Brain Function & Media use in Adolescence Research Study (MARS)

Brain Function & Media Use in Adolescence

map-marker.pngWestern Interdisciplinary Research Building (WIRB)

During the pandemic, school closures and high levels of parent distress resulted in children and adolescents reporting high levels of anxiety and depression, which has been associated with increased hours spent watching screens. The current study seeks to use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology to examine whether increased teen media screen time use is associated with social, cognitive, and mental health concerns and whether that is related to neurological functioning. 

Adolescents 12 to 18 years old

English-speakers

No known neurodevelopmental disorders

Who can participate in this study?

Inclusion criteria:

  • Ages: 12 to 18 years old
  • Read and Speak English
  • No known psychiatric disorders
  • Not on medications
  • No learning or neurodevelopmental impairments
  • Have no history of traumatic brain injury

What is involved?

This study involves completing questionnaires about yourself and behaviours you may or may not experience. Additionally, you will complete an initial set of cognitive games that measure things like memory, reasoning and verbal abilities. Together these will take about 1 hour.

You will then complete a second series of cognitive games. This second set will be done while wearing an fNIRS cap to measure brain activity during these cognitive tasks. The fNIRS session should last about 1 hour.

In total, this study should take roughly up to 2 hours to complete. You will be compensated for your time.

Principal Investigator & Posting Dates:

Principal Investigator: Emma Duerden
Study posted on: June 20, 2024
Recruitment open

Who can I contact to learn more about this study?

For more information about this study please contact:
Brian Krivoruk: brainlab@uwo.ca

 

 

Sign up to our registry to participate in more studies!