Using mindfulness meditation and breathing feedback to help young adults with anxiety and loneliness
Official title: Mindfulness Meditation and Respiration Biosignal Feedback
Funded at Equa Health, INC. · NIH-10919943 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new mindfulness app called Equa, made for young adults aged 18-30 who are feeling anxious, lonely, or down, to see if it can help improve their mental health by using a cool feature that shows how their breathing changes as they practice mindfulness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Equa Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 14, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $291,447 |
| NIH project number | 1R44MH134709-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10919943 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are young adults aged 18-30 who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, loneliness, or depression.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the age range of 18-30 or those not experiencing mental distress may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a mindfulness meditation application called Equa, designed specifically for young adults aged 18-30 who are experiencing anxiety, loneliness, and depressive symptoms. The project aims to enhance user engagement with mindfulness practices by incorporating a respiration biosignal feedback tool, which allows users to visualize their progress and mindfulness skill development. The research will validate this tool in distressed young adults and assess its impact on improving mental health outcomes and user engagement. Participants will be involved in a clinical trial that evaluates the effectiveness of this innovative approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide young adults with effective tools to manage anxiety and loneliness, leading to improved mental health and well-being.
How similar studies have gone: Previous clinical trials of digital mindfulness meditation have shown promise, indicating that this approach could be effective in improving mental health outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
Equa Health, INC.
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Creswell, John David — Equa Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Creswell, John David
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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.