Smartphone-based suicide screening and support for college students
Exploratory Research Project - LEMURS
This project uses a smartphone app that passively watches patterns like GPS and contacts and combines brief surveys to find college students who may be at risk for suicide and connect them with help.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11324928 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project builds on an app called EMU that collects passive phone data (for example GPS and number/type of contacts) plus short prompts to spot changes linked to depression and suicidal thoughts. The team will ask college students to try the app and report whether it is acceptable, usable, and fits into their daily life. Machine learning and computational models will be used to refine how the app flags risk and to explore how automated screening could link students to interventions. The researchers will focus on feasibility and planning for future ways to offer timely help to students at risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: College-aged students who own a smartphone and are willing to install an app and share passive phone data, especially those with recent depression or suicidal thoughts, would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without a smartphone, those unwilling to share phone data, or anyone needing immediate crisis-level care are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help spot students at risk earlier and make it easier to connect them with mental health support before a crisis.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier work with the EMU app and other smartphone monitoring studies has shown promise for detecting depression and suicidal thoughts, but linking detection to effective interventions is still early-stage.
Where this research is happening
Worcester, United States
- Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester — Worcester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boudreaux, Edwin D — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Boudreaux, Edwin D
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.