Episode 19: Meditation for youth at risk for mood disorders: A study of unintentional mind-wandering (with Dr. Danella Hafeman)

My guest today is Dr. Danella Hafeman, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a child psychiatrist and holds a PhD in Epidemiology. Her research focus is on youth at risk for bipolar disorder and testing intervention to prevent mood disorders. She studies the brain and behavioral features of bipolar disorder risk. She also performs clinical work as a psychiatrist in the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services clinic. She has recently started a research project funded by the National Institutes of Health titled Neurobehavioral Targets of Mindfulness in Youth At Risk for Mood Disorders (NIMH R01MH127021). This will be a randomized controlled trial to test brain and behavioral effects of a mindfulness program adapted for youth at risk for mood disorders. A key therapeutic target of interest is unintentional mind-wandering in youth.