Understanding how motivation affects decision making in daily life.
Official title: Effort-Based Decision Making and Motivated Behavior in Everyday Life
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11010805 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how motivation affects decision-making in people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, aiming to understand why they might struggle to feel motivated and how this impacts their daily lives, with hopes of finding better ways to help them feel more motivated.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $636,677 |
| NIH project number | 5R37MH066031-17 |
| Project ID | NIH-11010805 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder who experience motivational impairments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with mood disorders like major depression who do not exhibit motivational deficits may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how motivational impairments impact decision-making processes in individuals with psychotic and mood disorders, particularly focusing on conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. By examining how these individuals evaluate the effort required to achieve rewards, the study aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms that contribute to decreased motivation. The research employs experimental tasks to assess effort-cost decision-making and its relationship with everyday functioning and symptoms of amotivation. Insights gained could lead to improved treatment strategies for enhancing motivation in affected individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better treatments that enhance motivation and improve quality of life for individuals with mood and psychotic disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding motivation-related decision-making in similar populations, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barch, Deanna — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Barch, Deanna
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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.