1/30/2025 | SOAR Study Marks Year of Research into Root Causes of Mental Illness

SOAR Study Marks Year of Research into Root Causes of Mental Illness

This month marked a year since the State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (SOAR) Study launched throughout the state. With an initial $20 million grant from OhioMHAS, SOAR is the most inclusive mental health research effort in history and seeks to find the root causes of mental health conditions by examining a range of medical, social, and psychological factors.

It is also the first-of-its-kind mental health research effort that partners government, academia, and the private sector. It is led by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine.

"We are thankful for Governor Mike DeWine's commitment to the mental health and well-being of Ohioans," said John J. Warner, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Executive Vice President at Ohio State. "The SOAR Study is a reality today, in part, because of his support and that of his administration. It's powerful to see such an ecosystem of research and care across Ohio to help discover new and more effective ways to intervene earlier and to prevent illness in the first place."

The SOAR Study is comprised of two parts: the Wellness Discovery Survey will focus on the breadth of information and the Brain Health Study will focus on the depth of information. Warner said the study already exceeded its target of 15,000 Wellness Survey respondents and enrolled nearly 700 families in the Brain Health Study. With outreach throughout Ohio, the study will include multi-generational volunteers from all 88 counties over the next decade. As noted in the study's interim report, 92 percent of respondents said they felt supported in the study, and 98 percent said they found the study interesting.

"I identify as a person in long-term recovery from a dual diagnosis," said one respondent. "I am extremely excited to hear about the efforts being made to better understand the etiology of addiction and mental illness."

While preliminary, the SOAR Study's interim report found common threads that have been observed in other studies - that among other concerns, a lot of our neighbors are lonely (39% of Ohioans currently report high levels of loneliness) and more than 1 in 10 (13%) agreed with the statement "my life is not worth living" at some point in the past year.

"The information we learn from this work will allow us to identify the factors that can be modified to reduce risk and build resilience in the face of stress, trauma, and adversity," said Warner.

Measurements for both the Wellness Discovery Survey and the Brain Health Study are planned in two-year intervals over the next 10 years, with the intent to identify actions and response as shifting patterns of resiliency are identified. SOAR will host events such as Community Wellness Forums and Science Cafes to share and discuss progress and early results. If you're interested in more information or getting involved, visit the SOAR Study website.