Phone app for grounding (de-escalation) of substance-abusing transition-age youth

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Substance use disorder (SUD) is the second most common psychiatric diagnosis in the U.S. population, with 14.6% developing it in their lifetime. Transition-age youth (TAY) from ages 18-24 are especially vulnerable to substance use, misuse, and SUD. This developmental period, termed the age of instability includes tasks such as leaving home; entering college; working for the first time; body and sexuality changes; coalescing with a peer group; and for some, aging out offoster care or state custody, which end at age 18. This period is also prime for experimentation with substance use and associated risks such as driving under the influence, accidents, fighting and violence, HIV, and vulnerability to sexual assault. In this project, we focus on a major strategy, grounding, for helping to de-escalate (reduce) intense negative emotions and impulses. Grounding has long been used in psychiatric hospitals to provide a safe, quick, and powerful way to reduce any intense neg