WELCOME!
Hi there! Thanks for coming to our web page to find out more about our research studies. Our research depends on volunteers like you! People usually have lots of questions about what it’d be like to come and visit us. The questions and answers below will tell you what it would be like, so you can decide if you’re interested.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PART OF A RESEARCH STUDY?
Being part of a research study means that you would come and visit us at Harvard University so that we can find out more about you. The information you give us will be combined with information from other kids and teens, so that we can understand peoples’ thoughts and feelings, and how they change as people grow up.
WHAT KINDS OF INFORMATION DO YOU WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT ME?
There is a lot of information about you that is interesting to us! Each study is a little different, but in general, we want to find out three kinds of information.
- We sometimes want to know about how you think and feel, so we might ask you to answer some questions about your thoughts, feelings, your family and friends, and how your body is changing as you grow up.
- We sometimes want to know about how you respond to different kinds of information, like pictures of different people or scenes. You might look at these kinds of pictures on a computer screen, and make decisions about them by pressing buttons.
- We sometimes want to take measurements of your brain! We can see your brain using a big machine called an MRI scanner that can measure how your brain looks and how it responds to different kinds of information. Having an MRI scan doesn’t hurt at all – you just have to lie inside of the machine for a little while, as the machine takes its pictures.
WILL ANYONE FIND OUT MY ANSWERS?
All of the information we collect is kept confidential. That means that the information we find out about you will be kept locked up, and separated from your name.
DO I GET ANYTHING FOR PARTICIPATING?
If you participate in our studies, we will pay you for your time. We will also tell you more about our research, so that you can learn about the brain and how it changes as you grow up. Your participation will also help us to understand important aspects of brain development, which might someday improve teen health.
Want to know what it’s like to have an MRI scan?
Our friends in California made a video about what it’s like to have an MRI scan.Our MRI scans are very similar to the ones they describe. Check it out!
Thanks to Silvia Bunge and Moriah Thomason for sharing this video!
CAN I STOP IF I DON’T LIKE IT?
Yes. You can stop anytime you want to, with no penalty.
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
If you’re interested in our research studies, your parent/guardian can sign you up here, or they can send us an email or give us a call. Your parent/guardian can click on the sign to the left to send us an email at andl@g.harvard.edu. Our phone number is 617-496-4979. We look forward to you joining us soon!
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
If you’re interested in our research studies, your parent/guardian can sign you up here, or they can send us an email or give us a call. Your parent/guardian can click on the sign to the left to send us an email at andl@g.harvard.edu. Our phone number is 617-496-4979. We look forward to you joining us soon!