Mindfulness to reduce mood swings in teens at risk for mood disorders
Official title: Neurobehavioral Targets of Mindfulness in Youth At Risk for Mood Disorders
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11285153 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project teaches mindfulness skills to teens and young adults with family histories of mood disorders to help reduce frequent mood swings and improve sustained attention.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | April 21, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $726,636 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH127021-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285153 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and young adults (roughly ages 12–20) who have a family history of mood disorders and current problems with frequent or exaggerated mood changes.
✕Less likely to help
People without mood lability or without a family history of mood disorders, or those needing urgent psychiatric care, are unlikely to benefit from participating.
What this research studies
You would learn a mindfulness program designed for adolescents and young adults who show frequent mood swings and have a family history of mood disorders. The team measures attention with tasks like the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) and uses brain scans to examine resting-state connectivity between regions involved in awareness and control. They compare behavior and brain connectivity before and after the mindfulness program to see who responds best. Follow-up visits track changes in mood lability and day-to-day functioning over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower mood swings, improve attention, and reduce the chance of developing a full mood disorder in at-risk youth.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials and meta-analyses show mindfulness can reduce mood and behavioral symptoms in youth, but tying those benefits to specific brain connectivity and attention measures in at-risk adolescents is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hafeman, Danella Marie — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Hafeman, Danella Marie
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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.