Mindfulness program plus mobile app to help teens manage aggression and misbehavior
A Pilot Investigation of a Mobile Application-Enhanced Mindfulness-Based Preventive Intervention Targeting Adolescent Conduct Problems
This project tests whether adding a phone app to a school-based mindfulness program helps at-risk teens strengthen self-control and reduce aggressive or defiant behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302692 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a teen showing early signs of conduct problems at school, you could be invited to a program that teaches mindfulness skills and uses a mobile app to support practice during stressful moments. The project will enroll about 120 youths and randomly place them in one of three school-based groups: the standard Learning to BREATHE mindfulness program, Learning to BREATHE plus the supportive app, or an active life-skills control program called Skills for Success. Researchers will look at how well the app helps teens use mindfulness in daily life, especially under stress, and will track changes in behavior and self-control over time. This pilot focuses on whether the approach is feasible and acceptable to students and schools before larger trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are school-age adolescents showing early aggressive, defiant, or conduct-related behaviors who attend participating schools and can use a smartphone app.
Not a fit: Teens with severe, active criminal behavior, immediate safety risks, or who need intensive clinical or inpatient services may not benefit from this preventive program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help teens improve self-control and lower the likelihood of escalating aggression using a program that schools could deliver more easily and sustain.
How similar studies have performed: Mindfulness programs have shown promise for improving adolescent self-regulation, but using a mobile app to boost real-world use of skills for preventing serious conduct problems is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Piehler, Timothy F — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Piehler, Timothy F
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.