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Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I sign up / participate in studies?

    It’s easy! We have a short, online registration form on our website that will enter your family into our confidential participant database. When a study becomes available that falls within your child’s age range, the study researcher will contact you and explain all the details of the study. You are under no obligation to participate in any study and you will not be penalized for declining.

  • What ages are you looking for?

    We conduct studies with children between newborn through age seventeen.

  • What does the Child Study Center study?

  • When are studies scheduled?

    We know how busy families are and try to schedule appointments that are convenient to a variety of schedules. Appointments are available both weekdays and weekends and late afternoon may also be scheduled.

  • What happens after I sign up?

    We will enter your family’s information into our confidential database and when your child reaches an age that we are studying, we will call you to describe the session fully. Keep in mind that because our studies focus on children of different ages, you might be called right away, or it could be several months before we contact you. You are under no obligation to participate in a study. By signing up, you permit us to contact you with the details of a specific study.

  • Is all contact information kept confidential?

    Yes. Contact information for your family is stored in a confidential database that is only available to the center coordinator and lab staff who are involved in the studies. This information is shared only with study personnel. Your researcher can explain lab confidentiality more thoroughly when you meet.

  • How much time do I need to participate?

    Studies usually last between fifteen minutes and one hour and take place at our comfortable center at Emory University, or online.

  • Is participation on-site at the center?

    We are now operating on a hybrid basis. Both online and on-site studies are being conducted as of November 2022.

  • Are participants compensated for studies?

    Each lab has different compensation policies, but in general most labs thank children with a small gift card and/or a toy.

  • May I stay with my child during the study?

    Yes, you may stay the entire time. We also have a comfortable waiting room filled with toys and games for participants and their siblings to play and use. The Center provides a large family-sized bathroom in the study center with enough space for strollers and more than one child.

  • Do I have to pay to park at Emory?

    No. Your researcher will give you a parking validation when you complete your study. Research participants park in the Peavine Visitor Lot located across the street from the Center. If that lot is full, your parking validation covers the nearby Oxford Parking Lot, located next to the Barnes & Noble store.

  • Does the Child Study Center provide therapy for children?

    No, but the Emory Psychological Center offers a range of diagnostic and therapeutic services for emotional and educational difficulties in children, adolescents, and adults. For more information, please contact the Psychological Center at 404-727-7451.