Mindfulness and optimism program for pregnant people
Official title: Mindfulness, Optimism and Resilience for Perinatal Health and Empowerment (MORPHE) Trial
Funded at Miriam Hospital · NIH-11178502 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This offers a mindfulness phone app for pregnant people with low optimism to help reduce traumatic birth experiences and postpartum stress.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miriam Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $126,509 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM139767-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178502 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant people who report low optimism, are within the study's recruitment area, and are willing to use a smartphone app are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant, already have high optimism, lack a compatible smartphone, or require intensive psychiatric care are unlikely to benefit from this app-based trial.
What this research studies
If I join, I would be randomly assigned to use a perinatal mindfulness app called Expectful or to receive usual prenatal care, with about 100 pregnant people taking part. The study focuses on people who report low dispositional optimism and follows them through birth and the postpartum period to track traumatic birth experiences, p-PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Researchers will check whether the app is easy to use and acceptable, whether it increases optimism and other resilience skills, and will gather participants' perspectives on how optimism shapes their pregnancy. Results will help the team plan a larger trial to bring this digital support to more pregnant people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower rates of traumatic birth experiences and postpartum PTSD and anxiety by boosting optimism through an accessible app.
How similar studies have gone: Mindfulness programs have reduced stress and improved well-being in other groups, but using a perinatal mindfulness app specifically to raise optimism and prevent p-PTSD is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Miriam Hospital
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ayala, Nina Karlsen — Miriam Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ayala, Nina Karlsen
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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.