STARS Study

STUDY BASICS

Are you the parent of a teen assigned female at birth who has suicidal thoughts or self-harms? Is your teen between the ages of 12-17? You and your teen may be eligible for a research study at the University of Pittsburgh investigating how teens’ attention to different types of information relates to their real-world relationships and their suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

In recent years, teens are experiencing more emotional health problems. Researchers are interested in learning about how teens’ relationships and experiences with different people in their lives relate to their emotional health. Researchers hope this study will help them understand why some teens experience more emotional health problems than others.  They hope this information will help them learn how to improve emotional health in teens.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD?

• Be assigned female at birth
• Be age 12 - 17
• Own an iPhone and be willing to share information about patterns of iPhone use
• Experience suicidal thoughts/behaviors and/or self-injury

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Participation involves a few visits to the University of Pittsburgh over 6 months, including:

• Interviews/ questionnaires about moods and behaviors
• EEG visit
• Home-based daily survey on your own phones
• A laboratory visit involves discussion tasks with a parent and (optional) friend

Your teen will also be asked to provide researchers with access to some of their text/direct messages.