Sleep and circadian timing and suicidal thoughts in youth
Official title: Sleep and circadian timing and suicidal thoughts and behavior in youth: The role of self-referential processing and its neural correlates
Funded at Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital · NIH-11336432 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study with teens looks at how sleep timing and the body’s clock relate to self-criticism, self-reassurance, and thoughts of suicide.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Riverside, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 6, 2021 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $222,263 |
| NIH project number | 2P20GM139743-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336432 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Teens aged 13–17 who have a range of suicidal thoughts and are in inpatient, partial hospitalization, outpatient, or community settings.
✕Less likely to help
Teens outside the 13–17 age range or those not experiencing suicidal thoughts may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project examines how differences between biological bedtimes and actual bedtimes affect nighttime self-criticism and the ability to offer oneself kind thoughts, and how these processes relate to next-day suicidal thoughts in young people ages 13–17. It combines real-time sleep and circadian timing measures with brain imaging to understand the neural basis of self-criticism and self-reassurance. Teens with a range of suicidal thoughts from inpatient to community settings will participate in ecological momentary assessments, sleep and circadian evaluations, and MRI scanning to explore how timing may influence risk. The study aims to identify neural and behavioral patterns that could inform better sleep-related interventions for reducing suicidal thoughts in youth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide timing-based strategies and personalized interventions to reduce suicidal thoughts in adolescents by aligning sleep and circadian rhythms with healthier self-perception.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows links between sleep, circadian timing, and mood, but this specific combination with self-referential processing and neural correlates in youth is innovative.
Where this research is happening
-
Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital
Riverside, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kudinova, Anastacia Y. — Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kudinova, Anastacia Y.
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.