Although participation in the middle childhood (age 9) follow-up assessment requires a significant time commitment, it will take a similar amount of time as the previous age 3 and age 6 assessments. Unlike prior assessments, however, families during the age 9 assessment will be asked to come into the lab only once, instead of twice. The time commitment is described in detail in the Study Procedures section of the web site.
Do I get any type of reimbursement for participating?
All of our families are reimbursed for their participation. The reimbursement schedule is included in the Study Procedures section of this web site. In general, you will receive $300 for the laboratory visit, $100 for the co-parent participation, and $100 for collecting nine saliva samples. Families participating in all parts of the study will receive $500 in total.
In addition, your child will receive a number of small prizes. Your family will also be reimbursed for the cost of parking at Stony Brook University during the lab visit.
You will be paid in cash for the lab visit at the time of the visit. For the cortisol collection and co-parent participation, you will be sent a check. It may take several weeks to process your check after we receive your payment form. The check will come from the State of New York in Albany, and will not explicitly indicate that it is for your participation in the Stony Brook Temperament Study. If you have any questions about payment, please call our Project Coordinator at 631-632-4115.
Is all the information confidential?
Yes. Our procedures to safeguard the confidentiality of your information are described in detail in the Confidentiality section of this web page. Briefly, all information is confidential. When you first agree to participate in the study you are assigned an identification number; this number will be the only identifying factors used. All of the information we obtain will remain at our lab in files accessible only to the staff.
Does the study include any invasive measures?
No, we do nothing invasive during the course of the study (e.g. shots, blood samples, etc.). We will have you and your family complete questionnaires and participate in interviews. In addition, we will conduct a psychophysiological (EEG) assessment with your child and collect saliva samples to assess cortisol (a stress-sensitive hormone). These procedures are also described in the Study Procedures section.
EEG, or electroencephalography, is a method used to non-invasively observe human brain activity. An EEG is a recording of the brain waves, or the electrical signals naturally produced by the brain. This is done by placing sensors on your child's scalp. The sensors send the signals to a computer that reflect the brain's activity. A water soluble gel is used during the EEG procedure, so your child's hair will need to be washed after participation. The procedure is painless, and there are no risks to your child.
Are there certain days or times that visits can occur?
No, you may schedule a visit for any time. We will try very hard to accommodate your busy schedule and so we offer times during the day, during the evening, and during the weekend.
How do I get to the child temperament lab?
Please see the section on Directions on our web page for a map and written directions on how to get to our lab. Once you get to campus, park in the parking structure behind the Administration Building on West Campus. Parking in the Administration Garage is free on the weekends, but if your lab visit is scheduled during the weekday, we will give you a validation sticker so you will not have to pay for parking on the way out. The lab is in room 115 on the first floor of the Psychology A Building (next to the women's restroom near the vending machines).
You do not need to bring anything special with you to the lab. We will provide all the materials that are needed. Snack machines are available in the lobby of the Psychology A Building, but you may wish to bring "brown bag" lunches, snacks and drinks for yourself and/or your child.
How should my child dress for the visits?
Your child should wear clothes and shoes that are comfortable. Your child's hair should be worn loose (clips, bands and ties may interfere with the EEG procedure). Your child's hair should also be clean and dry, without any gel, mousse, or spray in it.
What should I tell my child before the visit?
We recommend that parents tell their child that he or she will be playing computerized games and answering questions about themselves with a new person. Some of the activities will be similar to those that they participated in at age 3 and at age 6, but are designed for children 8-10 years old.
I have other children, can I bring them?
It would be best not to bring any other children so that you and your child are not distracted. However, if you cannot make other arrangements, you can bring your other children and we will try to provide someone to watch them. If you are planning to bring other children, please give us several days advance notice (call our Project Coordinator at 631-632-4115).
What should I do if I have to cancel a visit?
If a problem arises with your scheduled visit date or time, please contact our Project Coordinator at 631-632-4115, as soon as you can. We would be happy to try to reschedule for a more convenient time.
What will you do with the results?
The results from the project will be published in various journals and books. We will also send you updates about the results periodically in our study newsletter. All participants' information will be compiled together so that we can examine group results. None of the information from any single child or family will be reported or published. Our findings will be useful for health care professionals, teachers and educators, researchers, and other people who work with children.
We are funded in 4-5 year periods, after which we must apply for a renewal. We are currently funded until 2014. We hope to be able to follow the children in the project through adolescence and into early adulthood in order to understand the long-term effects of early child temperament.
