Innovation Research And Training, Inc. SBIR Phase II Award,

This Phase II SBIR project builds upon previous research to develop and evaluate the efficacy of an online mindfulness education program for youth with 22q11DS, called the Aware Program. The program is an innovative and developmentally appropriate program that includes brief online modules designed to teach teens about mindfulness and mindfulness practices, as well as provide them with examples of how to apply mindfulness to their everyday lives. During Year 1, feedback from interviews with parents and youth, input from a Parent Advisory Panel, and consultations with professional experts are incorporated into edits to the program. The program is examined for Section 508 compliance and optimized for computers, tablets, and mobile devices. New resources are developed including a mobile messaging system and monitoring dashboard for parents. During Year 2, an evaluation study is conducted with adolescents with 22q11DS and one of their parents to examine the impact of the Aware Program on adolescents’ emotion management, emotion regulation, self-control, coping, and anxiety. Product outcomes include the Aware program for teens, a parent/caregiver guide, a mobile messaging system, and a dashboard for parents to monitor program progress. The results of this project include an evidence-based, scalable, developmentally appropriate program to teach important adaptive coping skills to adolescents with 22q11DS to improve their quality of life, health, and well-being. The program can be used by families of adolescents with 22q11DS, and can be distributed by clinics and organizations that work with adolescents, schools, pediatricians, psychologists, and other health providers.