Smartphone brain-training to help people with psychosis manage emotions
Official title: Cognitive Training for Emotion Regulation in Psychotic Disorders
Funded at University of Georgia · NIH-11136921 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A smartphone-based emotional working memory training program aimed at helping people with psychotic disorders improve control over their emotions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Georgia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Athens, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $549,411 |
| NIH project number | 5R33MH121560-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136921 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with a psychotic disorder who are stable outpatients and able to use a smartphone would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who are currently in acute crisis, have severe cognitive impairment that prevents using the app, or cannot use a smartphone may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You would use a smartphone app that delivers short emotional working memory exercises designed to strengthen brain regions involved in emotion control. Outpatients with psychotic disorders are randomly assigned to the active training or a placebo-like control app and complete the program over about 20 days. Researchers will measure changes in emotion regulation, clinical symptoms, and brain function before and after the training. The work builds on prior brain-training research that links improved prefrontal activation with better emotion control.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help reduce emotional reactivity and related psychotic symptoms and improve everyday functioning.
How similar studies have gone: Previous computerized cognitive training has shown promise for improving emotion regulation by targeting prefrontal brain function, though delivering emotional working-memory training via smartphone in psychosis is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Georgia
Athens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Strauss, Gregory P — University of Georgia
- Study coordinator: Strauss, Gregory P
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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.