With COVID-19 community transmission continuing in the United States and globally, TCU has currently suspended all on-campus activities. As a result, The Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development has paused the Parent Project application and data collection process. We will update this page with information as it becomes available.
The Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University is conducting a longitudinal study to better understand the variables that affect parent-child relationships. Parents living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and have a biological child who is 6-12 months or a biological child who is eight years old are eligible for this study. Child must have been living with their parent since birth.
If you take part in this study, you will be asked to complete a series of brief surveys regarding you, your parenting style, and your child’s behaviors, and engage in short interactions with your child at 90-minute lab visits annually. Additionally, your child may be asked to create drawings of themselves and your family as well as engage in tasks in which he or she will be presented with attractive stimuli and offered the choice to engage in tasks in which s/he will be asked to wait for something they want. Participation will take place in the KPICD laboratory on the Texas Christian University campus. There is little risk involved in this research; although, it is possible that completing the surveys may be upsetting, that the reunions and separations associated with one of our measures may cause the caregiver and/or child to become distressed, and that the child may become mildly bored while he or she is working with us.
Participants in the Parent Project may be randomly assigned to receive TBRI® education, which includes attending an annual one-day parent training. All participants will receive feedback on their child’s development and their parenting relationship after each visit regardless of whether or not they are in the randomized group who receive TBRI® Training.
We provide parents with a $25 gift card and give children a small toy during each visit.
Please call 817-257-7415 or
email parentproject@tcu.edu with any questions
IRB # 1808-008-1809
TCU does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Please see
http://tcu.edu/notice-of-nondiscrimination.asp
If you meet the criteria and would like to participate, please click on the link at the bottom of this page to register.
FAQ:
What is the purpose of the research?
The purpose of this study is to better understand the mediating variables that affect parent-child relationships.
How many people will participate in this study?
There will be approximately 150 participants in this study.
What is my involvement for participating in this study?
If you take part in this study, you will be asked to complete a series of brief surveys regarding you, your parenting style, and your child’s behaviors, and engage in short interactions with your child. Additionally, your child may be asked to create drawings of themselves and your family as well as engage in tasks in which he or she will be presented with attractive stimuli (for example, a snack or toy) and offered the choice of delaying gratification.
How long am I expected to be in this study for and how much of my time is required?
This is a longitudinal study that will require a visit to the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at TCU, once per year.. Each visit should take about 90 minutes, but feel free to take as much time as needed. You can also expect a phone call from one of the investigators 6 months after each visit. This call will be brief and will entail answering questions regarding your household roster.
What are the risks of participating in this study and how will they be minimized?
We expect little risk to participants in this study. However, it is possible that by completing the surveys, you may be reminded of one or more of your relationships, which may be upsetting but is otherwise no riskier than your everyday activity. You are free to not answer any particular question if you choose, and to stop participating at any time during the experiment without any penalty or loss of credit to which you are entitled.
During the study, you may be asked to complete a task called the Strange Situation. It involves a series of separations and reunions with your child. It is possible that you or your child may become distressed during separation sessions. If either the you or your child becomes overly distressed, episodes will be cut short or testing may be discontinued.
It is also possible that your child may become mildly bored while he/she is working with us, or mildly frustrated during certain tasks. To reduce this risk, we keep our visits brief and emphasize positive interactions. Also, your child does not need to work with us except when he/she wants to. Any time the child asks to stop or refuses to cooperate while working with us, we will allow him/her to end the session.
Risks to privacy are also present. While surveys will be accessed online by using the Web based survey provider Qualtrics, IP addresses will not be collected. All data will be collected, coded in a manner where you cannot be identified by others, and stored by the investigators in line with the guidelines set forth by the TCU IRB and the American Psychological Association.
What are the benefits for participating in this study?
It’s possible that by participating in this study, you may gain a better understanding of yourself, your parenting style, and your child’s development. You will receive feedback from child development professionals regarding your parent-child relationship and your child’s development after each lab visit. You will also have the opportunity to receive free Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) resources annually, which is an evidence-based intervention for caregivers. For more info about TBRI, see this video:
Will I be compensated for participating in the study?
Yes, at the conclusion of each visit, you will receive a $25 gift card. Your child will also receive a small gift, such as a fidget.
How will my confidentiality be protected?
All of your responses will be kept strictly confidential and will be coded with an arbitrary participant number so that your responses will not be linked to any of your personal identification information. Data will be kept on password protected computers in a locked office. Only the investigators will have access to participants’ data. Please be aware that any information you provide will be used for research and statistical purposes only.
Is my participation voluntary?
Yes, taking part in this research study is entirely up to you. You and your child may choose not to participate and will not be penalized in any way for deciding to not take part.
Can I stop taking part in this research?
Yes. You and your child may withdraw or stop participating at any time, without penalty.
What are the procedures for withdrawal?
You are not obligated to participate in this or any other study and are free to withdraw at any time without penalty by phone call, email, or in-person conversation with any of the investigators.