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March 27, 2024
Director's Voice Blog
The Science of Social Connection
Thanks to digital technologies, we live in an era of unprecedented connectivity. Yet, paradoxically, data indicate about one in two adults in America report experiencing loneliness. The COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated trends that were already in place, with young adults, people earning lower incomes, and people from groups that have been economically and socially marginalized more likely to experience loneliness.
Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Spotlights
Linkages Between Long-Term Nursing Home Stay, Chronic Pain, and Social Isolation
There are millions of nursing home residents living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Recent research has found that residents experiencing contextual isolation are likely to also experience higher levels of pain.
News and Events
Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials: Applications Open Now
The Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials provides an advanced course in planning, designing, and conducting high-impact randomized controlled trials of health-related behavioral interventions. The course is designed primarily for early- to mid-career scientists who are pursuing a career in clinical research. Applications are now being accepted until April 20, 2024. Notifications of acceptance will be emailed on June 1.
OBSSR Reissues the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Training in Advanced Data and Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (TADA-BSSR) Program
OBSSR, along with several other Institutes, Centers, and Offices at the National Institutes of Health, has reissued a funding opportunity for the Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (TADA-BSSR) program.
TADA-BSSR supports behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR) predoctoral training programs that focus on innovative computational or data science analytic approaches. The program aims to develop a cohort of predoctoral candidates equipped with the advanced analyticsary to navigate the increasingly complex landscape of big data in behavioral and social health-related research. The application submission period opens on April 24.
New NASEM Report—Behavioral Economics: Policy Impact and Future Directions
A 2023 consensus report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) examines the evidence for behavioral economics and its application in six public policy domains: health, retirement benefits, climate change, social safety net benefits, climate change, education, and criminal justice. The report is now available online and concludes that principles of behavioral economics are indispensable for the design of policy and recommends integrating behavioral specialists into policy development within government units. In addition, the report calls for strengthening research methodology and identifies research priorities for building on the accomplishments of the field to date.
This report was funded by OBSSR and other Institutes, Centers, and Offices at the National Institutes of Health.
Recently Published Funding Opportunities
Predoctoral Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) - Institutional Research Training Program [T32]
Earliest Submission Date: April 24, 2024
Clinical Sites for the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)
Earliest Submission Date: April 15, 2024
Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (U24 Clinical Trial Required—Infrastructure)
Earliest Submission Date: April 15, 2024
Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
Earliest Submission Date: June 18, 2024