Adolescent Media Use Research Study
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are conducting a research study to better understand how adolescents process media coverage of gun violence and how this exposure affects brain function, attention, and emotional well-being.
Fast Facts
Identify as Black or African American
13-17
Years Old
Compensation
provided
Conducted in
Pittsburgh, PA
Study Background
The VIGILANCE Study is a research project at the University of Pittsburgh exploring how teens process media coverage of gun violence, including mass shootings and police-involved shootings.
If you’re a teen living in America, you are probably exposed to a lot of information – through the news, social media, or other sources – about gun violence in your country. This research study aims to understand how this exposure affects your brain function, attention, and emotional well-being.
Teens aged 13–17 will participate in four study visits over 18 months. Each phase includes some questionnaires and clinical interviews that can be completed remotely, followed by an in-person lab visit for EEG assessments that measure brain activity. Participants will also complete daily diary entries on their phones about their media viewing habits in the 7 days before each EEG visit and after major gun violence events.
The study is co-designed with a community board of teens from Pittsburgh to ensure a culturally-informed, trauma sensitive approach that emphasizes the experiences of Black adolescents. No medications or treatments are involved. If you are 13-17 years old, you could contribute to research meant to help teens like you. Find out if you’re eligible today!
Study Background
The VIGILANCE Study is a research project at the University of Pittsburgh exploring how teens process media coverage of gun violence, including mass shootings and police-involved shootings.
If you’re a teen living in America, you are probably exposed to a lot of information – through the news, social media, or other sources – about gun violence in your country. This research study aims to understand how this exposure affects your brain function, attention, and emotional well-being.
Teens aged 13–17 will participate in four study visits over 18 months. Each phase includes some questionnaires and clinical interviews that can be completed remotely, followed by an in-person lab visit for EEG assessments that measure brain activity. Participants will also complete daily diary entries on their phones about their media viewing habits in the 7 days before each EEG visit and after major gun violence events.
The study is co-designed with a community board of teens from Pittsburgh to ensure a culturally-informed, trauma sensitive approach that emphasizes the experiences of Black adolescents. No medications or treatments are involved. If you are 13-17 years old, you could contribute to research meant to help teens like you. Find out if you’re eligible today!
Additional Information
This study is being conducted to understand how repeated exposure to media coverage of gun violence impacts adolescents’ brain development, attention, and mental health. Specifically, it investigates whether such exposure leads to increased vigilance, media consumption, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study also explores whether these effects are more pronounced in Black adolescents following exposure to media coverage about police-involved shootings. Graphic images of gun violence victims will NOT be shown during assessments for the study.
You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adolescents ages 13–17
- Identify as Black or African American (or multiracial including Black identity)
- Willing and able to complete in-person study activities at the University of Pittsburgh
- Able to see and understand visual/computer tasks
Exclusion Criteria:
- Personal history of autism, bipolar disorder, or psychosis
- Personal history of seizures or family history of hereditary epilepsy
- Serious, unstable neurological disorders (does not include headache or migraine)
- Traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness or that required hospitalization
If you are eligible and choose to participate, you will complete four study visits over 18 months. Each visit includes:
- Remote activities: Clinical interviews and questionnaires completed virtually. Before each EEG visit, you will complete a week of daily diary entries on your phone about your media consumption. If there are significant gun violence events during your time in the study, we might request additional diary entries.
- In-person lab visits: EEG assessments to measure your brain activity and attention while you are viewing images related to media coverage of major gun violence events. No graphic images of victims will be shown during assessments for the study.
All EEG sessions take place at the University of Pittsburgh.
As a participant, you may receive up to $400 for completing all study visits and diary entries, and funds are available to cover transportation and parking costs for in-person visits.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.