Research is a key component for making new discoveries and improving the lives of people with disabilities. It can also provide participants with insight and support regarding their conditions, especially when there is a gap in services. Here are a few studies that may be of interest
Maternal Depression Study
Mothers and their children (age 4-6) are needed for a study that evaluates the impact of maternal depression on children’s positive emotion processing and mental health outcomes. You may be eligible if you are the biological mother of a child 4-6 years old. Participation consists of 3 virtual visits and 3 in-person visits, and families will be paid up to $360 for their time. Computer and behavioral tasks will be completed at Vanderbilt University in the Psychology and Human Development Department. Questionnaires and interviews will be completed in-person and online through a video-conferencing platform.
To be eligible for this study, you must:
**be at least 18 years old
**have a child aged 4-6
Interested? Email us about the CARE study at medlabvanderbilt@gmail.com, or take our online survey to assess your eligibility: https://redcap.link/CAREscreener
Communication and Play Intervention for Young Children with Autism Study
We invite parents/caregivers and their child with autism to participate in an intervention study to support children’s imitation, communication, and social skill development. Children receive assessments of their developmental and social communication skills and participate in weekly play-based intervention sessions with a therapist. Families receive feedback on their child’s development and can receive a written report with results and recommendations, as well as intervention sessions, at no cost.
Participant Criteria
Children with autism between the ages of 16 and 36 months and their parents. Participants attend weekly intervention sessions and complete questionnaires.
Participants will be asked to:
• Complete questionnaires about themselves and their child.
• Child receives assessments of their developmental and social communication skills.
• Child receives ~3 months of intervention; intervention sessions occur 2-3x per week (sessions 40-60 minutes)
• Attend study visits before and after the intervention program
• Child completes a movie- watching activity
Compensation
Up to $150 in gift cards. Child receives intervention sessions at no cost. Results of developmental testing and assessment for autism will be provided at no cost. Families can receive a written report with results, recommendations, and referrals at no cost.
Visit Requirements
2-3 intervention sessions per week (40-60 minute sessions) for up to ~30 sessions. Study visits before and after the intervention program
Contact Information
socialmusicresearch@vumc.org or 615-576-0320
Principal Investigator: Miriam Lense, Ph.D
Teen Stress Study
Do you have a child between the ages of 14-16? The Vanderbilt Reactivity and Regulation Lab is interested in learning more about how teenagers respond to stress and their environment.
If you are a parent or caregiver of a child between the ages of 14-16, you may be eligible to participate in a research study that may help us learn more about how youth respond to stress in their environment. Interested parents or caregivers will be briefly interviewed by phone to determine eligibility.
If eligible, you and your child will be asked to complete surveys, and your child will participate in a brief screening of your child’s thinking skills and a task in an MRI scanner to assess how their brains and bodies respond to the environment. Six months later, your child will receive additional surveys to complete via email.
Families will receive up to $120 in the form of a gift card for completing this study as well as a brief summary report of your children’s thinking skills, and an image of your child’s brain.
Fill out this form (https://redcap.link/vandyregulatestudy) or contact the Vanderbilt Reactivity and Regulation Lab at (615) 212-5077 or VanderbiltStudy@regulatelab.com for more information!