Using wearables to track how moms respond when babies are distressed
Automated Assessment of Maternal Sensitivity to Infant Distress: Leveraging Wearable Sensors for Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Research
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · NIH-11146664
Researchers will use small wearable sensors to learn how mothers respond to their babies' distress to help prevent later substance use problems.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (AUSTIN, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11146664 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you join, you would wear small sensors while caring for your baby so researchers can record real-life interactions and your responses to infant crying or distress. The team will use those sensor signals to train computer algorithms that try to recognize sensitive, timely, and nurturing responses. They will compare the sensor-based results to expert ratings and established measures of parent-child attachment and child behavior. The goal is to build reliable remote tools that could help flag families who might benefit from early support or prevention services.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are mothers (or primary caregivers) of infants and young children who can wear small sensors during everyday caregiving, especially those with a history of or risk for substance use.
Not a fit: People without infants or who are not primary caregivers, or those unwilling to wear sensors or share interaction data, are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify families who would benefit from early parenting support to reduce children's later risk of substance use.
How similar studies have performed: Related wearable and behavioral-sensing studies are emerging and show promise, but applying these tools specifically to maternal sensitivity for substance-use prevention is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
AUSTIN, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN — AUSTIN, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DE BARBARO, KAYA — UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- Study coordinator: DE BARBARO, KAYA
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 below.