Participate in Research

People like you make the difference!

By participating in a research project, you play a part in helping physicians and researchers develop better ways to diagnose and treat people with mental illness. As a research participant, you learn about the causes of specific mental health problems and what can be done to manage these conditions. 

We invite you to use the search tool below to look for studies underway in the Department of Psychiatry. To explore other opportunities, visit the Pitt+Me website to learn about other studies taking place at the University of Pittsburgh.

Find a study to participate in: Enter a keyword below (for example, "depression")

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Select keyword(s) from the list below:

Project Title:
Brain, Emotions, and Mind-Wandering (BEaM) Research Study
Principal Investigator:
Danella Hafeman, MD, PhD
For Information Contact:
Jamie Feldman, Project Coordinator, Email: feldmanj3@upmc.edu; Telephone: 412-527-6231
What We Are Studying:
We are recruiting 11-13 year olds who have a parent with depression or bipolar disorder. The study tests two skill-based groups (mindfulness and wellness strategies) for management of strong emotions.
Who Is Eligible to Participate:
Eligible participants are children ages 11-13 years old who experience frequent mood swings and have a birth parent with depression or bipolar disorder.
Who Is Not Eligible to Participate:
Children who have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. Children who are currently wearing braces are not eligible to participate.
What Participation Involves:
Participation involves an in-person or virtual intake assessment lasting 2-3 hours followed by 4 fMRI visits throughout the study that will last 2-3 hours each. An fMRI scan is non-invasive and does not involve radiation. Participants will also complete questionnaires and online games about his/her mood and behaviors throughout the study in addition to being randomized to participate in an 8-week mindfulness group or health and wellness group to help with management of strong emotions.
Do Participants Receive Compensation as Part of the Study:
Yes
What Compensation Do Participants Receive:
Compensation is provided. Please contact the study coordinator for more details.
Brochure Location:
Project Title:
Exploring Positive and Negative Dimensions in Autism Spectrum Disorders (EXPAND)
Principal Investigator:
Carla Mazefsky, PhD
For Information Contact:
Email the study coordinator at autismrecruiter@upmc.edu or by calling 1-866-647-3436, or visit our website at www.reaact.pitt.edu.
What We Are Studying:
The EXPAND study aims to validate a new observer-report measure of positive and negative features of ASD. This measure will quantify variability within ASD along novel dimensions that can concretely be targeted for intervention and measurably show change. The study will use gold-standard procedures and assessments to validate this measure. EXPAND is a multi-site study led by Dr. Jennifer Foss-Feig at Mt. Sinai and Dr. Carla Mazefsky at the University of Pittsburgh.
Who Is Eligible to Participate:
We are recruiting children ages 3-11 years old with an Autism (ASD) diagnosis. Parent/Caregiver/s must be available to complete assessments.
Who Is Not Eligible to Participate:
Children without an ASD diagnosis or without a parent/caregiver available to complete assessments are not eligible.
What Participation Involves:
All participants in EXPAND will complete child assessments, caregiver interviews, and online caregiver questionnaires. Some participants will be asked to complete a subset of the questionnaires and interviews 6 weeks later. A second caregiver and community provider will also be asked to complete online questionnaires for the study.
Do Participants Receive Compensation as Part of the Study:
Yes
What Compensation Do Participants Receive:
Participants will be paid $100 upon you and your child completing study activities. If your child is randomized to have follow-up questionnaires and interviews completed after 6 weeks, you will be compensated an additional $25 for the second caregiver completing study questionnaires at baseline, and an additional $50 upon completion of study questionnaires and interviews by a caregiver at the week 6 visit. The
community provider will be paid $25 for completing study assessments.
Brochure Location:
Project Title:
Validation of Emotion Dysregulation Inventory (EDI) with functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)- EDI-fNIRS
Principal Investigator:
Carla Mazefsky, PhD
For Information Contact:
Please contact the study coordinating by email at autismrecruiter@upmc.edu or by telephone at 1-866-647-3436 or visit our website at www.reaact.pitt.edu.
What We Are Studying:
The purpose of this study is to provide initial neural validation of the caregiver report EDI. 125 4- to 8-year-old children with ASD will complete frustration-inducing and cognitive flexibility tasks, developed and validated by Co-I Perlman, that have been associated with high irritability in non-ASD children. LPFC activation will be monitored via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), which is safe, noiseless, and painless. We expect that EDI scores (Reactivity and Dysphoria) will be negatively correlated with LPFC activation during frustration induction and during tasks associated with the demand for cognitive flexibility.
Who Is Eligible to Participate:
We are seeking English-speaking individuals ages 4- to 8-years old with an ADOS-confirmed ASD or documentation of a prior diagnosis of ASD, an IQ >79 or receptive language level >79 on the PPVT.
Who Is Not Eligible to Participate:
Individuals are not eligible if they do not have an ASD diagnosis, an IQ < 79 or diagnosis of intellectual disability and are not ages 0-3 years old and 9 years old and older.
What Participation Involves:
Participants will have their caregiver complete the questionnaire battery that will take approximately one hour. Subjects will participate in an fNIRS session (gaming tasks) lasting < 30 minutes. Youth make responses using a touch screen computer. They will wear a headpiece containing the fNIRS optodes, which measure hemodynamic changes during functional tasks. This technology uses low levels (5mW) of non-ionizing, red to near-infrared (690-850nm) light to diffusely measure spectroscopic absorption changes.
Do Participants Receive Compensation as Part of the Study:
Yes
What Compensation Do Participants Receive:
Participants may receive a maximum total of $120 for completion of all study tasks which includes a follow-up fNIRS visit.
Brochure Location:
Project Title:
Life Experiences in Adolescents and the Development of Skills (LEADS) Study
Principal Investigator:
Rachel Vaughn-Coaxum, PhD
For Information Contact:
Calla Pritulsky; Email: ECYMHLab@pitt.edu; Telephone: 412-526-8667
What We Are Studying:
The purpose of this study is to understand how teens learn skills to manage their thoughts and feelings, and how their life experiences are related to the ways they learn a new skill.
Who Is Eligible to Participate:
Teens aged 12-15 that feel sad, depressed, irritable, or withdrawn.
Who Is Not Eligible to Participate:
Teens that have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or current ADHD. Teens on any stimulant medications, such as Concerta or Ritalin.
What Participation Involves:
Participation involves six sessions (four remote visits & two in-person visits). Study procedures include questionnaires, interviews, tasks, physical assessments, and skill learning for managing negative thoughts.
Do Participants Receive Compensation as Part of the Study:
Yes
What Compensation Do Participants Receive:
Please contact the study coordinator for more details.
Brochure Location:
Project Title:
The KEY Study - Early Intervention for Youth At-Risk for Bipolar Disorder
Principal Investigator:
Tina Goldstein, PhD
For Information Contact:
Kelly Monk (Email: monkk@upmc.edu; Telephone: 412-246-5796)
What We Are Studying:
The study will examine the efficacy of two different types of talk therapy: Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors (HL)
Who Is Eligible to Participate:
Offspring between the ages of 12-18yo who have a biological parent diagnosed with bipolar disorder
Who Is Not Eligible to Participate:
Youth diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a developmental disorder or a central nervous system disorder.
What Participation Involves:
The study involves an initial assessment to confirm eligibility, a feedback session, randomization into one of two treatment groups and follow-up sessions at 3, 6,12 and 18-month timepoints. All participants will be asked to wear an activity watch and download an app on their phone. All study visits will be completed virtually.
Do Participants Receive Compensation as Part of the Study:
Yes
What Compensation Do Participants Receive:
Up to $600 over the course of the 18-month study duration
Brochure Location:
Project Title:
The Early Experience and Mind Body Connections (EMBODY) Study
Principal Investigator:
Layla Banihashemi, PhD
For Information Contact:
Brandon Sibbach (Email: bbstress@pitt.edu; Telephone: 412-586-9766)
What We Are Studying:
We are examining how difficult experiences in childhood impact vulnerability to mental health symptoms in adulthood through changes in brain circuits and body functions involved in stress responses. The results of this study could contribute to more effective mental health treatments.
Who Is Eligible to Participate:
Adults ages 20-35, right-handed, no metal in the body, including significant, non-removable dental work (fillings are okay) and are not currently taking medication for psychiatric disorders
Who Is Not Eligible to Participate:
Individuals outside of the age criteria, left-handed, ferromagnetic metal in the body and currently taking medications for psychiatric disorders
What Participation Involves:
Visit 1 involves the completion of questionnaires and a diagnostic interview.
Visit 2 consists of a 1-hour MRI scan with two computer tasks and the collection of urine, hair and saliva samples.
Visit 3 involves a 30-minute MRI scan.
Do Participants Receive Compensation as Part of the Study:
Yes
What Compensation Do Participants Receive:
Up to $135
Brochure Location: