Understanding how young people at risk for psychosis process rewards and value.
Official title: Reward, Salience and Value Processing in Youths at Risk for Psychosis: The RSVP Study
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11037971 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how teenagers and young adults who might be at risk for developing psychosis feel about rewards and different experiences, focusing on both the good and challenging thoughts they have, to better understand how these feelings change over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $686,479 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH131566-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11037971 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents and young adults who are identified as being at clinical high risk for developing psychosis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not fall into the clinical high-risk category for psychosis may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how adolescents and young adults who are at clinical high risk for psychosis experience and evaluate rewards and the importance of different experiences. It focuses on understanding both positive symptoms, like unusual thoughts, and negative symptoms, such as a lack of pleasure, in this population. By studying a group of 96 individuals, the research aims to explore how these symptoms relate to the way they process salience, which is the significance they assign to various experiences. Participants will be followed over time to assess changes in their clinical and functional outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment strategies for young people at risk for psychosis, potentially alleviating symptoms and enhancing their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in understanding salience processing in schizophrenia, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Waltz, James a — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Waltz, James a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Psychosis in diverse settings across the world
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-
Psychosis in Diverse Settings: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment Across Global South
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A new online brain-scan-style tool to spot early psychosis risk
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Biomarkers to tailor rehab for Veterans with schizophrenia
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Computational analysis of facial expression in early psychosis
Aims to develop computer-based measures of facial expression in people at risk for or with schizophrenia to help track symptoms and guide future trials.
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.