Durham, NC, May 22, 2014—Researchers at innovation Research & Training (iRT) are seeking families with third, fourth, and fifth grade students to take part in a study looking at media, alcohol, and tobacco.
The Family Media Project is a research study about how family use of a computer program may influence media use and children’s health. The researchers are interested in learning whether using the software program together as a family can have a positive effect by reducing children’s interest in using alcohol or tobacco in the future. Parents are eligible to receive up to $95 plus mileage reimbursement for the family’s completion of the study together.
“The aim is to get a better understanding of how families use media together such as computers, televisions, video games, and mobile devices to reduce children’s substance abuse experimentation,” said Dr. Tara Weatherholt, project director. “Participation in this fun-filled and educational project encourages family time and helps foster conversations about substance use, even before it begins in young children.”
Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Family Media Project is recruiting children in third, fourth, and fifth grades and their parents or legal guardians. As part of the project, parents will receive a free computer program to use at home for about three hours with their children. Families will have a month to play the game together. Parents and children must record the time that they spend using the computer program. Families will meet with a project staff member three times over a four-month period to complete questionnaires. These meetings will be scheduled in a public location at the family’s convenience.
To be eligible to participate in the project, families must be able to speak English and have access to the Internet and a CD ROM. The project is seeking families with third, fourth, or fifth grade children who reside in Ellis, Navarro, or Hill counties.
To enroll in this research project, please contact Tara Weatherholt at 646-330-0044 or tweatherholt@irtinc.us. For more information on the Family Media Project study, visit www.familymediaproject.com.
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About innovation Training & Research
innovation Training & Research (IRT) is a behavioral sciences research company committed to identifying and solving significant real-world problems facing children, families, communities, and organizations. By using evidence-based and culturally sensitive methods, IRT researchers investigate, develop and evaluate behavioral, educational, psychological, social, and community assessment, prevention and treatment programs and services with the highest professional standards of excellence. Our staff includes experts in basic and applied research in a wide variety of areas, including of substance abuse prevention and treatment, youth mentoring, social and emotional development, mindfulness education, media literacy education, pregnancy prevention and sexual health, child and adolescent mental health, adult and juvenile justice programs, drug courts, drugged driving, tobacco use and underage drinking. For more information about IRT, visit us at www.irtinc.us.
Media Contact: Yvette Ruffin, APR
Director, Marketing and Communications
Innovative Research & Training
Phone: 919-493-7700
Email: yruffin@irtinc.us