Article
Who?
Project Personality was developed by Dr. Jessica L. Schleider and her research team at the Lab for Scalable Mental Health at Northwestern University. It is designed primarily for youth ages 11–17.
What?
Project Personality is a single-session mental-health intervention that teaches teens about a growth mindset—the idea that people can grow and change. It aims to build hope and self-efficacy, or confidence in one’s ability to make changes.
When?
The project has been researched since at least 2016, with a randomized study published that year. A 2018 study examined outcomes up to nine months after the intervention. It has continued to be studied and adapted since then.
Where?
It has been tested in various settings, including online/open-access platforms and primary care settings. It has also been evaluated in English and Spanish. Today, Project Personality is available through the broader Project YES platform.
Who?
The purpose is to help teens understand that their thoughts, behaviors, and aspects of their personality are not necessarily fixed. By teaching a growth mindset, the project aims to increase hope and a sense of control while supporting better mental-health outcomes.