The USC Brain & Creativity Institute is starting a new study investigating extracurricular activities, language and brain development in children. We are looking for participants! We are specifically looking for children ages 9 to 11 who are native English speakers and do not speak a second language. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health and approved by the USC board of ethics.
This study will be divided into two parts. First, we will invite child participants to play approximately an hour of computer games, remotely, with our researchers that assess their development. Parents will remotely complete a few questionnaires that will help us learn more about basic cognitive abilities and social and emotional aspects of child development. Next, we plan on inviting the participants and a family member to our lab at USC. There, we will use advanced noninvasive brain imaging techniques (MRI) to take brain pictures that will help us further understand brain development during childhood. At this time, there are no known significant health risks associated with repeated exposure to the magnetic field or radio waves used in MRI. Unlike X-rays or CT scans, MRI does not use radiation.
Our research facility is abiding by all recommended health guidelines with COVID-19 in mind to ensure a safe environment and minimize risk for our participants and their families. Participants will be reimbursed around $75 ($15 per hour for approximately five hours of participation) for their time in this study. We will not collect any personal information, and all collected data will be separated from any information identifying the participant and kept confidential. We will not share any data with any third-party including grant agencies. Parking and transportation will be provided.
We have worked with more than 200 children ages 6-15 for the past seven years and are very experienced in working with students and their families. Participating in research is an invaluable gift you can offer to your community and to science. Our research investigates child development from diverse communities of Los Angeles and could be ultimately used to inform education policy at a local, state or national level. Without your help, this would not be possible!
For additional information, contact research associate Amita Padyar at 213-740-0928 or via email at brainmusicandarts@gmail.com.
