How stress affects memory and rumination in teens who've experienced maltreatment
STRESS, MEMORY, AND RUMINATION IN MALTREATED ADOLESCENTS
This project compares how short-term stress changes memory for emotional events in 12–17-year-olds with a history of maltreatment versus those without.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322668 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would come to UC Irvine for an in-person session and be randomly assigned to a higher- or lower-stress activity that is designed to feel personally meaningful. Immediately afterward you would view a series of positive, negative, and neutral images and complete memory and attention tasks. Researchers will test your recall shortly after and ask about any repeated thoughts or rumination related to the tasks. The study enrolls both teens who experienced maltreatment and demographically matched peers to see whether stress affects memory differently between these groups.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are teens aged 12–17 who have experienced maltreatment, with the study also enrolling non-maltreated teens of similar backgrounds for comparison.
Not a fit: Children under 12, adults, or teens outside the 12–17 age range may not directly benefit from the findings of this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians, legal professionals, and caregivers better understand and trust maltreated teens' memories and lead to improved ways of interviewing and supporting them.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies suggest maltreated youth recall stressful personal events well, but using experimental stress manipulations and immediate memory tests in this age range is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Quas, Jodi Anne — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Quas, Jodi Anne
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 below.