The Portnoy Healthy Families Lab
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Participate in Research

We are currently recruiting children and their caregivers to participate in research 
Nutrition and Disruptive Behavior in Juveniles
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell are conducting research on nutrition in children.  Child participation in this research will involve completing an interview about mental health and diet. Children will also have blood drawn.  Participation will involve two remote sessions over the phone or video conference and a follow-up in-person visit once it is permitted by University of Massachusetts Lowell policies. To be eligible to participate, children must:

  1. Be 8-10 years of age at the time of the first session
  2. Be accompanied to the study by a parent or legal guardian who is over the age of 18 years, currently lives with the child, and does not have a diagnosed pervasive developmental disorder or intellectual disability
  3. Not have a history of fainting during blood draws or around needles or injections
  4. Must reside in the greater Lowell area (including Lowell, Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Westford) at the time of the first study visit
  5. Not be allergic to medical tapes or gels
  6. Not have a diagnosed pervasive developmental disorder or intellectual disability​

Participation in the first study session will last about 2 hours. The second session will last about 20 minutes. The on-campus visit will last about 2 hours and will take place on the University of Massachusetts Lowell campus.
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Participating in this study will require your child to provide a 20 mL blood sample (approximately 4 teaspoons) during the in-person visit. Blood draws will be performed by a trained, certified phlebotomist. Having blood drawn is mandatory to participation.
 
Adult caregivers will also answer some questions about the child’s living situation, diet, and the child’s mental health. In appreciation of your time, children will receive a $20 e-gift card and adult caregivers will receive a $30 e-gift card after completing the first two remote study sessions. Caregivers will also receive $50 in cash after completing the in-person visit and an additional $15 in cash to cover transportation costs ($65 total). Your child will receive a $30 e-gift card after completing the in-person visit. Your decision whether or not to participate in this research is completely voluntary. 

Whether or not your child participates in this research will have no effect of any court, probation, or DCF decisions.
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This research is being conducted by Jill Portnoy, Ph.D., School of Criminology and Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell. IRB #: 19-089-POR-XPD, Approved on: 11/25/2020​

If interested, caregivers should call us at 978-934-4135 or email us at healthyfamilies@uml.edu. You can also provide your contact information at the following link and one of our researchers will be in touch with you: https://umasslowell.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5gpX24Fcl3VUFrn
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