Mental Research Institute

Home
United States
Menlo Park, CA
Mental Research Institute

Directions Website

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Mental Research Institute, Nonprofit Organization, 671 Oak Grove Suite H, Menlo Park, CA.

10/06/2026

Relationships can offer support—but they can also shape how distress is understood and whether seeking help feels possible.

In the MRI-funded project Social Connectedness and Mental Health Help-Seeking Among Black and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Emerging Adults, Dr. Hans Oh of the University of Southern California examines how families, friendships, faith communities, and digital networks influence mental health and help-seeking among Black and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) emerging adults.

Drawing on survey data from 2,800 participants—including 1,600 Asian American and 1,200 Black or African American emerging adults—and approximately 100 in-depth interviews, the study explores how social support, loneliness, stigma, and online racism may shape psychological well-being and pathways toward care.

https://mri.org/blog/social-connectedness-and-mental-health-help-seeking-among-black-and-asian-american-native-hawaiian-and-pacific-islander-emerging-adults

10/02/2026

Parenting patterns can carry across generations—but understanding those patterns may create opportunities for change.

In the MRI-funded Resilient Roots study, Dr. Adi Rosenthal, Dr. Maria-Ernestina Christl, and Dr. Galena Rhoades are evaluating a trauma-informed group intervention that helps caregivers reflect on their own experiences while developing strategies to support safety, connection, and stronger parent–child relationships.

During the MRI grant period, 59 caregivers were randomized and five Resilient Roots groups were conducted in English and Spanish. The randomized trial remains underway as researchers continue collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data.

https://mri.org/blog/parentinfant-group-therapy-to-interrupt-intergenerational-patterns-of-abuse-a-randomized-controlled-trial-of-resilient-roots-1

09/30/2026

In the MRI-funded project The Effects of Political Difference on Parent-Child Relationships, Jason R. Folmsbee, in collaboration with Allison K. Farrell at Miami University, examined how political differences between college-aged children and their parents relate to relationship quality and a sense of belonging at home.

Using surveys and daily diary data collected over Thanksgiving week, the researchers found that greater political differences were associated with lower relationship quality and reduced belonging. Differences with fathers were especially relevant on days when politics came up, while moments of greater agreement appeared to lessen some of that impact.

https://mri.org/blog/the-effects-of-political-difference-on-parent-child-relationships-1

09/25/2026

Can the care we experience early in life shape how we care for the next generation?

In the MRI-funded project Early Life Caregiving and Health: Testing the Impact of Parenting Across Two Generations, Dr. Elysia Poggi Davis of the University of Denver, together with Dr. Melissa Nevarez-Brewster and Dr. Jessica A. Marino, examined connections between childhood caregiving experiences, maternal stress physiology during pregnancy, and later mother–infant interactions.

Their findings offer insight into how experiences of both instability and support may be connected to caregiving across generations.

https://mri.org/blog/early-life-caregiving-and-health-testing-the-impact-of-parenting-across-two-generations

09/18/2026

Addiction and recovery do not happen in isolation—they unfold within relationships.

In the MRI-funded project Connection-Enhancing Emotions in Parent–Child Dyads Impacted by Addiction, Dr. Andrea Hussong of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill examines how gratitude, generosity, and affection develop within families affected by addiction and trauma.

Through parent–child interactions, interviews, surveys, and physiological measures, the study explores how parents and children may influence one another’s emotional regulation and capacity for connection.

The research offers a strengths-based perspective on recovery by examining how everyday moments of connection may support healthier relationships and resilience across generations.

https://mri.org/blog/connection-enhancing-emotions-in-parent-child-dyads-impacted-by-addiction

09/15/2026

Vulnerability can deepen relationships, but opening up often depends on whether we expect to feel understood and supported.

In the MRI-funded project Perceived Partner Responsiveness as a Scaffold for Vulnerable Disclosures in Avoidantly Attached Relationships, Dr. Elina Ruiqi Sun of Syracuse University examined whether supportive responses during lower-risk interactions could make later, more vulnerable disclosure feel safer.

The findings showed that participants who experienced greater imagined responsiveness were more willing to disclose vulnerable information, with responsiveness also linked to less emotional withholding among those higher in attachment avoidance.

The research offers an interactional perspective on vulnerability, showing how feeling understood and cared for in one moment may help shape greater openness in the next.

Read more >> https://mri.org/blog/perceived-partner-responsiveness-as-a-scaffold-for-vulnerable-disclosures-in-avoidantly-attached-relationships

09/11/2026

Being in sync may not always mean being better connected.

As young children grow, moments of greater independence may reflect their developing ability to manage emotions—with a caregiver still available for support.

In the MRI-funded project Mapping Maternal–Child Relational Dynamics in Early Childhood, Dr. Nicole Perry of the University of Texas at Austin explores how mothers’ and children’s behavioral and physiological coordination changes between ages 2.5 and 3.5, and how those changes relate to relationship quality and emotional adjustment.

The research asks how connection and autonomy develop together within the parent–child relationship.

https://mri.org/blog/mapping-maternalchild-relational-dynamics-in-early-childhood-developmental-change-in-biobehavioral-synchrony-and-links-to-relationship-quality-and-child-emotional-adaptation

09/08/2026

Offspring Distress as A Threat to Health: Adolescents’ Depressive Symptoms as Predictors of Parents’ Chronic Disease Risk

Adolescent depression does not stay contained within one person—it can shape the emotional and relational life of an entire family.

In the MRI-funded project Offspring Distress as a Threat to Health: Adolescents’ Depressive Symptoms as Predictors of Parents’ Chronic Disease Risk, Dr. Erika Manczak of the University of Denver examines how adolescent depressive symptoms may influence parents’ physical health during midlife.

By looking at adolescent mental health, parent–child dynamics, and biological indicators of chronic disease risk, this study explores how distress can move through relationships and potentially affect well-being across generations.

Dr. Manczak’s work highlights an important relational perspective: supporting adolescent mental health may also be connected to supporting the health and resilience of the family system as a whole.

READ MORE >> https://mri.org/blog/offspring-distress-as-a-threat-to-health-adolescents-depressive-symptoms-as-predictors-of-parents-chronic-disease-risk

09/04/2026

When psychosis enters a family’s life, the impact reaches far beyond symptoms alone. In an MRI-funded project, Dr. Olivia Altamirano of Stanford University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences examined how Culturally Informed Therapy (CIT) could be adapted for families navigating early psychosis. The intervention integrates psychoeducation, communication, problem-solving, collectivism, and spirituality to help families draw on their own values and belief systems as sources of support. The project offers important insight into both the promise and real-world challenges of delivering culturally responsive, family-centered care in early psychosis settings.

READ MORE >> https://mri.org/blog/culturally-informed-therapy-for-families-in-an-early-psychosis-clinic

09/01/2026

When a parent learns their child may be at risk for su***de or self-harm, knowing what to do next can make a critical difference.

In the completed MRI-funded project Helping Parents Navigate Child Su***de Risk, Dr. Kathryn Fox at the University of Denver, Dr. Taylor Burke at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, and Dr. Alex Bettis examined how parents respond to digital su***de and self-harm risk alerts.

Among 217 parents surveyed, nearly one-third learned of their child’s potential risk for the first time through an alert. Many responded by expressing care, initiating conversations, and validating their child’s emotions, while some also experienced challenges related to trust.

The findings are now helping shape an intervention that will give parents practical, evidence-based tools for responding to youth su***de risk with greater clarity, support, and connection.

READ MORE >> https://mri.org/blog/helping-parents-navigate-child-su***de-risk-1

***dePrevention

Address

671 Oak Grove Suite H
Menlo Park, CA
94025

Website

https://mri.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mental Research Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Menlo Park?