Study on Adolescent Brain Development
Researchers at George Washington University are conducting a study on social and non-social learning in teens to better understand how different learning processes develop in adolescence.
Fast Facts
Generally Healthy
13-17 Years Old
Compensation Provided
Conducted in Fairfax, VA
Study Background
This study will help researchers better understand how teens process social and non-social information, providing valuable insights into learning differences.
Adolescence is a critical time for learning and development, especially when it comes to understanding and interacting with others. Some teens may learn social information differently, and this study seeks to explore these differences using brain imaging technology. By examining how the brain responds to different types of learning tasks, researchers hope to uncover new insights into the ways both typically developing teens and those with autism spectrum disorder process information.
This study involves two in-person visits to our lab at George Mason University, where participants will complete standardized tests and an MRI scan while playing a computer game. Parents will also complete online questionnaires about their child’s development. The findings from this study may contribute to a deeper understanding of how learning differences emerge, potentially informing better educational strategies and support systems for teens.
Study Background
Adolescence is a critical time for learning and development, especially when it comes to understanding and interacting with others. Some teens may learn social information differently, and this study seeks to explore these differences using brain imaging technology. By examining how the brain responds to different types of learning tasks, researchers hope to uncover new insights into the ways both typically developing teens and those with autism spectrum disorder process information.
This study involves two in-person visits to our lab at George Mason University, where participants will complete standardized tests and an MRI scan while playing a computer game. Parents will also complete online questionnaires about their child’s development. The findings from this study may contribute to a deeper understanding of how learning differences emerge, potentially informing better educational strategies and support systems for teens.
Additional Information
This study aims to understand how typically developing teens learn about social and non-social information. By studying brain activity during learning, researchers hope to gain insights into developmental differences that could inform future educational and clinical approaches.
You may qualify for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 13-17
- Generally healthy
Exclusion Criteria:
- Autism diagnosis or any other neurodevelopment disorder
- Metal in the body (with the one exception of a permanent retainer on the front lower teeth)
- Any diagnosis of learning, language or intellectual disability
- Any diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorder (eg. depression or anxiety)
- History of serious head injury
- Active seizures (no anticonvulsant medication and/or a seizure within the last 12 months)
- First or second degree relative with known or suspected ASD, other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, and learning or language disability
- Severe claustrophobia
If your child participates in this study, they will complete two in-person visits at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Each visit will last about three hours and will include a cognitive assessment and an MRI scan. During the MRI scan, your child will play a child-friendly computer game designed to help researchers understand how they learn. Before the in-person visits, you will be asked to complete an online set of questionnaires about your child’s development, which should take less than an hour.
Participants will receive $20 per hour, plus a $10 bonus on the second visit. If your child completes both three-hour visits and the online portion of the study, they will receive a total of $150. All payments will be provided in the form of an Amazon.com gift card.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.
