Understanding how parental stress affects follow-up care for adolescents after psychiatric hospitalization
Official title: A mixed-methods investigation of parental burden and adolescent service use following discharge from psychiatric hospitalization
Funded at George Mason University · NIH-10892071 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how the stress parents feel about their child's mental health affects whether their child gets the follow-up care they need after leaving the hospital, and it also considers how family income might play a role in this situation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | George Mason University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fairfax, United States) |
| Project start | August 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 19, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $35,529 |
| NIH project number | 5F31MH134462-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10892071 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 12-17 who have recently been discharged from psychiatric hospitalization and their parents or guardians.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not recently discharged from psychiatric hospitalization or those outside the age range of 12-17 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between parental burden and the use of mental health services by adolescents following their discharge from psychiatric hospitalization. It aims to understand how the stress parents experience due to their child's mental health challenges influences the likelihood of their child receiving necessary follow-up care. The study will utilize a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data on service use with qualitative insights from families to explore these dynamics over time. Additionally, it will examine how socioeconomic status affects these relationships, particularly for families facing greater barriers to accessing care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved support systems for families, enhancing access to mental health services for adolescents and potentially reducing the risk of rehospitalization.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been research on parental burden and youth mental health, this specific mixed-methods approach focusing on post-hospitalization service use is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
George Mason University
Fairfax, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harris, Katherine Maultsby — George Mason University
- Study coordinator: Harris, Katherine Maultsby
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.