Some of the studies at the Culture, Brain & Human Development Lab focus on adolescent development. Our research depends on the participation of families like yours! This page contains answers to common questions regarding participation in our research studies. You can also contact us at cbhd.lab@northwestern.edu for any additional information, or if you would like to get involved, you can sign up to the study here.
What are you studying?
Our primary goal is to study culture and adolescent development, and how parents play a role in this process.
What kinds of information will you collect?
We want to find out two kinds of information:
We sometimes want to know about how your child thinks and feels, so we might ask your child to answer some questions about their thoughts, feelings, your family, and their school experience. Our studies also include parent survey with similar questions.
We sometimes take measurements of the structure and function of the brain. The brain can be noninvasively imaged with MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
Is it safe for my child to have an MRI scan?
MRI is completely non-invasive, does not involve any radiation, and safe as long as your child has no electrically, magnetically or mechanically activated implants, or metal in or on their bodies. Therefore, we carefully remove all metal from participants before they are approved to enter the MRI environment. We will provide more detailed information about MRI scanning if you and your child or teen come in to participate.
Does my child get anything for participating?
Yes. You and your child will be compensated for the parts of the study you participate in with cash and other prizes.
Where does the study take place?
Our survey portion of the study can be completed on your own from any device connected to the internet. The MRI scan takes place at the Center for Translational Imaging in Chicago. We will provide detailed directions and parking instructions if you participate in this portion of the study.