Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) 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 program emphasizes programmatic research and prepares fellows to lead or collaborate on systematic efforts to develop and improve health-related behavioral interventions and conduct rigorous, high-impact behavioral trials.

Coordination and Collaboration

One of the charges from Congress when the OBSSR was created was “to coordinate research conducted and supported by the agencies of the National Institutes of Health.” The OBSSR coordinates the behavioral and social sciences among the NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs). This coordination prioritizes important research areas or initiatives that affect multiple ICs and would be challenging or inefficient for one or two ICs to address on their own.

Training

Training Supported by the OBSSR

The OBSSR recognizes the importance of scientific stewardship, particularly in developing the scientific talent and skills needed to advance health-related behavioral and social sciences. With our NIH Institute and Center partners, the OBSSR supports a number of in-person training efforts. 

View training supported by the OBSSR.

OBSSR Seeks Research Community Input for Next Strategic Plan by March 29, 2020

How time flies! The OBSSR released its third strategic plan in September 2017, and we are already halfway through this 5-year plan. The OBSSR has organized its functions and activities to achieve the objectives of this strategic plan and has made significant progress on these objectives. Internally, the OBSSR is performing a mid-course evaluation to assess what has been accomplished and what remains to be accomplished under the current strategic plan, but in parallel we have also begun planning for the next strategic plan, and we want your input.

How to Help People Do What They Need to Do to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

“You tell me what you need people to do, and I’ll tell you how to help them do it.” Although a simplification, this statement by social and behavioral scientists to our infectious disease colleagues illustrates the nature of our collaboration during an infectious disease outbreak like the current COVID-19 outbreak. Without this collaboration, we risk that people will not do what we are telling them to do.

Clinical Trials Protocol Template for the Behavioral and Social Sciences

The Clinical Trials Protocol Template for the Behavioral and Social Sciences is a resource for communicating the science, methods, and operations of a clinical trial. This template is a suggested format for clinical trials that are testing a behavioral or social intervention or experimental manipulation. Use of the protocol template is encouraged but not required.

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