Mindfulness to reduce mood swings in teens at risk for mood disorders
Neurobehavioral Targets of Mindfulness in Youth At Risk for Mood Disorders
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 ID | NIH-11285153 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: People without mood lability or without a family history of mood disorders, or those needing urgent psychiatric care, are unlikely to benefit from participating.
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 performed: 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
Pittsburgh, United States
- 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
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.