Official Title The Development of Semantic Organization

Purpose

We are currently in the process of conducting a 5-year National Institutes of Health-funded longitudinal study on semantic and language development, specifically focusing on how children learn new words and understand their meanings. Our goal is to not only examine language learning but also how these processes evolve as children grow.

In this study, we will follow two hundred 4-year-old junior scientists as they participate in fun, interactive word-learning and language activities. Over the course of the study, participants will visit our lab twice a year, each lasting around 60-90 minutes (including breaks), to engage in a series of playful games with a research assistant designed to explore how children comprehend and retain new vocabulary. Additionally, your child will have the opportunity to wear a LENA recorder—a small, wearable device that tracks the number of words your child hears throughout the day, similar to a Fitbit but for words!

 

Could this study be right for you?

• Child must be monolingual
• Not born premature
• No developmental delays
• Can give a verbal response
• Normal to corrected vision

Age Range

4 - 4 years

Official Title Developing Rumination-Focused Treatment to Reduce Risk for Depression Recurrence (RDR) in Adolescence (RuMeChange)

Purpose

We are conducting a study looking at how therapy strategies can help teenagers stay healthy, reduce rumination, or overthinking and worrying, and prevent depression relapse. If eligible, the teenager would complete assessments which include clinical interviews over Zoom, surveys, cognitive testing, and an MRI.

A parent/guardian is required to enroll in the study and will complete questionnaires and a clinical interview as well.

Could this study be right for you?

Inclusion Criteria:

• 14-17 years of age at enrollment
• Youth assent and parent consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Metal braces, tattoos with metal
• Claustrophobia
• Current pregnancy

Age Range

14 - 17 years

Official Title An Examination of Culturally Responsive, Inclusive, and Socially Just Practices Parent Feedback

Purpose

The research study will examine parents’ - or a child’s primary caregiver - perspectives on an online professional development (PD) training for teachers, targeting early care and education (ECE) teachers’ use of culturally responsive, inclusive, and socially just practices. Parents of young children will be recruited to review the online PD course and complete surveys about the course. A subset of participants will participate in a focus group to share their feedback on the course.

Could this study be right for you?

Parent or caregiver to a child who:

• Is between 3 and 5 years old
• Is identified as Black/African American
• Attends a center-based early care and education program (pre-kindergarten, Head Start, child care, preschool, etc.)

Age Range

17 - 99 years

Official Title Testing Equivalence of Measures of Parental Socialization Beliefs and Behaviors Across Racial/Ethnic Groups

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the similarity and differences in parents' beliefs and practices across racial/ethnic backgrounds.

Could this study be right for you?

Eligibility Criteria includes:

• Must be proficient in written English
• You are parents of a child aged 3 to 10, who was born in the U.S.

Age Range

18 - 80 years

Official Title Mother-Child Shared Reading

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine whether children's characteristics are related to the ways that parents read to children and the questions they ask during storytelling. Mothers will read and record a short story with their child (and submit) and complete an online survey. All research activities will occur online and in your own time.

 

Could this study be right for you?

• Mothers (biological or adoptive) and their 4- to 5-year-olds.
• Children must not have a developmental disability,
• Have normal hearing and vision
• Speak English with mothers at home.

Participation is limited to one child per household and to families residing in and completing the study in the United States though participation can occur from anywhere in the United States. We are currently recruiting only Black and White families for this study.

Age Range

4 - 5 years

Official Title Disrupted eye gaze perception as a biobehavioral marker of social dysfunction: An RDoC investigation

Purpose

This study seeks to understand social functioning across mental health conditions. Social dysfunction is very common in people with mental health conditions; it can negatively impact employment, independent living, and maintaining meaningful relationships. This research is being done to learn if a person's ability to process visual information (including distinguishing other people's eye gaze direction) is a clue to social functioning regardless of diagnosis. This research will identify clinical and brain characteristics in relation to social functioning.

Could this study be right for you?

Patients:

• Diagnosis of a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder or autism spectrum disorder
• Receiving treatment in a mental health or primary care setting
• Experience difficulty in social functioning

Health Volunteers: 

• No history of past or current mental health disorder diagnosis
• Experience no difficulty in social functioning

Age Range

14 - 30 years

Official Title Booster Seat Features that Influence Pediatric Posture and Comfort During Extended Time Periods: On-Road Assessment

Purpose

This study will help identify how booster seats influence children’s comfort during car rides and their behaviors. Car seat footrests will also be used to see how children engage with them. Data will be collected during car rides in the caregiver’s personal vehicle. 

Could this study be right for you?

Child is currently riding in a booster seat during travel in the car

Age Range

5 - 12 years

Official Title Preschooler's Language Use and Media (PLUM) Study

Purpose

This study is designed to investigate media’s role in language development during early childhood. The goal of the proposed work is to examine the relation between the quantity of children’s media use and their language development trajectories, as well as how characteristics of media use (i.e., parent-child joint engagement, interactive media features, and educational content) predict growth in language over time. 

Could this study be right for you?

• Children 3 to 3.5 years of age (36 to 42 months).

Age Range

36 - 42 months

Official Title A Single-Stage, Adaptive, Open-Label Dose Escalation Safety Study of Adeno-Associated Virus Encoding Human Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase (AAV2-hAADC) Administered by MR- guided Infusion into the Midbrain in Pediatric Patients with AADC Deficiency

Purpose

The overall objective of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of AAV2-hAADC delivered to the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) in children with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, and to see if there is a demonstration of effective restoration of AADC function by assays of CSF neurotransmitter metabolites and F-DOPA PET imaging, as allowed by subject’s ability to travel to undergo follow-up visits.

Could this study be right for you?

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of AADC deficiency from genetic test and CSF/blood enzyme test
• Failed to derive adequate benefit from standard medical therapy as judged by presence of residual oculugyric crises and developmental delay.
• Documented history of motor developmental delay, with inability to walk independently without support by age 18 months.
• Both parents (or legal guardians) must give their consent for their child’s participation in the study unless (i.) one parent is deceased, unknown or incompetent; (ii.) one parent is not reasonably available; or (iii.) one parent has responsibility for the care and custody of the child.

Inclusion Criteria varies, please contact Study Coordinator for more information.

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of other significant medical or neurological conditions that would create an unacceptable operative or anesthetic risk.
• Previous stereotactic neurosurgery.
• Coagulopathy, or need for ongoing anticoagulant therapy.
• Receipt of any investigational agent within 60 days prior to Baseline and during study participation.

Exclusion Criteria varies, please contact Study Coordinator for more information.

Age Range

2 years and up

Official Title Understanding the Neurodevelopmental Effects of Youth Tackle Football Participation

Purpose

In this study we are aiming to identify risk factors for higher exposure to football-related neurotrauma in youth tackle football players and to determine the effects of football-related neurotrauma exposure on neurodevelopment in children with no previous tackle football participation.

For this specific posting, we are looking for boys ages 8-12 who are non-athletes or athletes who play non-contact sports to serve as control subjects for our fMRI study. 

Could this study be right for you?

We are looking for boys ages 8-12 who are either non-athletes or do not participate in any contact sports.

• Boys must have no metal implanted in the body
• Have no prior history of head trauma
• Have no serious health or mental health diagnoses
• Must not have a fear of enclosed spaces

Age Range

8 - 12 years