Predicting mental health and behavior changes in incarcerated women
Official title: Multimodal prediction of behavioral and mental health outcomes in incarcerated women
Funded at Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute · NIH-11332994 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project combines brain scans, health history, and social information to predict how mental health and behavior may change over time for women in jail or prison.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project start | May 5, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $813,689 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH138560-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332994 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adult women who are currently incarcerated or recently released who can complete interviews, share health and substance-use history, and may be able to undergo brain imaging.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not justice-involved, who cannot safely undergo MRI, or who are unwilling to complete interviews and data collection are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
From my perspective as someone affected by the legal system, researchers will follow women over time and collect brain imaging, interviews about mental health and substance use, and information about social and environmental factors. They will use these different kinds of data together to find patterns that link current issues to future outcomes like worsening symptoms, recovery, or reoffending. The team hopes to identify risk and protective factors that could point to better treatments, support services, and reentry planning. Participation may involve interviews, questionnaires, medical record review, and possible brain scans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better-tailored mental health treatments and support programs that improve long-term outcomes for women involved in the justice system.
How similar studies have gone: Prior NIH-supported work with hundreds of incarcerated women shows brain and psychosocial measures relate to outcomes, but using many data types together to predict trajectories in female forensic populations is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute
Albuquerque, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Edwards, Bethany G. — Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Edwards, Bethany G.
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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.