About Our Research > Frequently Asked Questions
 Practical questions
Study questions
Registration questions
General development questions
When are appointments scheduled? At your convenience,
and generally between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Weekend appointments
are also available. When scheduling, we ask for
your assistance in choosing
a time
when you think your child will be most alert (e.g., after nap-time). Where
are the Child Development Laboratories?
We have two locations:
The Child Study Center and Early Childhood Lab are located on-grounds
at UVa in Gilmer Hall. The Child Language & Learning Lab and
the Early Development Lab are located at 1023 Millmont Street, right
behind Barracks Road Shopping Center. Free an easy parking is available
at both locations.
When we call to schedule an
appointment, we will let you know which location
you should
come to and provide driving directions. You
can also see our Contact/Directions page,
which includes a map.
Can I bring along
my other children?
Absolutely! If you bring along other children,
another trained research assistant will be happy to look after
them during your visit. We ask only that you let us know beforehand,
if possible, so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Can I be
with my child at all points during the visit?
Yes. You can be with your child at all times;
no separation of any kind is involved.
How many times will
I be asked to bring my child?
Most studies involve a one-time visit, lasting
about 30 minutes. However, many families participate in numerous
studies, whenever their schedules allow. If
you are interested, you may be contacted more than once.
Will
my child's data be kept confidential?
Your child's data will be kept completely confidential.
Your child's name will never be used in any report of this research.
We videotape many of our studies to allow us to keep track of
which responses your child makes and also to write down any
comments
made
during the study. This videotape is kept completely confidential;
your child’s name will never be associated with it. Furthermore,
unless we have your explicit permission, this videotape will
be viewed only by the researchers. Any photographs on this or
the individual labs' websites are used with parents’ permission.
Where can I find
more details about your studies?
The About our Research section has more
detailed information about each of the labs, with links to
their individual websites. In addition, each lab publishes
an occasional newsletter to keep families informed of our progress.
You can find these, as well as reports of our research that
have appeared in the media, in the In the
News section.
And of course, feel free to contact us directly! Who makes sure that
the studies are ethically appropriate?
All studies taking place
in the Child Development Laboratories have been through a
rigorous review process by the University
of Virginia's Institutional Review Board, which consists
of a panel of University and community members. This panel
carefully evaluates proposed studies involving human participants
before
they begin (and at least once per year after initial approval)
to ensure that the research is ethical, and handles any comments
or complaints about the research.
I
have already been called and/or participated. Do I need to
register again?
If you have
participated in the Child Language & Learning Lab, the Early
Development Lab, the Early Childhood Lab, or the Child Study Center,
you are likely already entered into our database. If you want to
confirm this, please give us a call, send an email, or you may submit
the registration form again.
We have changed addresses
or phone numbers. Please give us a call, or send us an email
to help us keep our records up-to-date. I
registered my child several months ago, but have not yet
been called. Why? We recruit from
ages 0 to 7 years so that we have a pool of interested families
from which to draw. However, most of our
studies involve particular age ranges—for example, 23-
to 25-month-olds, or 3-year-olds. Your child may not fit into
one of the age ranges that we are using at the moment. If you
ever would like information about what ages are currently being
used, feel free to call or email. I have friends with young children
who may be interested. Can I refer them to you? Absolutely!
We very much appreciate all referrals. Please send them to
our web site, or give them our contact information. I have a
concern about my child’s development. Can you
help? The three
labs that make up the Child Development Laboratories conduct
basic research in child development, and we do not offer individual
evaluations. If you have a particular concern about your child’s
development, please contact your pediatrician. Where can I find general information
about child development? Zero to Three: National Center for
Infants, Toddlers, and Families http://www.zerotothree.org/ U.S. Department of Education, site for parents
http://www.ed.gov/parents/
These
links are provided for informational purposes only, and are not
affiliated with the Child Development Laboratories or the University
of Virginia.
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