Remote Child Development Research Study
Researchers at Lafayette College and the University of South Dakota are conducting a Grandparent-Grandchild Zoom study to learn more about how families use video chat with children. The grandparent, parent, and child must all be able to participate.
Fast Facts
Long-Distance Parent or Grandparent of A Typically Developing Child Ages 18 Months - 5 Years
Grandparent, Parent, and Child Must All Be Able To Participate
Compensation Provided
Conducted Online
Study Background
This study will help researchers learn about how parents, children, and grandparents use video chat in their everyday lives. The grandparent, parent, and child must all be able to participate.
We know that families use video chat with young children to allow children to experience social and learning interactions with remote relatives, such as grandparents. Our study will give parents and grandparents more information and strategies about how to best keep children engaged during video chats and hopefully support the maintenance of important relationships across long distances.
This information will enable researchers to better inform parents, practitioners, and policymakers about how to support developmentally appropriate, educationally meaningful, and interpersonally supportive remote relationships in the digital age.
Study Background
This study will help researchers learn about how parents, children, and grandparents use video chat in their everyday lives. The grandparent, parent, and child must all be able to participate.
We know that families use video chat with young children to allow children to experience social and learning interactions with remote relatives, such as grandparents. Our study will give parents and grandparents more information and strategies about how to best keep children engaged during video chats and hopefully support the maintenance of important relationships across long distances.
This information will enable researchers to better inform parents, practitioners, and policymakers about how to support developmentally appropriate, educationally meaningful, and interpersonally supportive remote relationships in the digital age.
Additional Information
The purpose of this study is to understand how parents, children, and grandparents use video chat in their everyday lives.
You may qualify for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Long-distance parent or grandparent of a typically developing child ages 18 months – 5 years
- Grandparent, parent, and child must all be able to participate in the study
- Have internet access at home
- Have a computer, tablet, or smartphone for Zoom chats
- Grandparent, parent, and child can see and hear well enough to communicate via Zoom
- Speak English
This is an all remote study. There are five phases of this research study:
- Online parent and grandparent questionnaire – complete an online survey including demographic information, a report of how you use media in your home, and some questions about your family relationships. This first part takes about 20 minutes. Both parent and remote partner will complete an initial survey.
- Typical video chat session – first, we will ask you to do a typical video chat interaction with the remote partner, doing everything you would typically do during this kind of interaction. We would like for this to be at least 5 minutes long, and a typical length will likely be about 5-10 minutes long. Both parent and remote partner will complete a post-chat survey online using a link provided.
- Nine video chat sessions – we will give you brief instructions about activities to try during these sessions. These will either involve suggestions about how to “play” together virtually, or suggestions for book reading activities to do together. If you are assigned to the book condition, you will receive one book in the mail and one eBook via e-mail. We would like for each session to be at least 5 minutes long, and a typical length will likely be about 5-10 minutes long. After each session, both parent and remote partner will complete an online post-chat survey.
- Last video chat session – we will ask you to once again do a typical video chat interaction during which you can choose the activities you select. Again, we would like for this to be at least 5 minutes long, and a typical length will likely be about 5-10 minutes long. Both parent and remote partner will complete an online post-chat survey.
- Final parent and grandparent questionnaire – we will ask you to complete one last parent questionnaire that asks you some of the questions from the first survey again. Both parent and remote partner will complete the final survey.
We ask that each Zoom chat be at least 5 minutes long. Typically participants complete two Zoom sessions per week for a total of 6-8 weeks.
Compensation is provided up to $200 for your participation.
- Parents and grandparents will each receive $100 in gift cards, delivered in $20 increments throughout the study.
- You can choose between Target gift cards or Amazon gift cards.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.
