Personalized interpretation bias treatment for anxious kids
Official title: Threat Interpretation Bias as Cognitive Marker and Treatment Target in Pediatric Anxiety
Funded at University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) · NIH-11416600 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, child-friendly cognitive tool helps kids with anxiety learn to interpret ambiguity in a less threatening way to reduce worry.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2020 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $205,727 |
| NIH project number | 5R33MH121552-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416600 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are clinically anxious youth and adolescents, typically 8–17 years old, who can engage with computerized tasks.
✕Less likely to help
Youth without anxiety or those unable to participate in computer-based tasks may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a computer-based CBM-I intervention tailored to each anxious child to decrease interpretation bias and, in turn, anxiety symptoms. The approach combines real-time feedback with practice on neutral interpretations, aiming to change automatic thoughts over time. The study builds on prior findings that interpretation bias is linked to anxiety in youth and that CBM-I can reduce symptoms in adults, with a focus on applying it to clinically anxious children and adolescents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could become a scalable, computer-based option to lessen anxiety in youths by altering how they interpret ambiguous situations.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary adult data show CBM-I can reduce anxiety; pediatric data are limited but promising, making this an innovative and early-stage trial in youth.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Denver (Colorado Seminary)
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rozenman, Michelle Sherry — University of Denver (Colorado Seminary)
- Study coordinator: Rozenman, Michelle Sherry
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Doula support to improve mood and anxiety health for rural mothers
A rural-focused program tests whether birth doulas can boost confidence, support, and maternal health for new mothers with mood and anxiety concerns.
-
Understanding how heavy drinking and anxiety relate in emerging adults
This grant studies how heavy alcohol use and anxiety symptoms interact in young adults (ages 18–34) and what biological stress markers might reveal about that relationship.
-
Molecular and brain circuits linked to anxiety disorders
A researcher is studying a specific brain circuit to understand what drives anxiety and how it could be treated for people with anxiety disorders.
-
Expressive Writing to Help Sexual Minority Veterans with Depression and Anxiety
A brief writing program to help sexual minority veterans feel less depression and anxiety.
-
Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy for Veterans with Social Anxiety and PTSD Symptoms
A clinical trial tests whether a flexible brain-behavior therapy helps veterans with social anxiety and PTSD symptoms feel better and engage more in daily life.
-
How parents' emotions shape young children's anxiety
This project explores how parents' moment-by-moment emotions and bodily signals shape anxiety in children from infancy through age 11.
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.