Digital platform to support parents of teen drivers with adhd

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded Minnesota Healthsolutions Corporation $353,306 on July 6, 2026, under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) to develop a digital health platform supporting parents of teenagers with ADHD who are learning to drive or recently licensed.

The project will create an app enabling joint parent-teen goal setting, monitoring, and personalized feedback using telematics data. Development will incorporate evidence-based engagement strategies and iterative feedback from the intended user population. In Phase I, a prototype will be tested with parents and teens with ADHD for usability and acceptability. The work is guided by recognition that parents of teens with ADHD report driving as a major source of stress, and that teens with ADHD face elevated risk of crashes, multiple crashes, license suspension, and challenges obtaining licensure during the permitting process.

The recipient, Minnesota Healthsolutions Corporation, is a woman-owned small business based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Performance of work occurs in Minneapolis, MN 55414. The period of performance runs from the award date through June 30, 2027.

Abstract

The goal of the proposed project is to develop to develop an innovative digital health platform to support families who have a teenager diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) who is driving (during permit period or post licensure). Parents of teens with adhd routinely cite that one of the greatest sources of stress and frustration centers on the issue of driving. Teens with adhd are at significantly increased risk of crash, more likely to have multiple crashes, and more likely to have their driving license suspended. In addition, teens with adhd are more likely to have challenges in securing a license during the permitting process. We propose the development of an APP that will enable joint parent and teen goal setting, monitoring and personalized feedback. Telematics data enables that development of the proposed APP. Development will also be guided by evidence-based strategies for engaging with parents and teens with adhd and iterative feedback that will be collected from the intended user population. The needs of the intended population will be considered throughout the development process and in phase i, a prototype of the platform will be tested with the intended population for usability and acceptability. We have assembled a team with complimentary expertise to develop the methods of engagement, content, user interface and APP, and to conduct the needed testing.