# Targeting negative affect through mindfulness training in youth at risk for internalizing problems

> **NIH NIH R61** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $901,808

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Rates of anxiety and depression in youth are substantial, causing a major unmet need for effective
interventions. Although some progress has been made in preventing these internalizing problems in
adolescents, further research is needed that specifically targets theoretically and empirically supported
risk processes. An important and salient risk factor found to increase the likelihood of anxiety and
depression is negative affectivity – a partially heritable trait propensity to experience and express more
frequent, intense, and enduring aversive emotional states. The proposed randomized controlled
prevention trial builds on our finding from our longitudinal study that elevated levels of negative
affectivity during adolescence prospectively predicted internalizing disorders in early adulthood
(Zinbarg et al., 2016); moreover, this relation was mediated by changes in momentary negative affect
(mNA) measured with ecological momentary assessment (EMA) (Adam et al., 2018). The first phase
(R61) of the proposed selective prevention trial will test whether an app-based, coach-supported
mindfulness intervention as compared to an assessment-only control reduces momentary negative
affect, measured with ecological momentary assessment (EMA), in 120 adolescents (age 12-16) at-
risk based on their having high levels of trait negative affectivity. EMA will be used to measure average
daily mood, (the “Target”) collected six times a day across three days at pre-, mid-, and post-
intervention. “Target” engagement will be defined as a medium effect size (>.40) in the comparison of
youth randomized to MBI versus control on the target – momentary negative affect – at post-test,
adjusting for pre-test levels. We also will assess the dose-response relation by testing the association
between number of sessions and exercises completed with changes in momentary negative affect and
weekly mood ratings. In the second phase (R33), we will conduct a replication trial with a new sample
of 360 at-risk (i.e., high trait negative affectivity) youths (ages 12-16) randomized to one of three
conditions – MBI, a nonspecific control, or an assessment-only control. Youth will be evaluated with
regard to the target (i.e., mNA), internalizing symptoms and disorders, and functioning (e.g., social,
academic) at baseline and post-intervention (R61 and R33), and at a 6-month follow-up (R33). Finally,
in the R33 we will test if significant reductions in momentary negative affect are associated with
improvements (or less worsening) in internalizing symptoms and fewer onsets of internalizing disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10134435
- **Project number:** 5R61MH119270-02
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** EMMA K ADAM
- **Activity code:** R61 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $901,808
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10134435

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10134435, Targeting negative affect through mindfulness training in youth at risk for internalizing problems (5R61MH119270-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10134435. Licensed CC0.

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