Conversation Study

CONVERSATION STUDY

Description: This research study is about how children talk about events. Includes two in-person sessions at UC Irvine, scheduled one week apart. Each visit lasts about 45 minutes (approximately 1.5 hours total). During the visits, your child will complete short, child-friendly activities and answer a few questions about them. We will also measure your child’s bodily responses (e.g., heart rate) using small, child-friendly sensors (electrodes and medical tape); all materials are latex-free. You will complete a questionnaire while your child participates independently; you’ll wait in a nearby waiting room and rejoin at the end.

Compensation: $40 Amazon gift card for completing both sessions.

Eligibility:
- You are 18+ and the child’s legal guardian.
- Your child is 5–13 years old.
- You and your child are fluent in English.
- You are able and willing to attend two in-person sessions at UCI about one week apart.
- Your child does not have a diagnosed condition that significantly impairs cognition, language, or social functioning.

If you participate, there is no anticipated direct personal benefit; however, you will help us better understand how children communicate about events!

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please email us at childnarrativeslab@uci.edu !

CONVERSATION STUDY FAQ

Can I be in the room with my child during the session?

We prefer that you are in the waiting room while we do the activities with your child so that they can participate independently.

You will first all be in the room together to talk about the study, then the researcher will show you the waiting room and then when your child is done completing the activities, all of you will go back in the same room to talk more about the study.

What are the details about developmental delay criteria?

We typically look for a current diagnosis of a cognitive, speech, or language delay from their child’s physician and/or clinician. If you are unsure if your child meets the requirements, feel free to email us and we can provide further clarification!

Am I able to view the final results of the study?

The goal of this study, and of our lab in general, is not to make clinical or developmental assessments of your child. We just want to look at overall trends and learn more about how children understand and remember event sequences.

If you wish to hear about our research processes and results, you can keep on eye on our website, view our newsletter, or email childnarrativeslab@uci.edu with your name and email to be added to a list with whom we will share our results once the study is published!

What are the ingredients in the electrodes and medical tape for this study?

Everything is latex-free!

Child electrodes contain 1% chloride, but latex-free.

They have a lower chloride wet gel concentration and less intense adhesive than our Adult electrodes; made for sensitive skin. Medical-grade tape contains paper; no rubber or latex.