Investigating how social motivation affects suicidal thoughts in preteen girls exposed to childhood threats.
Official title: Peripubertal Social Motivation as a Novel Risk Factor Linking Childhood Threat Exposure and Suicidal Ideation and Behavior in Preteen Girls.
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11239246 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how social feelings and experiences can affect thoughts about suicide in preteen girls who have faced tough situations, like violence, to help find better ways to support those who might be struggling as they grow up.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | February 18, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $77,526 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH137698-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11239246 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are preteen girls aged 9-12 who have experienced childhood adversities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are boys or those outside the preteen age range may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the connection between social motivation and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in preteen girls who have experienced childhood adversities, such as interpersonal violence. The study aims to identify risk factors that precede biological responses to stressors during puberty. By refining assessments of social motivation and suicidal thoughts, the research will test whether maladaptive social motivation contributes to the emergence of suicidal thoughts in girls with advanced pubertal timing. This approach seeks to improve early identification and intervention strategies for at-risk youth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better prevention strategies and interventions for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in preteen girls.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific focus on social motivation in preteen girls is novel, related research has shown success in identifying risk factors for suicidal thoughts in youth populations.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baldelli, Andrea Pelletier — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Baldelli, Andrea Pelletier
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Peripubertal Social Motivation and Risk for Suicidal Thoughts in Preteen Girls
This grant studies how social motivation and puberty-related changes may raise suicide risk in preteen girls, with potential ideas for earlier identification and help.
-
Understanding Social Connections and Past Threats to Prevent Suicide in Preteen Girls
This project explores how social interactions and difficult childhood experiences might contribute to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in preteen girls.
-
Motivation for Alcohol Use in Humans and How It Can Be Measured
This grant explores how people are motivated to drink alcohol and tests a safe, controlled way to study that motivation to inform better treatments for alcohol use disorder.
-
Effects of ADT on motivation and emotion in prostate cancer patients
This project looks at how androgen deprivation therapy may affect motivation and mood over time in men with prostate cancer.
-
Targeted online suicide prevention for Veterans
A web-based, one-session intervention for Veterans to reduce thoughts of suicide and self-harm by helping them manage distress and rigid thinking.
-
A brief, scalable module to help reduce suicidal thoughts in youth
A small, quick intervention module will be tested to help 12-year-olds who are experiencing suicidal thoughts feel safer and less burdened, using an accessible approach that could fit into regular care.
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.