How much time is required to participate?
The in-person visit will take about 4 hours.
Do I get any compensation for participating?
Yes! We deeply appreciate you lending your time to help science and benefit other young people. You will receive cash compensation after each part of the study. For the next potion of the visit the teen will receive $180 for full participation. The teen also will be able to win cash prizes on some of the tasks.
Is the information I provide confidential?
Yes. Participation in the project is completely confidential, and information we collect about you will not be shared with anyone (including parents). Instead of your name, we will use a code, and no one outside the ADEPT team (including other family members) will know your name or what answers you gave. All data are kept under lock and key, in a secure location that only our staff has access to. When we prepare reports about the project, results are presented in a summary manner across 550 participants, and your name will not be used.
Participation in this project is voluntary. Participants can change their mind and leave the project at any time.
What should I bring with me?
For your first visit, you will need to bring the cortisol swabs you’ve collected over three days and the recording sheets. Make sure you keep swabs in the refrigerator until just before you leave your house to come to the lab to minimize the time they spend outside of a temperature-controlled environment. Other in-person visits will not involve anything to be done at home, so just bring yourselves!
Please feel free to bring a snack, if you like.
How should I dress?
You can dress casually, but please remember to dress in layers as the temperature in our building can fluctuate. When your visit involves an EEG, we ask that you please not wear any eye makeup, as it will have to be removed by the technician in order to attach sensors. As described in the Study Procedures section, you will be wearing a cap containing sensors to look at your brain activity. For this reason, please wear your hair loose, ensure it is clean and dry, and not use hair products (gel, mousse, hairspray, etc.) before your visit.
What should I do if I have to cancel my visit?
If a scheduling conflict comes up, please contact our Project Coordinator at as soon as you can. We would be happy to reschedule your appointment for a more convenient time.
What are you going to do with the study results?
The project results will be published in various scientific journals and books. We also will periodically post results in the “Publications” section of our website. These reports will summarize information across 550 participants. No information from any single family will be reported or published. We hope that results of the project will help psychologists, educators, and researchers to understand teens better, and be more effective in supporting positive growth of personality and emotions.