iManageAYA: a smartphone program to help young cancer survivors with depressive symptoms
Official title: iManageAYA: Preparation and Optimization of a mHealth Intervention for Managing Depressive Symptoms in Adolescent and Young adult Cancer Survivors
Funded at East Carolina University · NIH-11171724 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will create and refine a mobile app to help adolescent and young adult cancer survivors manage depressive symptoms on-demand.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | East Carolina University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Greenville, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $248,649 |
| NIH project number | 5R00CA248701-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171724 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (commonly ages ~15–39) who are experiencing depressive symptoms and have access to a smartphone would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with severe, urgent psychiatric needs requiring immediate inpatient or intensive outpatient care, or those without smartphone access or who cannot use the app's language, are unlikely to benefit from this intervention alone.
What this research studies
If you're an adolescent or young adult cancer survivor feeling down, this project aims to design and fine-tune a smartphone app called iManageAYA that offers self-management tools for depressive symptoms. The research team will use feedback from young survivors, interviews, surveys, and small pilot tests to adapt content and delivery to AYA needs. They will apply the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) to compare different app features and figure out which combinations work best. The app is meant to be used remotely and on your schedule so it fits around school, work, and family life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could make it easier for young cancer survivors to reduce depressive symptoms and stay engaged with follow-up care by offering accessible, on-demand support.
How similar studies have gone: Smartphone-delivered cognitive and behavioral approaches have shown modest improvements in general populations, but tailored apps specifically for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors are limited and this work is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
East Carolina University
Greenville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murphy, Karly Mary — East Carolina University
- Study coordinator: Murphy, Karly Mary
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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.