Clinical Research Directory

Motivation for Daily Living Skills

The goal of this clinical trial is to enhance motivation to complete daily living skills among 16 to 25-year-old autistic teens and young adults. Here are the main questions the trial aims to answer: Can this trial improve motivation to complete daily living skills for skills that people know how to do but struggle to do them consistently? Can this trial improve completion of the daily living skill that the participant identifies they want to do more often? Do people report feeling more empowered to complete the daily living skill they want to do more often? Are there any characteristics of a person that make them more or less likely to benefit from the treatment? Researchers will compare treatments that target different types of motivation: * One treatment focuses on internal motivation and explores what is important to someone and then connect that value back to their daily living skill goal. * A second treatment focuses on external motivation and will explore a person finding outside sources of motivation, like rewards. * A third treatment will use a combination of both methods. Autistic teens and young adults enrolled in this study will also be asked to choose someone in their life to be involved in the study with them. This person is called an "Important Person" (IP) and can be anyone close to them, like a family member, friend, roommate, partner, etc. The IP will be expected to support the teen/young adult throughout this treatment. Participants and their IPs will: * Complete five 'talk' therapy sessions that will last 60 to 90 minutes. The IPs will join the last 15 minutes of each session. * Be assigned to one of the three motivation treatments. * Fill out questionnaires before the first session, after sessions 2 through 5, and up to 4 weeks after therapy ends.

Peer-Mentoring and Motivational Regulation in Colombian Youth Swimmers

This completed study examined whether young competitive swimmers' reasons for participating in sport changed after a peer-mentoring programme. It was expected that intrinsic motivation and personally valued reasons for participating would increase after the programme. Twenty-nine Colombian swimmers aged 10-14 years participated. All swimmers received the same programme; there was no comparison group. The programme comprised 16 face-to-face group sessions delivered twice weekly over eight consecutive weeks. Each session lasted approximately 20-25 minutes and was led by an experienced swimmer acting as a peer mentor. Activities addressed communication, sport experiences, goal setting, reflection on competition, personal development and future planning. Participants completed the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS-28) before the first session and immediately after the sixteenth and final session. The questionnaire assessed seven forms of motivation: intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to accomplish, intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation, identified regulation, introjected regulation, external regulation and amotivation. Changes in each form of motivation were examined separately. The study was registered retrospectively after participant enrolment, data collection and analysis had been completed. Registration was undertaken for research transparency and should not be interpreted as prospective registration or preregistration.

Connecting Socioemotional Aspects of Exercise to Improvements in Physical Health Among Older Adults

Exercise is routinely recommended because of its benefits for physical, cognitive, and mental health. It is especially beneficial for older adults due to its potential buffering effects against Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (Luck et al., 2014). However, little is known about how to best encourage older adults to exercise. Based on behavior change theory, different intrapersonal and interpersonal motivational factors are likely to be relevant during the contemplation, action, and maintenance stages of behavior change. Generally, as a result of motivational shifts toward prioritizing positivity and socially meaningful goals with advancing age (Carstensen, 2006), socioemotional aspects of decision making may become more salient and influential for older adults (Mikels et al., 2015; Peter et al., 2011). Our previous work has demonstrated that positive affect (Mikels et al., 2020) and social goals (Steltenpohl et al., 2019) play a critical role in older adults' motivation to exercise, but these two lines of research have not been integrated to date. Recent work indicates that positive affect is particularly beneficial for health when shared in social connections (Fredrickson, 2016; Major et al., 2018), and the proposed work will, for the first time, examine how shared interpersonal positivity may impact exercise decision making and behavior, especially during the contemplation and action/maintenance stages of behavior change. But who are the older adults that benefit the most from exercise in terms of physical, cognitive, and mental health (and should be hence be targeted with messages)? Not all older adults reap the benefits of exercise (Sparks, 2014) and, conversely, sedentary older adults have the most to gain. Overall, the current proposed research program is innovative in its (a) translational application of insights from affective, cognitive, and aging theory and research to understand the antecedents and outcomes of exercise decision making in younger and older adults, (b) conceptualization of both the social and emotional aspects of decision making, (c) development of novel methods for health messaging that incorporate social influences, and (d) novel assessments of the exercise-health link.

Glucose and Motivation States

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how motivation is impacted by exercise and beverage consumption. Participants will be asked to report to the lab for 5 visits each separated by 2+ days over a period of 2-3 weeks.

Effectiveness of Game-Based Learning in Pain Management Education for Nursing Students

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of game-based learning on undergraduate nursing students' pain management knowledge, learning motivation, and educational satisfaction. Background: Pain management is a core nursing competency. Although game-based learning is increasingly used in nursing education, evidence regarding its effectiveness in pain management education remains limited. Design: Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Methods: Undergraduate nursing students were randomly assigned to either a game-based learning or traditional education group. Pain management knowledge, learning motivation, and educational satisfaction were assessed immediately after the intervention and at a two-week follow-up.

Co-Creation Workshops With MaKey MaKey to Promote Participation Among People With Mental Health Conditions

This pilot study aims to design, implement, and conduct an initial evaluation of a group-based co-creation workshop program using MaKey MaKey and Scratch for adults attending a mental health day hospital. The program will use low-cost creative technologies as tools to promote social participation, motivation, and empowerment through cooperative experiences adapted to participants' interests, abilities, and needs. The intervention will consist of six weekly sessions lasting approximately 90 minutes each, with the possibility of two additional sessions to complete and present the projects developed. Participants will collaborate in the design of musical activities, cooperative games, interactive narratives, or other creative projects. Assessments will be conducted before and after the intervention, and information will be collected on attendance, participation, usability, incidents, support needs, and adaptations. The feasibility and acceptability of the program, as well as participants' experiences, will also be explored to inform its improvement and potential future implementation in other mental health services.

MRI Neurofeedback and Brain Circuits Related to Motivation in Healthy Participants

The purpose of this research study is to understand how healthy individuals self-regulate motivation by observing brain activity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Accelerated rTMS for Post-Stroke Apathy

This pilot study will investigate the safety, feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of accelerated high-dose repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to address apathy symptoms in individuals with chronic stroke.

Accelerated rTMS vs. Sham for Stroke Apathy

Apathy is a common set of symptoms seen in many people following a stroke. Apathy occurs when a person has lost motivation, becomes withdrawn, and stops doing things that used to be important to them. Apathy has a large negative impact on a person's quality of life, and can also have a large impact the people who take care of them. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments to help with apathy, and other services like therapy may be difficult to access for people who have had a stroke. To address this problem, investigators are conducting a study to find out if a form of treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can be safe and helpful for people struggling with apathy after a stroke. This study will apply a new form of rTMS which can be delivered quickly to a part of the brain called the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). This study will help establish whether this treatment is safe, comfortable, and effective for people with apathy after a stroke, and will help researchers develop new forms of treatment.

Effects of Kahoot-Based Learning on Anxiety, Stress Coping, and Motivation in Physiotherapy Students

This randomized controlled study aimed to investigate the effects of Kahoot-based learning on anxiety, stress coping, and motivation levels in physiotherapy and rehabilitation students. Participants were randomly assigned to either a Kahoot-based assessment group or a traditional paper-based assessment group. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline and after a 4-week intervention period.

The Effect of Artificial-Intelligence-Assisted Videos on Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and LATCH Scores in First-Time Mothers

As of 2024, nearly half (48%) of infants under six months worldwide are exclusively breastfed, approaching the global target of 50%. Building on this progress, the World Health Organization has extended the target to 60% by 2030, emphasizing the need for innovative, scalable, and supportive interventions to strengthen breastfeeding practices. Breastfeeding has well-established benefits for infant growth, immunity, and long-term health, while also reducing maternal postpartum complications and chronic disease risks. Early postpartum support, particularly within the first hours after birth, is critical for successful and sustained breastfeeding. However, in busy clinical settings, providing continuous and individualized support can be challenging, especially for primiparous women who may experience low confidence, pain, and insufficient guidance. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported relaxing breastfeeding video on breastfeeding self-efficacy, breastfeeding motivation, and LATCH scores among primiparous women. Unlike instructional videos, the AI-based video is designed to promote emotional relaxation, instinctive breastfeeding perception, and maternal confidence during the early postpartum period. The study adopts a two-arm randomized controlled experimental design. The population consists of primiparous women who deliver vaginally at Ağrı Training and Research Hospital postpartum unit between February and June 2026. A priori power analysis (α=0.05, power=0.95) indicated a minimum sample size of 38 participants; considering a 20% attrition rate, a total of 46 women (23 per group) will be recruited. Eligible participants include primiparous, Turkish-speaking women without postpartum or neonatal complications. Women who undergo cesarean delivery, have medical or psychiatric conditions preventing breastfeeding, or whose newborns require intensive care will be excluded. Participants will be randomized into intervention and control groups using an online randomization tool. All participants will receive a standardized 5-minute breastfeeding education based on the Turkish Ministry of Health breastfeeding counseling guidelines. In addition to standard care, the intervention group will watch a 10-minute AI-supported relaxing video at the 2nd and 6th postpartum hours during breastfeeding. The video will be displayed via tablet while the mother is in a comfortable breastfeeding position. The control group will receive standard care only. The AI-generated video will be produced using Kling AI, a generative video platform that enables controlled text-to-video workflows. To ensure ethical and cultural sensitivity, the video will not include real human or animal breastfeeding images. Instead, it will feature abstract, metaphorical visuals (e.g., pastel silhouettes, minimalist line art, or flat illustrations) that convey calmness, bonding, rhythm, and instinctive closeness. The final version will be selected following expert review and pilot testing with three postpartum women. Low-level white noise (\<60 dB) will accompany the video to enhance maternal relaxation and infant comfort. Data collection tools include a demographic information form, the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form, the Primipara Breastfeeding Motivation Scale, and the LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool. Breastfeeding observations and LATCH scoring will be conducted by an independent midwife blinded to group allocation. Statistical analyses will include descriptive statistics, paired and between-group comparisons, and repeated-measures analyses where appropriate. Ethical approval will be obtained from the relevant institutional ethics committee, and written informed consent will be secured from all participants. The findings are expected to contribute novel evidence on the role of AI-supported emotional and relaxing digital interventions in enhancing early postpartum breastfeeding outcomes and maternal confidence.

The Impact of Enhanced Music & Natural Visuals on Emotional Health

The investigators are conducting research on factors related to the self-regulation of mood and arousal states across a range of everyday activities as well as different levels of stress. Behavioral interventions-such as meditation, listening to music, or visualizing art or nature-offer important alternatives and/or adjunctive strategies to pharmaceutical tools or other mechanisms supporting physical and emotional well-being. This research will expand on the knowledge base regarding the impact of biophysical stimulation and/or frame of mind on an individual's self-directed management of physical and emotional health. Motivation, confidence, and composure are critical aspects of self-efficacy, framing a person's mindset to make healthy choices across daily activities. The research in this protocol is carried out across multiple sites and studies by means of digital tools and a consistent participant experience workflow. Together, these resources are intended to support individuals across multiple self-directed experiences utilized in the maintenance of their basic health. Before, during, and after session experiences, the participant provides objective (physiological) responses and/or subjective (self-report) responses and reflections; some studies also include interviews or focus groups. The combined set of responses can be summarized, connected to other measures, and input to machine learning models to improve personalization of stimuli. By studying the effects of soundBrilliance experiences across a variety of contexts and participant samples, the investigators can better refine each element of the stimulus to improve satisfaction, tolerance, and targeted outcomes.

Effect of Maternal Awareness of the Duration fo the Second Stage of Labor on the Length of the Second Stage

This study aims to understand whether informing laboring patients about how long they have been pushing during the second stage of labor affects the length of that stage and the overall childbirth experience. The second stage of labor is the period from when the cervix is fully dilated until the baby is delivered. When this stage lasts longer than expected, it can increase the chance of complications such as assisted delivery with vacuum or forceps, cesarean delivery, heavy bleeding after delivery, and certain neonatal complications. Although healthcare providers routinely track the duration of the second stage, patients are not always told how long they have been pushing. Some providers believe that sharing this information may help motivate patients and improve their sense of control, while others worry that it could increase stress or pressure. In this study, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the intervention group, patients will receive regular updates about how long they have been pushing during the second stage of labor, and a visible timer will be used. In the comparison group, patients will receive standard care, which does not include structured time updates. All participants will receive the same medical care otherwise. The study will measure the length of the second stage of labor as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes such as the type of delivery, postpartum complications, newborn health indicators, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. Participants will also be asked to complete a short questionnaire after delivery about their childbirth experience and sense of control during labor. The risks of this study are minimal because the intervention involves only providing information about time during labor. There are no changes to medical treatment or standard care. The information gained from this research may help clinicians improve communication with patients during labor and may identify simple ways to enhance patient experience and potentially improve labor outcomes. Participation in the study is voluntary, and patients may decline or withdraw at any time without affecting the care they receive.

Role of Psychological Factors and Acceptability of New Technology in Engaging Seniors in Physical Activity

This study will be a non-interventional study intended to identify psychological antecedents of the acceptability of WeWard application among people aged 55 years and older, , and its impacts on engagement in physical activity. Participants will be included in the study on a voluntary basis and healthy volunteers will be registered on the national volunteer database. This study will include people aged over 55 from senior citizens associations, from patients coming for frailty consultations at the Cimiez University Hospital Centre, and from any senior living in France. Regarding the recruitment, application users will receive a request to participate in a scientific study. If the request is accepted, participants will fill in the non-opposition form via the application and will complete, with their smartphone, a series of psychometric questionnaires (e.g. level of physical activity, personality, motivation, perceived physical competence, new technologies acceptability, etc.). Participants will then use the mobile application for a period of 12 weeks during which time, physical activity data provided from participants smartphone will be gathered such as the number of steps or gait speed. Psychometric questionnaires comprising each time one item (i.e. ecological momentary assessment) will be administered to participants randomly, in order to assess their evolution. After the 12 weeks of using the mobile application, older people will answer to the same series of psychometric questionnaires administered at the beginning of the study. Finally,lparticipants who will drop out the trial during this study will be contacted in order to clarify the reasons for their withdrawal.

Understanding Motivation in Parkinson's Patients Through Neurophysiology

The study aims to better understand motivation and value-based decision-making in Parkinson's patients through neurophysiology using Medtronic's Percept DBS device. By combining behavioral tasks with neural recordings, the study seeks to uncover how DBS affects motivation, particularly in relation to effort, reward, and timing.

Motivational Interviewing in Hearing Aid Users

Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic disabilities in the older adult population and affects their quality of life. Hearing aid use can improve one's quality of life by increasing a person's ability to detect, differentiate and locate sound, and improve speech recognition. Several factors seem to reduce motivation to use a hearing aid. Fears of exclusion and shame due to hearing loss are major deterrents to hearing aid use. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a counselling style aimed at creating desire in patients to change their behavior. There have been pilot studies that suggest one-on-one MI can increase hearing aid use, but other pilot studies found the reverse hence the evidence is inconclusive. The effectiveness of group MI therapy is also being investigated in MI research. While results in group MI research are promising, studies investigating group MI have been limited to substance abuse.

Motivation and Methylphenidate

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of methylphenidate, a mixed dopaminergic and noradrenergic agent, onto the different components of motivation: decision-making, effort allocation and instrumental learning.

InformationSeekingMesolimbicEngagementStudy1

Study 1 will use a novel Game Show task, in which the investigators manipulate participant's agency to control their learning environment to specify unguided exploration.

Relationship Between the Severity of Sleep Deprivation in the First 48 Hours Postpartum, Breastfeeding Motivation, and Breastfeeding Success

The postpartum period is a critical time marked by significant physiological and psychosocial changes that can affect sleep, emotional well-being, and breastfeeding behaviors. Previous studies indicate that mode of delivery and sleep quality are closely associated with breastfeeding outcomes, with cesarean birth often linked to poorer sleep and lower breastfeeding success. Evidence also suggests that postpartum sleep disturbances are related to reduced breastfeeding self-efficacy, lower motivation, fatigue, depressive symptoms, and shorter breastfeeding duration. However, the literature lacks studies that evaluate insomnia severity, breastfeeding motivation, and breastfeeding success simultaneously-particularly during the first 48 hours after birth. This analytical study aims to assess insomnia severity, breastfeeding motivation, and breastfeeding success (LATCH) within the first 48 postpartum hours and to examine the relationships among these variables. Findings are expected to support early postpartum clinical interventions to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

Neural Bases of Motivation

Effort-based decisions are essential in daily life but strongly impaired in apathy across various brain disorders. Now, significant research to unveil the neural causes of apathy is needed. A crucial corollary to this is the need to identify the brain network and neural mechanisms underlying effort-based decisions. A fronto-striatal network and the noradrenergic system are involved in effort-based decision-making and apathy. Further, motor cortical structures may play a role in effort-based decision-making. However, the role of circuits connecting the fronto-striatal network and the noradrenergic system to the motor structures has been disregarded so far. Non-invasive brain stimulation methods provide a unique and safe means to test the causal role of connectivity changes between fronto-subcortical and motor structures in effort-based decision-making. It's now necessary to have an integrative, connectionnist framework to uncover the causal role of connectivity changes between fronto-subcortical and motor structures in effort-based decision-making. The overarching goal of the present research protocol is to establish an integrative framework testing the causal role of connectivity within recurrent, bidirectional circuits between fronto-subcortical circuits and motor structures in effort-based decision-making. To achieve this overarching goal, investigators will quantifiy the causal role of effective connectivity and oscillatory synchrony in these circuits on effort-related behavior using a non-invasive brain stimulation strategy. Further, a secondary aim is to identify potential non-invasive brain stimulation methods that could increase engagement in effortful behavior, paving the way for translational clinical applications in the context of apathy. The investigators hypothesize that effort-based decision-making in healthy subjects is governed by bidirectional interactions between fronto-subcortical circuits and motor structures such as the primary motor cortex, mediated by oscillatory synchrony in specific frequency bands (e.g., theta and gamma bands). Accordingly, they hypothesize that transient, non-invasive modulation of connectivity and oscillatory synchrony between these structures in healthy human subjects will directly modulate their decision to engage in effort. Specifically, five experiments will use complementary approaches to test the hypothesis.

Effect of Critical Thinking Disposition Program on Developing Reflective Thinking and Motivation to Learn Among Nursing Students

Study Title: Effect of Critical Thinking Disposition Program on Developing Reflective Thinking and Motivation to Learn among Nursing Students Study Description: This study aims to investigate the effect of a Critical Thinking Disposition Program on nursing students' reflective thinking and motivation to learn. In the rapidly evolving healthcare environment, nurses must possess both critical thinking skills and disposition to make accurate clinical judgments and provide high-quality professional care. Many novice nurses lack critical thinking disposition, which can result in inaccurate clinical judgments and an inability to identify causes of problems. The program will target nursing students to enhance their internal motivation to think critically, solve problems, evaluate ideas, and make informed decisions. The intervention focuses on developing cognitive strategies, attitudes, and behaviors that support self-motivated learning and professional competence. Outcomes will be measured by evaluating students' reflective thinking and motivation to learn before and after the program. Primary Outcome Measures: Improvement in reflective thinking scores Increase in motivation to learn scores Secondary Outcome Measures: Development of critical thinking disposition attributes such as truth-seeking, open-mindedness, analyticity, inquisitiveness, self-confidence, and maturity

Smoking Cessation Program for the Older Smokers

This study aims to assess the effect of mobile health (mHealth) support or financial incentives and their interactive intervention effect on smoking cessation (SC) in old smokers in Hong Kong (HK).

Breastfeeding Myths and Mothers' Motivation

Breast milk is a unique and irreplaceable source of nutrition for infants, offering protection against many common childhood diseases due to its natural sterility, accessibility, and immune-boosting antibodies. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is critical for healthy growth, development, and immune support. Despite global recommendations by WHO and UNICEF, lack of knowledge and inadequate support continue to hinder optimal breastfeeding practices. One major barrier is the persistence of cultural myths and misconceptions, such as "colostrum should be discarded," or "infants need water after every feeding." These unfounded beliefs may reduce mothers' confidence and lead to early cessation of breastfeeding or premature introduction of complementary foods. This study aims to examine the relationship between mothers' belief in breastfeeding myths and their motivation to breastfeed. While prior research has explored each factor individually, no known studies have analyzed their interaction.

InformationSeekingMesolimbicEngagementStudy2

Participants will complete a treasure task during neuroimaging where they have to learn which keys open a treasure chest, and then they are tested on the contents of the treasure chest.