Your mood may be steering your choices: scientists track emotions to predict behavior

NCT ID NCT07801079

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

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Status unknown
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First seen Sep 03, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health are studying how everyday feelings, like stress or frustration, influence decision-making. They will follow 420 adults aged 18 to 55, including healthy volunteers and people with varying levels of depression, anxiety, or addiction symptoms. Over 12 weeks, participants will wear a smartwatch-like device and use a smartphone app to report their emotions, complete behavioral tasks, and keep an audiovisual diary. The goal is to understand how internal states shape choices, which could improve identification and treatment of mental health conditions.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
No drug or device is tested. Participants wear a smartwatch-like sensor and use a smartphone app to report feelings and complete tasks over 12 weeks.
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward personalized treatments that adapt to a person's emotional state to prevent risky decisions.
What could go wrong
This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It may not capture real-life complexity, and findings might not lead to direct clinical changes.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

About 420 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Nov 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Aug 2032

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

A government research agency

The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Study population will consists of health volunteers as well as dimensional cohort with varying degree of depressive, anxious and addiction symptom severity. They will be recruited nationawide and locally. The primary sources of recruitment are: online / physical study recruitment materials, social media, ClinicalTrial.gov, Clinical Center Search the Studies, online recruitment platform (e.g. Prolific / MTurk).

Ages

18 to 55 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

* INCLUSION CRITERIA In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria: 1. Understands study procedures as well as the risks and benefits associated with them. Is willing to comply with study procedures and is available for the duration of the study. 2. Currently resides in the United States. 3. Aged 18-55. 4. Individuals in good general health as evidenced by medical and psychiatric history, or individuals who endorsed current or lifetime clinical or subclinical symptoms related to Depressive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders. 5. Agreement to adhere to Lifestyle Considerations throughout study duration. EXCLUSION CRITERIA An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation: 1. Any unstable medical conditions (not well-controlled or are subject to frequent exacerbations, including uncontrolled hypertension, recent myocardial infarction, or unstable diabetes), severe chronic (long-term medical conditions that are either progressive or require ongoing medical treatment, including advanced cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or end-stage renal disease), or significantly impairing medical condition that could limit cognitive, mobility, and physiological measures (conditions that severely limit mobility or daily functioning, such as severe arthritis, advanced Parkinson's disease, or major neurocognitive disorders). 2. Any Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), loss of consciousness, brain lesion, epileptic seizure, or any other conditions that are indicative of abnormal function or structure of the brain. 3. Self-reported acute intoxication, withdrawal, or another medically compromised condition at Enrollment / Baseline Visit. 4. Following psychiatric symptoms and disorder diagnosis: * Any current serious ideation, intention or plan for homicide or intentional harm towards others as determined by SCID-V and the clinical judgement of qualified clinical team member. * Imminent / High risk of self-harm or suicide as determined by SCID-V and the clinical judgement of qualified clinical team member. * Current manic episode as determined by SCID-V and self-report questionnaires. * Currently under inpatient care. * Diagnosis (current and lifetime) and / or treatment for the following psychiatric disorders as defined in the DSM-5: * Any symptoms compatible with Psychosis * Neurodevelopmental Disorders (e.g. with learning or intellectual disability) impacting understanding of Decision-Making Tasks * Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders * Dissociative Disorders * Sleep-Wake Disorders, except for Breathing-Related Sleep Disorders * Neurocognitive Disorders (e.g., dementia or cognitive decline) impacting understanding of Decision-Making Tasks * Any significantly impairing psychiatric disorder, symptom or behavior, as determined by comprehensive clinical assessments, including severity scales, clinician judgment, and self-report measures. 5. Self-reported pregnancy or lactation. 6. Any disrespectful or unprofessional behavior towards any study team member. 7. Familial or any close personal relationship with a study team member. 8. Any condition or general impairment that might interfere with or limit individual's ability to engage in informed consent and study procedures.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety anxiety disorder Behavior, Addictive Depression depressive disorder Psychological Well-Being substance-related disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

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