Overview of T4T Involvement

What does participation involve?

Study participation starts with the study staff contacting you and requesting your consent for your twins to participate in this research study. They will answer additional questions you or your twins may have. The study will also provide an opportunity for each twin to assent or decline to participate.

The first step is to complete the online form by
CLICKING HERE.

After the consent and assent process, the study will ask your twins to complete a series of online surveys. The first survey is the longest of the surveys because it collects baseline information and helps determine your twin’s eligibility for study participation. It will take about 20 minutes to complete. Following that, if eligible, your twins will then be texted links to three short surveys per day for ten days. The time involved each day is relatively brief with each of these surveys taking about 2 to 3 minutes to complete. These short surveys will ask about your teens’ moods, such as if they are happy, contented, irritable, tense, etc; where the teens are spending their time and who they are with or are they alone. So, for example, are they at home, school, or some other place…are they with friends or family…are they talking or texting on their phone…what are they and the people they are spending time with doing—playing a game, watching TV, smoking cigarettes, riding in a car, etc? These are just some examples of the types of behaviors and activities the surveys will ask about. The surveys are scheduled to be received sometime during morning, then midday to afternoon, and finally evening hours. They are spread out like this, in order to capture mood changes and decision patterns throughout the day over the course of a little over a week.

The survey links are sent by text message, so a cell phone must be used to complete the study. If your twins have a cell phone then it is likely easier for them to use their own phone, though this is not required. The study can provide a loaner phone.

This study is completely voluntary and even if you give your permission, the twins retain their right to refuse to participate. It is important though that both twins participate fully in the study, otherwise the data provided will not be as useful.

Will there be any compensation for participating?

Each individual twin that completes approximately 90% or more of the surveys will be compensated at least $10.00 based on their own participation. However, if both twins participate, the compensation is a bit higher and each twin receives $20.00.

Additional Resources