To answer our research questions we use a number of different approaches that can help provide a well-rounded picture of child behavior and development. Most of our studies will use more than one of the following techniques.
Questionnaires
To learn more about your and your child’s thoughts, feelings, behavior and environment, we will provide questionnaires. Questionnaires are often multiple choice or open response in which you have the opportunity to share your unique experiences! Given our interest in parenting, parent mental health, and child mental health, these questions can sometimes be personal or sensitive in nature. As with all your participation, completion of certain questions and questionnaires is completely voluntary. Your honesty and transparency can help us better understand child development and behavior, and how we can better help families like you.
Developmental Assessments
We use a number of behavioral and developmental assessments designed often in the form of play and learning. During these assessment your child will interact with a trained research staff member in a series of games and activities that show us how your child thinks, communicates, and engages with others. These assessments can also help us identify children who may benefit from additional resources and support. We will always discuss the results of the assessment with you and if you are interested can provide resources for support.
Clinical Interviews
As part of our understanding of mental health, we are interested in learning more about you and/or your child’s symptoms and behaviors. As part of a clinical interview, you will meet with a trained interviewer who will ask you prompted questions about you and/or your child’s thoughts feelings and behaviors. Everything you share with the interviewee is completely confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside of the research team. If you complete a clinical interview and are interested in a complete diagnostic report, please ask your interviewee for this resource that can be shared with your medical provider to seek services and support.
Parent-Child Interactions
Daily parent-child interactions are normative part of your child’s development. To understand parenting and how parent-child dynamics are sustained and change over time, we will observe you and your child in various parent-child tasks. The most common parent-child interaction task you can participate in includes a free -play task in which we provide toys and observe you and your child playing over a brief period of time. These interactions are video recorded for later transcription and coding of parent and child behaviors. A dedicated time and space to play with your child can be a positive and rewarding experience for parents and their children.
