Dyadic Interpersonal Processes and Biopsychosocial Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | PAR 21 281

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 281

The NIH funding opportunity PAR-21-281, titled "Dyadic Interpersonal Processes and Biopsychosocial Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)," supports research that focuses on how two closely connected individuals affect each other’s health. The central idea is the dyad, defined here as a unit of two individuals whose behaviors, emotions, biology, and decision-making are intertwined, with their mutual influence taking place within broader social environments like families, communities, and social networks. The goal of the program is to improve how science understands, measures, and models both independent effects (how each person’s characteristics shape their own health) and interdependent effects (how one person’s characteristics, stressors, or behaviors shape the other person’s health outcomes). This can include dyads such as romantic partners, parent-child pairs, caregiving pairs, siblings, patient-caregiver relationships, or other two-person social units where reciprocal influence is a meaningful driver of outcomes.

The FOA invites basic research and methodological work. In practice, that means proposals can aim to discover fundamental mechanisms of dyadic interaction that matter for health, or they can develop and refine tools for measuring dyadic processes and analyzing dyadic data. Methodological projects might include new study designs, improved measurement strategies (for example, intensive longitudinal assessments, ecological momentary assessment approaches adapted for pairs, synchronized behavioral/physiological monitoring, or better ways to capture bidirectional influence), and statistical or computational models that more accurately reflect interdependence within dyads. The emphasis is on projects that illuminate biopsychosocial outcomes, which generally means integrating biological, psychological, and social levels of analysis rather than treating them as separate tracks.

A key boundary of this specific announcement is that it is "Clinical Trials Not Allowed." The FOA is designed for studies that do not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial under this mechanism. It does allow a wide range of non-trial human research, such as observational studies, naturalistic studies, and research using existing datasets or synthesized datasets (for example, pooled analyses or harmonized datasets that allow dyadic questions to be tested). Both animal and human subjects research are considered responsive, which broadens the opportunity to include controlled dyadic paradigms in animal models or translational work that links social interaction processes to biological pathways.

One important nuance is that if an application proposes to prospectively assign human participants to conditions, NIH may consider that work to fall under the clinical trial definition even if the scientific intent is basic research. The FOA explicitly flags this issue and points applicants to NIH guidance (including NOT-OD-19-024) about how basic research experiments with humans can still qualify as clinical trials when participants are assigned to an intervention or condition. For investigators planning basic experimental studies with humans that involve manipulating independent variables, the FOA directs them to consider a companion announcement specifically intended for that type of work (the "R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans" version focused on dyadic interpersonal processes and biopsychosocial outcomes). In other words, this PAR-21-281 pathway is best suited for projects that advance fundamental knowledge and methods without crossing into prospective assignment designs that would be treated as clinical trials.

The mechanism is an NIH R01 research project grant, which is typically used for substantial, multi-year research programs with clear aims, strong rationale, and rigorous plans for measurement and analysis. The funding instrument is a discretionary grant under activity areas spanning education, health, income security, and social services, and it is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.121, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.313, 93.399, 93.865, 93.866), reflecting participation across NIH institutes and centers and the cross-cutting relevance of dyadic processes to many health domains. The listing indicates the original closing date was 2023-05-07, and the announcement was created on 2021-07-09, which matters for applicants checking whether later reissues, renewals, or active receipt dates apply.

Eligibility is broad and includes many standard applicant types: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses, and for-profits other than small businesses); and tribal entities, including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories that NIH emphasizes for inclusivity and capacity-building, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This breadth is consistent with the topic’s relevance to diverse populations and settings and encourages proposals that can address dyadic processes across different cultural, geographic, and institutional contexts.

Overall, PAR-21-281 is aimed at strengthening the science of two-person influence in health by funding rigorous basic and methodological research on dyads, with flexibility to use human observational approaches, secondary data, or animal research, while drawing a clear line against projects that would be classified as clinical trials under NIH rules.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Dyadic Interpersonal Processes and Biopsychosocial Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.313, 93.399, 93.865, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-07-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 21 281

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