Child Development Research Study
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are conducting a study on sleep, memory, and brain development in young children who still nap regularly.
Fast Facts
Child is habitually napping (napping 5 or more days per week on average for the past month)
Child ages 3-5 who was not born premature (before 35 weeks)
Compensation
up to $765
Conducted in
Amherst, MA and in the home
Study Background
We want to understand how sleep supports brain development during early childhood.
Young children’s brains grow and change rapidly, and sleep plays an important role in this process. Our team is especially interested in how children’s memory and brain activity shift as they begin to outgrow daily naps. By studying this transition, we hope to learn more about the connection between healthy sleep habits, brain development, and learning.
In this study, we will follow children over the course of a year to see how their sleep and memory change. Children will participate in fun memory games, wear a comfortable cap that measures brain activity during naps and overnight sleep, and receive a safe, non-invasive MRI scan. Parents will also complete questionnaires and track sleep habits at home. Together, these steps will help us better understand the role of sleep in children’s growth and development.
Study Background
We want to understand how sleep supports brain development during early childhood.
Young children’s brains grow and change rapidly, and sleep plays an important role in this process. Our team is especially interested in how children’s memory and brain activity shift as they begin to outgrow daily naps. By studying this transition, we hope to learn more about the connection between healthy sleep habits, brain development, and learning.
In this study, we will follow children over the course of a year to see how their sleep and memory change. Children will participate in fun memory games, wear a comfortable cap that measures brain activity during naps and overnight sleep, and receive a safe, non-invasive MRI scan. Parents will also complete questionnaires and track sleep habits at home. Together, these steps will help us better understand the role of sleep in children’s growth and development.
Additional Information
Children’s brains develop rapidly during early childhood, and sleep plays a vital role in supporting memory, learning, and overall brain development. As children grow, many naturally transition out of daily naps, but little is known about how this change affects their brain activity and memory.
This study is being done to better understand how sleep patterns—especially the shift away from regular naps—relate to changes in children’s memory and brain function over time. By learning more about this important developmental transition, researchers hope to better understand how healthy sleep habits support learning and brain development in young children.
You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Parent/caregiver of child ages 3-5
- Child naps habitually (5 or more days/week on average for the past month)
- Child sleeps independently (not bed-sharing)
- Child is able to undergo MRI
- Child has no external influences on nap habits (e.g., inability to nap due to school or caregiver schedule or interfering activities during a typical naptime)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Child was born prematurely (before 35 weeks)
- Child has developmental disabilities or delays
- Child has vision or hearing impairments
- Child has a history of brain injury or seizures
- Child has been diagnosed with any sleep disorder (other than mild parasomnia, which is routine at this age)
- Child is currently using any psychotropic or sleep-altering medications
Families take part in 3 waves of visits over a year (each wave is separated by about 6 months).
Each wave includes:
Two home or lab visits where your child plays memory games before and after either a nap or a quiet afternoon awake, with overnight sleep recording.
One lab visit for a safe MRI brain scan (about 2 hours).
Children will also wear a watch (like a Fitbit) to track sleep habits, and caregivers will complete questionnaires.
Families receive $765 for completing the full study protocol, along with small gifts for children (including a 3D model of their brain). Travel reimbursement is available at $0.67 per mile, and most visits can be done in your home or on campus at UMass Amherst.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.