Search Results
Testing Responses of Young Adults to Intervention Messages (TRY AIM) Trial
The purpose of this voluntary research study is to determine the effects of different methods of promoting physical activity with wearable devices and technology.
Participants will participate in an 18-month study with virtual study visits.-Use provided digital tools (activity tracker and messages) to monitor physical activity-Set goals to increase physical activity levels based on national guidelines-Monitor weight and complete questionnaires at five times throughout the study (at the beginning, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months)
Up to $235 and a Fitbit tracker and BodyTrace scale
Participants between the ages of 18-29 years.
Participants must be free of visual impairment that would interfere with the receipt of text messages on their phone.
Participants must be willing to wear a Fitbit tracker almost continually (23.5 hours/day) for a 12- month period of time.
Participants interested in setting goals to increase their physical activity levels over the 12-month study.
Participants with contraindications to normal physical activity on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.
Participants who require an assistive device for mobility or have any other condition that may limit or prevent participation in moderate-intensity physical activity.
Participants with a prior diagnosis of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
Participants who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant within the next 12 months.
Minoritization and transnational social hierarchies: Caste and race in the Indian immigrant context
The study looks to understand how caste and race play out among Indian students, especially Indian immigrant students. Caste is the predominant social category in India. However, as Indian students migrate into to the USA, the social category of race is introduced and social category of caste is not understood outside of the Indian community. Through qualitative interviewing, it is aimed in this study to determine how migrating to the USA and becoming a minority and a person of color can potentially change how Indians view caste and caste identities in India. The primary hypothesis of the study is that the process of becoming becoming a minority through immigration can be used to think back on caste, and to think forward on race in both India and the USA.
Citizen/Resident of India for at least 5 years OR one or both parents have been citizens of India for at least 5 years
Students/Faculty members at Penn State
Subjects who do not speak English
The effect of repetitive thinking on emotional reactivity to daily events in depression and generalized anxiety disorder: Application of the contrast avoidance model
This is an ecological momentary assessment study that will examine the relationship between daily events, emotion, and repetitive thinking using a mobile application. The participants will be required to answer 2 minutes questionnaire and monitor their heart rate 8 times a day for 8 consecutive days.
If you are eligible based on the screening survey, there will be one Zoom study session where you will complete a brief videotaped clinical interview to further determine your eligibility to participate in the study. If you are eligible and decide to continue in the study, you will complete a brief questionnaire and be trained on how to complete the study. Starting the next day, you will complete eight 2-minutes questionnaires per day and monitor your heart rate using smartphone application for 8 days.
Up to $20 (Amazon gift card)
Owns iPhone.
Scores high or low on depression and anxiety symptoms measure
Fluent in the English language in terms of speaking, listening, reading, and writing
Meets diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia-related disorders
Has suicidal thoughts
Unable to speak, read, listen, and write English fluently.
Expanding Family Foundations to 2nd-Time Parenthood - Focus Group
This focus group study, funded by Penn State's Social Science Research Institute, brings together couples with preschool-aged firstborns who are pregnant with their 2nd child or who have given birth to their 2nd child within the last 12 months. Couples will be interviewed about how they worked together as a team (as coparents) to prepare their firstborn for the birth of the second child and to prepare themselves for 2nd-time parenthood.
2.Each caregiver is over 18 years of age.
3.Caregivers are living together in the same household and are either married or living with a partner.
4.Families living independent of parents’ families of origin.
5.Both caregivers fluent in communicating in English.
2.Caregivers are under 18 years of age.
3.Caregivers not living together
4.Caregivers not living independently of their families of origin
5.Single-parent families with no live-in partner.
The Child Health Study
We want to understand how a child's environment affects biology in ways that impact child health
The project involves completing three Penn State ChildHealth Days on the University Park Campus in StateCollege, PA 2 years apart. Your child will receive a comprehensivehealth screening and you will be asked to completeseveral assessments about your child’s physical healthand emotional well-being. Travel and hotel costs arefree for eligible families.
520
Speak and understand English
Participation of a legal guardian
Evaluation of Health State Utilities for a Chronic Medical Condition
The goal of this research study is to understand how society perceives a chronic illness and the lifestyle outcomes that result from various treatments. Assessing this information will provide more insight on the quality of life for patients of that disease. This information will also help to guide medical decisions and assess the value of a health care intervention. The research team created descriptions of different lifestyle outcomes, called “health states,” and these are designed to reflect the burden of disease. You will be surveyed on your perception of these health states.
Access to a computer and internet connection
Full English literacy, including reading and writing ability
Permanent residents or citizens of the United States
Drug or alcohol dependent
Primary language is not English
Cognitively impaired
Permanently residing outside of the United States
Pathway to Prevention Study
This study will help us learn more about how type 1 diabetes occurs and provides monitoring to individuals at risk. In addition, the study will help us identify people who may be eligible for prevention trials. The study is divided into two parts: Screening and Monitoring. During screening, participants with a 1st degree relative who has type 1 diabetes will be tested for diabetes-related autoantibodies in the blood. Autoantibodies are proteins that are made by the body’s immune system. If autoantibodies are present, it could mean that cells in the pancreas which produce insulin are damaged. Certain kinds of autoantibodies can be found in the blood years before type 1 diabetes occurs. If the screening blood tests show that a participant has the autoantibodies, they will be asked to have an Eligibility visit to determine if you can participate in the Monitoring part of the study.
screened for Type 1 diabetes antibodies
aged 1-20 years and a niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, grandchild, cousin, or half sibling of an individual with Type 1 diabetes
willing to have blood drawn
Currently use immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory therapies
Has diabetes
Defining the role of slow eye movements on limb motor control
The purpose of the study is to examine how slow eye movements called smooth-pursuit eye movements, contribute to hand-eye coordination. Participants will grasp a robotic manipulandum and using the manipulandum interact with virtual visual stimuli in an augmented-reality environment.
Should have normal vision or corrected vision
Participants should be able to sit upright on a chair for upto 2 hours
Participants should be able to grasp and move objects with their right hand
Participants should be able to provide informed consent
History of musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, fibromyalgia, tendinitis, trigger finger, mallet finger, fracture, or previous injury to the bones or joints in your neck, upper back, arms or hands in the last six months)
eye or vision problems (e.g., cataracts, glaucoma, a detached retina or macular degeneration)
Cognitive impairment such that informed consent cannot be obtained.
Medication that could make the participant either drowsy or tired. Individuals who get tired with 2 hours of mild to moderate exercise are also not eligible to participate.
The effect of muscle shortening on the force-length characteristics of neighboring inactive muscles
We are trying to better understand the ways in which people contract their muscles. Specifically, we want to learn more about how connections between our muscles influence how they produce forces. Participants in this study will have their calf muscle group activated while we record the individual muscles' electrical activity and the length of the muscle fibers.This research will help us to understand the underlying mechanical function of muscles in a more realistic context. This understanding may also have profound implications for current computer models of muscles, which most often ignore the connectivity between muscles.
There will be one in-person visit. At this visit, participants will have their calf muscle group activated while we record the individual muscles' electrical activity and the length of the muscle fibers.
$50
heart condition
chest pain during exercise
balance or dizziness problems
prescribed drugs for blood pressure or heart condition
Collaborative Research: Enhancing Speech Science Training through Collaboration: Investigating Perception of a Variable Speech Signal
In this study, we will evaluate the factors that affect how well human listeners can perceive connected speech despite variability in the speech signal. Participants in the study will be asked to judge speech segments presented to you over headphphones. For instance, we may ask you to indicate whether the sound you hear a "pa" or "ba".
Knowledge of English (Native and non-native)
Normal or Corrected to normal Vision
Lack of Knowledge of English
Vision that is not normal and has not been corrected to normal.
National Study of College Students Formerly in Foster Care
This study will examine the educational experiences and outcomes of youth who have experience with the foster care system in the United States. We are interested in understanding the protective and risk factors that influence college success for youth in foster care. This study involves a three round interview process. Each interview will be approximately 60-90 minutes.
Must be currently enrolled in a college or university
Must be at least 18 years old
Under 18 years of age
Exploring International Students’ Development of English as a Lingua Franca Pragmatic Competence
This study explores how international students show and develop pragmatic strategies to effectively communicate with peers and colleagues from diverse language and cultural backgrounds at Penn State. Participants recruited from the StudyFinder are invited to complete an online survey, and will receive an Amazon gift card as a token of appreciation.
A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study on the analgesic properties of amiloride in exercise-induced skeletal muscle pain
To determine if the drug Amiloride will reduce exercise related muscle pain and improve exercise tolerance in healthy volunteers.
In each visit, you will be asked to perform foot exercise with, and without a blood pressure cuff inflated on your leg. You will also be asked to take pills prior to visit 2 and 3. One of these pills will be a drug called amiloride (10mg), which was traditionally used to lower blood pressure. The other pill will be a placebo (no active medication). During each visit, we will collect the following measurements:•We will collect a nerve recording from the leg not performing exercise, which will require a small needle-like electrode to be inserted behind your knee, just under the skin (a procedure called microneurography).•We will collect blood pressure from cuffs placed on your finger and upper arm.•We will collect blood lactate by sticking your finger with a small pin-prick (similar to taking a blood sugar measurement).•We will place to light-sensing device over the skin of your leg(s) to measure the oxygen level in your muscle.•We will hold a doppler ultrasound probe over your hip/leg region to measure blood flow.•We will use sticky-gel electrodes to measure heart rate and muscle activity.
You will receive $25 per hour for your participation in this research study
between 21-40 years old
any race or ethnicity
Smoker
high blood pressure
opiod use
taking amiloride or similar medication
A Survey of the Sex Differences in Taking Selfies while Driving
This study aims to understand peoples’ selfie-taking behavior and how, if at all, they relate to their driving behavior and gender difference. The participants will participate the study by completing an online survey.
Subjects have a valid U.S. driver license or are allowed to drive in the US
Subjects who do not have a valid U.S. driver license or are not allowed to drive in the US
Development of Adolescent and Young Adult Social Health (DASH)
Adolescence is a unique developmental period that prepares individuals for adulthood. We are studying the behavioral and brain basis of this important time, particularly in terms of how adolescents understand and think about other people. To study this important developmental transition, we are inviting typically developing children (6-8 yrs), adolescents (10-14 yrs), and young adults (18-22 yrs) to help us with this study. Participants answer questionnaires, play games of face recognition, and have pictures of their brains taken in a neuroimaging session. Child and adolescent participants also have physical exams. Volunteers are compensated for time (between $185-630) in the lab and for the neuroimaging session.If you are a parent and want to begin the screening process for you child, please go here https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_51lN8sODiukYOONIf you are an adult, and want to begin the screening process please go here:https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5cXMng6ybKe0WwJ
Participants answer questionnaires, play games of face recognition, and have pictures of their brains taken in a neuroimaging session. Child and adolescent participants also have physical exams. This study requires multiple in-person visits.
between $185-630
Normal vision and hearing (with correction)
Free of neuroneurologic, psychiatric, endocrinology disorders
Free of concussions with loss of consciousness
History of working with metal
Irremovable metallic implants in the body (e.g. braces)
Pregnancy
Weigh more than 250lbs or get claustrophobic in small spaces
Effects of amiloride on walking ability in patients with peripheral artery disease
The purpose of the study is to determine the effects of amiloride on the blood pressure response to walking in PAD patients and healthy controls.
In each visit, you will be asked to walk on a treadmill. You will also be asked to take capsules prior to visit 2 and 3. The capsules for one visit will be a drug called amiloride (10mg, in 2 capsules with 5mg of amiloride in each capsule), which was traditionally used to lower blood pressure. The other capsules will be a placebo (no active medication). A blood sample will be drawn at each visit.
You will receive $25 per hour for your participation in this research study
Any race or ethnicity
Healthy: Free of acute medical conditions
PAD: Diagnosis of PAD, no pain at rest
Resting blood pressure of 150/100 or higher
Already taking amiloride
Recent heart attack or epilepsy
Peripheral neuropathy
A data and biorepository for individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, and other individuals at increased risk for dementia
This research is being done to help us better understand the risk factors and protective factors for cognitive decline in people who are at increased risk for dementia. The goal of the study is to establish a data and biorepository for people at increased risk for dementia.
Eligible patients for the study, in addition to routine clinic visits, may undergo a series of questionnaires and blood testing.
Patient participants - Meet the criteria for subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, dementia or at risk for any
Health controls - Normal age and education-adjusted performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test or another standardized cognitive screening test
Stressors under food insecurity and short-term cognitive change in rural older adults
The study is recruiting older adults of age 60 or older in rural Central Pennsylvania to track their food insecurity, diet, mood, stress and cognitive functions in two seasonal months in the winter and in the summer. Each day, participants will use a provided survey phone to answer the survey questions on food situations, mood and stress (20-30 mins) and diet (10 - 30 mins). Participants will also be asked to complete the short cognitive assessments (<3 mins) on smart phones. Following the social distancing guideline during COVID-19 pandemic, remote virtual training will be provided via Zoom and device pick-up and return will be via USPS services. All data collection will take place at participant's home. Up to $400 study compensation in check will be provided.
There will be up to two in-person trainings. Participants will be provided a smartphone for data collection. Each data collection period last for a month. There are up to two months of data collection periods. All data collection will take place at participants' home using the provided smartphone.
Up to $400
No difficulty with activities of daily living
Connected to internet at home
Has any diagnosed neurodegenerative diseases
Has significant cognitive impairment
Has a chronic mental illness
Is heavy drinker of alcohol
The Impact of Menstrual Cup Distribution Programming on College Student Perpetuation of Period Stigma
This is a social sciences study to analyze the effect of menstrual cup introduction through the "CampusCup" free menstrual cup distribution program on the tendency of college students to perpetuate period stigma. A survey will be conducted across samples of students who participated in the CampusCup program, students who use menstrual cups independent of the CampusCup program, and students who have never used menstrual cups. The survey will address motivations behind menstrual cup usage and personal attitudes towards periods. The study seeks to investigate relationships between menstrual cup usage & CampusCup participation and impacts on community attitudes towards menstruation.
At least 18 years of age
Has experienced a menstrual period in the last calendar year
Less than 18 year of age
Has not experienced a menstrual period in the last calendar year
Penn State Hershey Sitting and Health Study
This study aims to examine the effect of pedaling a compact elliptical device at the desk on employees' work productivity. This study also aims to evaluate the effect of different types of incentives on promoting desk-based pedaling.
Overweight or obese
Spend at least 5 hours per day sitting at a desk
Have eligible overweight/obese coworker who can do study together with you
18-70 years old
Planned surgical or medical treatment that will prevent ability to complete study
Heart condition, or chest pain during physical activity
Planned travel or relocation during study period
Already have desk cycling device or treadmill at desk
Just Noticeable Difference of Stiffness and Angle Change Rate of an Ankle Exoskeleton
This is a device study that will determine how much exoskeleton parameters need to change for the user to notice a difference. The parameters that will change affect how the exoskeleton responds when walking.
In a single visit, participants will walk in an ankle exoskeleton with changing forces and responsiveness. Participants will be asked if they notice a difference between different combinations of force and responsiveness.
25
Able to walk continuously for 30 seconds
Able to walk at least 100 minutes in a 2.5 hour block of time
Able to follow verbal instructions
Previous or existing lower limb musculoskeletal injuries or conditions (e.g. joint replacement)
Currently using blood thinners, since this could increase the risk of bruising
Pregnant women
Subjects with femoral retroversion (duck feet posture) significant enough to cause exoskeleton collisions while walking
CO-CREATION OF DIGITAL TOOLKITS FOR ENHANCING THE RESILIENCE OF LOW-INCOME HOUSING IN SELECTED LOCATIONS IN FLORIDA AND PENNSYLVANIA
This study aims to assess engineering design solutions for sustainable, low-cost housing which can be able to withstand extreme heat and flooding disasters. The information will be used in digital toolkits and platforms to provide recommendations to residents in this area to learn the options they can use to make their housing resilient to extreme events and how they can access the information to guide them in the creation of resilient, sustainable and affordable houses in flood and extreme heat prone areas.
The study will interview the subject matter experts for a maximum of one hour to obtain their experiential input on engineering design recommendations in Flood and extreme heat-prone areas in Florida and Pennsylvania. The interview will be on zoom
All genders
Only Subject matter experts working with academic institution, Non-profit organizations and networks, government and private sectors, research centers and are in the field of housing, natural disasters, climate change adaptation and humanitarian response
Adults who are not subject matter experts of housing, natural disasters, climate change adaptation and humanitarian response
Any adult who qualifies for the inclusion criteria but does not wish to take part in the study
Human Robot Trust in a Belay Experiment
Studying the factors affecting trust or lack there of when a human is belayed by a robot
Have a basic proficiency of English
Physically able
Physically unable to climb stairs
Validation and Feasibility of In-Home Child Height Measurement using a Portable Ultrasound Stadiometer
The goal if this study is to determine if a new tool (PUSH stadiometer) can be used by parents to accurately and easily measure children's height in their home.
Participants will be required to attend 1 Zoom visit and 1 in-person visit on Penn State's University Park Campus. Each of these visits will last 30 minutes or less.During the Zoom visit, a researcher will help parents use a new tool (PUSH Stadiometer) to measure their child's height in their home.At the in-person visit, a researcher will measure the child's height and weight, and parents will complete a short survey.
20
Parent age 18 years or older
Able to connect to a Zoom session from home
Able to read and answer questions in English
Lexical and sentence processing in novice L2 learners: Psycholinguistic and neurocognitive investigations
We are studying how children and adults learn second languages in the classroom. To do this, we ask children and adults to read words or sentences in English and in Spanish while we record brainwaves using noninvasive sensors. The participant wears a cap that looks like a swimmers cap with the sensors attached to it.
Middle school students enrolled in first year Spanish
Monolingual English speaker
Right-handed
Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
History of neurological disorders
Uncorrected vision
Strengths, Outcomes, Adversity, and Resilience in College-Aged Childhood Cancer Survivors: The PSU SOAR Study
The purpose of this study is to analyze the strengths, outcomes, adversity, and resilience, as indicated by self-reported experiences in college students who may or may not be childhood cancer survivors. We are asking college students aged 18-23 years attending 4 year universities in the United States to report on their childhood health experiences and their current mental, physical, and social well being during college using a confidential survey. We plan to recruit students who have or have not had a childhood history of cancer and will also ask questions about their demographic information and health habits.
The participants will be asked to complete a confidential online survey that will take 10-15 minutes to complete.
Participants are eligible to earn a $75 Amazon gift card through a random drawing that they can choose to enter after submitting their survey responses
College student attending 4 year university
English as primary language
Not attending a 4 year university
Does not have English as primary language
Epigenetics and Bipolar Disorder: The Role of Reelin in Bipolar Disorder
This study is designed to compare biological markers of mood in participants with bipolar disorder to individuals without bipolar disorder. Participants will answer questions, give blood, and undergo a clinical interview. This study is a 1 time appointment lasting no longer than 1.5 hours and participants will be compensated $50.
One in person visit with interviews, questionnaires, and a blood sample.
$50
18 Years or Older
No diagnosis of psychiatric disorder
Pregnancy
Investigator discretion regarding ability to participate in the study
One Penn State : Connecting a Learning Community of Geographically Diverse Students
The community of remote learners is on the rise. With the trends of application and skill based knowledge, more and more people are migrating to the learn while you work paradigm. People value flexibility and comfort increasingly. Penn State is one of the few Universities propagating the cause of spreading knowledge via all modalities. The 33,302 students spread across its 19 commonwealth campuses are further a testimony to the prevalent trends. It is important that all these students receive an integrated and cohesive student experience. This also covers the need for the students to feel a sense of social belongingness. The work will focus on bringing together the Penn State community to achieve the true essence of it’s chant WeAre!
Must be a student of Penn State
User experience with smart devices
This study investigates users’ experience with smart devices. This study makes further implications for designing more user-friendly devices for better user experience. We aim to make such contributions by answering these questions:1.How do users interact with smart devices?2.What challenges do users face when using smart devices?3.What strategies do users apply to adapt themselves to smart devices?4.What service do smart device producers provide for users to get a better user experience?5.When does user experience break down when interacting with smart devices?The study methods are social media data analysis, interview, survey, and focus group.
all genders included
have prior experience with smart devices
all vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, cognitive impaired adults, and prisoners.
no prior experience with smart device
In Alexa, we Trust. Or do we ? : A Case Study of Privacy Policies of Amazon's Intelligent Voice Assistant
Trying to understand how humans alter their behavior when presented with new information regarding privacy rules.
Must own a smart home device