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This research explores how common sleep patterns, like losing sleep during the week and catching up on weekends (often called 'social jetlag'), impact pre-teens aged 8-12. Our team has found that these sleep habits can negatively affect a child's positive feelings and increase their risk for depression and other mood issues. We will follow a group of children for a year, using devices to track their sleep, daily video diaries, and tasks to see how they respond to rewards. A separate group will participate in an experimental protocol to further understand these connections, helping us learn how sleep habits during these important developmental years shape emotional health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent depression and other mood disorders by improving sleep habits in pre-teens.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research from this team has shown that 'social jetlag' negatively impacts positive mood systems, suggesting a foundation for this work.
Where this research is happening
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Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Palmer, Cara a. — Montana State University - Bozeman
- Study coordinator: Palmer, Cara a.
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.