Mindfulness app with coaching to reduce intense negative emotions in teens
Targeting negative affect through mindfulness training in youth at risk for internalizing problems
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · NIH-11187071
This project compares a coach-supported mindfulness app to no intervention to help 12–16-year-olds with high negative affectivity experience fewer and less intense negative emotions in daily life.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11187071 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be randomly placed into either a coach-supported mindfulness program delivered through an app or an assessment-only group. The team will use smartphone surveys (ecological momentary assessment) six times a day across three-day periods before, during, and after the program to track your momentary mood. A total of 120 adolescents ages 12–16 with high trait negative affectivity will take part, combining app practice with brief coaching sessions. The goal is to see whether this app-based approach reduces daily negative affect that is linked to later anxiety and depression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents aged 12–16 who have elevated trait negative affectivity and are concerned about risk for anxiety or depression.
Not a fit: Teens without elevated negative affectivity, those outside the 12–16 age range, or individuals with severe current clinical anxiety or depression requiring intensive treatment may not benefit from this preventive app program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce daily negative mood in at-risk teens and lower their chance of developing anxiety or depression.
How similar studies have performed: Mindfulness programs for youth have shown some benefits for anxiety and depression, but app-based, coach-supported interventions specifically targeting momentary negative affect using EMA are newer and less proven.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY — Nashville, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GARBER, JUDY — VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: GARBER, JUDY
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.
Conditions: Anxiety Disorders