Welcome to the Bolster Project!

Providing support to caregivers of youth with mental health concerns

A research study hosted by the University of Washington

Are you a parent or caregiver providing support for a someone experiencing mental health difficulties?

We are testing two different approaches to supporting caregivers. Click the button above to sign up and get started.

The Bolster Project is a multi-year initiative supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and conducted by researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle. The goal of the Bolster Project is to develop an app that supports caregivers of young adults with early psychosis. This app is designed to help caregivers improve their communication and coping skills, facilitate treatment-seeking, and expand knowledge of mental illnesses and their treatments.

We are looking for participants who:

Are over 18,
Own an iPhone,
Care for a young adult (age 15-35) who is:
- At risk for or experiencing psychosis, and
- Is not in specialty mental health treatment for psychosis

Participants will:

(1) Have access to curated online resources about psychosis and mental health treatment, OR (2) will download and use Bolster for 12 weeks.
Respond to a short (2 minute) survey each week.
Complete a set of surveys (about 30 minutes each) about caregiving, stress levels, and knowledge of mental illnesses three times: when you start, at the halfway point (six weeks in), and at the end (12 weeks in).
Participants who complete all study procedures will receive $180 in the form of Amazon gift cards.

Want a sneak peek? Check out this video to see what the Bolster app is all about!

Here's how it works:

As a thank you, participants who completed all study procedures will receive a $180 Amazon Gift Card.