Understanding how young people at risk for psychosis process rewards and value.

Reward, Salience and Value Processing in Youths at Risk for Psychosis: The RSVP Study

NIH-funded research University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11037971

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 typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Baltimore, United States)
Project IDNIH-11037971 on NIH RePORTER

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents and young adults who are identified as being at clinical high risk for developing psychosis.

Not a fit: Patients who do not fall into the clinical high-risk category for psychosis may not receive any benefit from this research.

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 performed: Previous research has shown promise in understanding salience processing in schizophrenia, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.

Where this research is happening

Baltimore, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Chronic Diseasechronic disorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.