Understanding how social stress affects near-term suicide risk
Official title: Multimodal Assessment of Near-term Risk Processes for Suicidal Ideation and Behavior
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11294436 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows adults at high risk to see how daily social stress, body signals, and activity relate to sudden shifts in thoughts of suicide over a two-week period.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | January 5, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $819,160 |
| NIH project number | 2R01MH115922-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11294436 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults at high risk for suicide who can participate in a 14-day EMA and wearable monitoring protocol.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who cannot participate in daily smartphone prompts or wearables may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one experiences intense social stress, this study uses smartphones and wearable sensors to track mood, stress biology, and daily activities for 14 days. Researchers will collect real-time data on feelings of worthlessness or wanting to die, along with heart rate variability, skin conductance, and movement, to see how these signals change with social interactions. The goal is to find patterns that predict short-term increases in suicidal thoughts, so future help can come faster and be more personalized.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these patterns could lead to earlier, more personalized interventions to prevent near-term suicide risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that momentary stress and physiological responses relate to mood changes, suggesting this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scott, Lori N — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Scott, Lori N
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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.