Clinical Research Directory

Thrive at Home: A Virtual Reality Social Intervention for Older Adults

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a virtual reality (VR) based social platform can improve mental health and social connection for older adults who receive in-home care. Specifically, the study aims to determine if the VR program reduces loneliness, depressive symptoms, and boredom while increasing social connection and well-being among older adult participants. It also explores whether access to the VR program reduces caregiver burden and depressive symptoms for family caregivers. Researchers will compare an immediate-start group to a waitlist control group to assess whether the VR program improves outcomes compared to standard home care alone. Both groups will eventually receive the intervention. Older adult participants will use a VR headset at home to join group activities three times a week. These sessions include social activities with local peers and live-hosted group activities. A family caregiver or home care professional may be present during sessions if needed for support. Over a 12-week study period, older adult participants will complete three surveys assessing their mood, social connection, and well-being. Family caregivers of participating older adults are also invited to join an optional caregiver substudy. Caregivers who enroll in the substudy will not participate in the VR activities themselves, but will complete three surveys at the same time points over the 12 weeks to share their own well-being and caregiving experiences.

YOUCA App for Parents of Children With Mental Health Issues: A Pilot Study of Usability and Efficacy

Parents play an important role in supporting their children's mental health but often feel unsure how to respond to emotional or mental health difficulties. To address this need, the PsyGes project developed the Youngsters Upbringing Mental Health Information and Counselling App (YOUCA), a smartphone app that provides parents with information, practical guidance, daily tips, communication strategies, a mental health glossary, and a directory of support services. This study aims to evaluate the usability and potential effectiveness of YOUCA in improving parenting skills and parental self-efficacy (confidence in supporting a child). In this mixed-methods randomized waitlist-controlled pilot study, approximately 25 parents of children with mental health difficulties will participate. Participants will use the app over a four-week period and complete questionnaires before and after use. App usability and satisfaction will also be assessed. Interviews with parents and a focus group with psychosocial experts will provide additional feedback to support further app development and future larger-scale evaluation.

Effect of a Brief Daily Digital Meditation on Well-Being in US Young Adults (BEGIN II)

This study is testing whether a short, daily, app-based meditation can help young adults feel better in their everyday lives. Adults aged 18-40 years who live in the United States and have not meditated regularly (defined as more than four times per week at any point in their lives) are invited to participate. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups for 4 weeks: 1. Intervention group: Participants will complete a 7-minute Miracle of Mind meditation each day using a mobile app. 2. Active comparator group: Participants will listen to a neutral 7-minute audio lesson each day. 3. Control group: Participants will continue their usual daily routine without adding anything new. All participants will complete brief online surveys at the start of the study and several times during the 4-week study period. Surveys will ask about mood, stress, anxiety, overall well-being, and mindfulness. Participants who already wear a smartwatch, such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch, may choose to share heart rate and related data so that researchers can examine whether meditation may also affect physical signs of stress. Investigators will compare changes over time among the three groups to determine whether the daily 7-minute meditation helps young adults feel better, experience less stress, and become more emotionally resilient.

Biomarkers of Environment Sensitivity

Most of the common mental disorders are heritable to a certain extent but environmental factors have an important role influencing whether the disorder will develop or not. These factors can be negative (e.g. loss of job or death of a loved one) that increase the risk of disorders but also positive (e.g. friends that provide support in need or doing sport regularly) that prevent the development of symptoms. This study investigates whether those who are sensitive to negative impacts may be also more sensitive to positive circumstances. If this is true, improving the environment of these people, for example offering psychotherapy, may help them more than to those who are not sensitive to the environment. More than 500 000 participants' genetic data is used to investigate which genetic factors are associated with sensitivity to environment. This information will be used to determine genetic sensitivity to environment in independent participants who went through functional magnetic resonance brain imaging. Therefore, the study will examine whether sensitive and non-sensitive peoples' brain respond differently to positive and negative stimuli. Finally, tests will determine how sensitivity to environment influences the effectiveness of an intervention that psychologists use to improve stress coping in young adults. This method aims to identify biomarkers to predict the effectiveness of this intervention. In summary, the study will enhance the understanding of why some people are more sensitive to environmental influences and how this information can be utilized to select the most suitable therapy for them.