Training to help manage emotions and reduce alcohol-related suicide risks
Official title: Development of mHealth-Supported Skills Training for Alcohol and Related Suicidality (mSTARS): Emotion Regulation Skills Training to Enhance Acute Psychiatric Care and Recovery
Funded at Duke University · NIH-10907788 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new program called mSTARS to help people who struggle with alcohol use and are at risk of suicide by teaching them skills to manage their emotions and providing support through a mobile app after they leave the hospital.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $168,671 |
| NIH project number | 5K23AA031035-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10907788 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals aged 21 and older who are hospitalized for acute suicidal ideation or attempts related to alcohol misuse.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not misuse alcohol or are not experiencing suicidal crises may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new program called mSTARS, which aims to support individuals who misuse alcohol and are at risk of suicide. It combines emotion regulation skills training with a mobile health app to help patients practice these skills after they leave the hospital. The goal is to improve care for patients during their recovery and reduce the chances of a suicide crisis after discharge. By addressing the gap in outpatient treatment follow-through, this program seeks to provide continuous support for those in need.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the risk of suicide among individuals who misuse alcohol by providing them with essential skills and ongoing support.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that emotion regulation training can effectively reduce both alcohol misuse and suicidal behavior, indicating a promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grove, Jeremy — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Grove, Jeremy
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Emotion Regulation Help for Youth in Child Welfare to Prevent Substance Use
A tablet-based program helps early adolescents in the child welfare system learn emotion regulation skills to reduce future substance use.
-
A Tablet-Based Emotion Regulation Program for Surrogate Decision-Makers of ICU Patients on Ventilation
A randomized trial tests a brief tablet program to help people who decide for ICU patients on ventilation feel less anxious and make better decisions.
-
Emotion regulation in teens in outpatient treatment for co-occurring disorders
This project studies how teens in an outpatient program for alcohol use and other mental health issues use emotion regulation skills and how this affects their treatment outcomes.
-
Helping South African teens build strong emotional control
Researchers are learning how supportive experiences help adolescents in Cape Town develop healthy emotional control and brain resilience.
-
Peer-delivered emotion-regulation training to prevent mental health problems in firefighter trainees
A peer-led program teaches new firefighters emotion-regulation skills to help prevent PTSD, depression, anxiety, and problematic alcohol use during the early years on the job.
-
Virtual Still Face and Deep Learning to Understand Infant Emotion and Caregiver Interactions
A study using video and wearable sensors to understand how infants and their caregivers regulate emotions in real life, with advanced computer methods to analyze how they interact.
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.