The Paid Participant Studies List is hosted on the Psychology Graduate Student Council website. While most studies here are conducted in the Psychology Department, other departments recruiting participants are welcome to advertise.
Notice to Researchers: Researchers willing to advertise should note that as this page is accessible to the public, we cannot monitor nor guarantee the quality of data you may collect, particularly for online studies. To ensure the integrity of your data, we strongly recommend implementing additional quality checks within your study design.
Current Studies
We welcome both the general public and students to participate, and please check the eligibility requirements for each study.
Your participation in our studies is greatly appreciated! To ensure that the research results are accurate and meaningful, it’s important that you give your full attention and respond honestly to all questions. Please make sure to carefully read and follow the instructions provided in each study.
Last updated: March 27, 2025
The neurodevelopmental trajectory of youth with anorexia nervosa: A Canada-wide longitudinal multi-modal imaging study (in-person)
Researcher: Dr. Jennifer Coelho (UBC, local PI), Dr. Linda Booij (Douglas Mental Health Institute, PI)
Description: The aim of the study is to investigate brain processes in a large sample of youth with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), and reversibility of AN-associated brain changes in remission. Participants will complete questionnaires at 4 time points and undergo an MRI scan and clinical interview at the start of the study, and after 12 months.
Eligibility: Youth 12-18 years old of any ethnicity, gender, or sex, who are in good physical health with no mental health problems or a personal/family history of eating disorders. Youth must not have any MRI contraindications (e.g. no orthodontic braces, pacemaker, stents etc.). Eligibility screening will be conducted with a research assistant.
Location: BC Children’s Hospital (4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC)
Contact Information: Please email edresearch@bcchr.ca and a research assistant will be in contact with you.
Reimbursement/Time: Participation involves four appointments:
- Appointment 1 (in-person): MRI scan, questionnaires, and interview
- Appointment 2 (virtual): Questionnaires
- Appointment 3 (virtual): Questionnaires
- Appointment 4 (in-person): MRI scan, questionnaires, and interview
Participants will receive $60 for appointments 1 and 4, and $25 after completing the questionnaires at appointment 2 and 3. In total they will receive $170 for their participation.
Exploring Neurodivergent Students’ Experiences with Digital Distraction Blocker Tools: Design Implications for Inclusive Technology
Researcher: Marvel Hariadi – UBC Computer Science; Kevin Chow – PhD student, UBC Computer Science; Joanna McGrenere – Principal Investigator, Professor, UBC Computer Science
Description: This study investigates how digital distraction blockers help (or don’t help) neurodivergent students manage their symptoms of neurodivergence while studying. We aim to understand the effectiveness, challenges, and design considerations of these tools to create more inclusive technology.
Eligibility: You will be considered for this study if you are:
- 19+ years old
- A full-time undergraduate or graduate student, self-identify as neurodivergent, specifically experiencing one or more of the following conditions*:
-
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),
- Autism
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD/Anxiety)
- You actively use digital distraction blockers such as Forest, Freedom, Stay Focused, or other similar apps
- You are comfortable communicating in English
* Note that you DO NOT need to be medically diagnosed to participate.
Location: The study will take place online via Zoom/in-person (depending on the participant’s choice). Participants will be provided with a secure link upon scheduling.
Contact Information: Please fill this short screening survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ewUeCE5x7VgeW3A.
For any questions, contact: Marvel Hariadi at marvelha@student.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive a $20 gift card for completing a 45-60 minute interview.
Perceiving Objects and Events A (in-lab)
Researcher: Jasmindeep Kaur, Dr. Joan D. Ongchoco (PI)
Description: You will be asked to do computer-based tasks that will involve responding to shapes, images, and/or tones using the keyboard and mouse. This study will take place at Kenny 1202. You can knock and the researcher will come out to get you set-up!
Eligibility: 18 – 35 years old, normal or corrected-to-normal vision, fluent in English. Should be able to do computer-based tasks.
Location: Room 1202 (ground floor), Douglas T. Kenny Building 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Contact Information: To participate, please email Jasmindeep Kaur at jkaur59@student.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The study will take 60mins and the participant will be paid CAD $15
Studying AI-mediated photography
Researcher: Michael Yin, Angela Chiang, Elise Shen, Robert Xiao (PI)
Description: Researchers from the X-lab are studying how people perceive and react to photography that is mediated by generative AI. Participants will use our initial prototype camera system to give spoken prompts and take various pictures, while walking around the building. The camera uses spoken prompts to modify the captured surroundings, and then prints the final image as a sticker which participants can keep. Participants will then be interviewed about their experience with the system, their perception of the role of AI, and so on.
Eligibility: Participants must be 18 or older and fluent in English. We are currently seeking individuals with advanced or expert experience in photography, including those who practice photography professionally or engage in it as a serious hobby.
Location: ICICS Building at UBC (2366 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4), Room X508.
Contact Information: Contact me at jiyin@cs.ubc.ca if interested, or if you have any questions.
Reimbursement/Time: $24 for the study, which will take 1-1.5 hours.
Evaluating Persian Cultural Norms (Online Study)
Researcher: Dr. Vered Shwartz (PI), Zhuozhuo Liu
Description: Researchers from UBC’s Natural Language Processing (NLP) Lab are conducting a study on cultural norms and language understanding. In this online study, participants will evaluate a series of statements or behaviors (referred to as “social norms”) and rate how culturally appropriate they are. The goal is to better understand everyday social behaviors and norms from different cultures—Persian culture, in this task. The study involves brief reading and rating activities only; no writing is required. It is not timed, and participants are welcome to take breaks between tasks.
Eligibility:
- Participants must be fluent in English.
- Participants must either be native Persian speakers or have lived in Iran for at least years within the past 15 years.
- Participants must be 18 years or older.
Location: Online
Contact Information: If you are interested, please email Zhuozhuo at zhuozhuo@student.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive CAD $35 in the form of a digital gift card, delivered via email. The total time required is 1.5 to 2 hours, including all 5 tasks.
Human Attention in Information Visualization
Researcher: Professor Giuseppe Carenini (PI), Professor Leonid Sigal (Co-I), Ali Salamatian, Amirhossein Abaskohi, Wan-Cyuan Fan, Mir Rayat Imtiaz Hossain
Description: Researchers from UBC’s Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Computer Vision Lab are studying how people analyze charts and graphs to improve large vision-language models. We’re looking for UBC students to participate! The study involves tracking your eye movements as you view interesting charts and answer simple Yes/No questions about them.
Eligibility: Any UBC student with normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing is eligible.
Location: The study takes place in the ICICS/CS Building room X460
Contact Information: You can reach out to alisalam@student.ubc.ca to schedule the session or use the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEi6glV8XGTBf2lvVl2hEYmhAbUbtasJGRrw2fYwmrst9isg/viewform
Reimbursement/Time: It takes about 1 hour, broken into three 20-minute stages with breaks in between. For each completed stage, you’ll receive $7, so you can earn up to $21 total.
Investigating imagery representations associated with physical and visual experience
Researcher: Dr Matthew Scott (CO-I), Carrie Peters (PhD candidate), Dr Nicola Hodges, Dr Sarah Kraeutner (PI)
Description: Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate how different experiences contribute to brain activations during different types of imagery. Participants will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after practicing a task with their right hand. During these scans, participants will imagine performing a right-handed task under different instructions. Participants may be required to complete an additional series of scans which will involve watching and imagining tasks. This study is being run by the Neuroplasticity, Imagery, and Motor Behaviour Laboratory in the department of Psychology by principal investigator Dr. Sarah Kraeutner.
It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 2-2.5 hours. Scanning time will be 1-1.5 hours. Participants are required to attend 1 hour prior to scanning for to provide informed consent, complete questionnaires and complete a familiarization. A $25 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.
Eligibility: Participants must be aged 18-50 years old, right hand dominant, with no experience in American sign language.
Participants must also meet the following criteria.
1) No injury to the right hand or any known neurological disorders – overall movement will atypical of the general population
2) No previous experience with languages expressed with movement of the hands and face (such as American Sign Language ) – because we want to isolate the role of experience during motor imagery, Participants cannot have any previous task specific experience
3) Cannot have poor vision that cannot be corrected for – glasses can not be worn within the scanner, contact lenses can be worn.
4) Below 50 years of age – reaction time, movement speed, coordination of hands and feet are reported to decline after age 50 years on average (Kauranen & Vanharanta, 1996).
5) Self-reported ability to perform motor imagery (imagine movement).
6) No physical disorders or injuries that impede full body movements.
7) No contraindications to MRI as determined by screening. Important that you are not claustraphobic.
Specifically, there are a number of contraindications to MRI owing to the strong magnetic field present. Potential participants will undergo a standard, comprehensive screen to determine eligibility. In addition, the MRI scanner bed has a maximum weight of 500 lbs so there is a weight restriction on subjects
Location: Room LL190, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3.
Contact Information: If you meet these qualifications, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “fMRI study” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email address (if available), a phone number, and your availability over the next 2 weeks.
Reimbursement/Time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 2-2.5 hours. Scanning time will be 1-1.5 hours. Participants are required to attend 1 hour prior to scanning for to provide informed consent, complete questionnaires and complete a familiarization. A $25 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.
Action error and observation in aiming movements
Researcher: Carrie Peters & Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI; School of Kinesiology)
Description: Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate how watching someone else perform can help us learn and/or alert us to errors. We are interested in how watching actions of others impacts on processes related to performance and learning. In this research study, you will be asked to reach towards targets on a touch screen computer and will also watch videos of someone else also doing this task (ethics, H24-03388). This study is being run in the Motor Skills Lab in the School of Kinesiology (principal investigator is Dr. Nicola Hodges).
Eligibility: We are looking for individuals who are/have:
Location: 300A in the War Memorial Gym (6081 University Blvd)
Contact Information: If you meet the eligibility criterial, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “Aiming observation” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email address (if available), a phone number, and your availability over the next 2 weeks.
Reimbursement/Time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60-80 minutes. A $20 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.
Study End Date: Ongoing.
Pointing Task II
Researcher: Veronica Dudarev, PhD, James Enns, PhD
Description: We are looking for people who are diagnosed with autism to participate in our study on the role of attention, motor coordination and cognitive control in social interactions. You will be asked to do a short computer task and fill out a questionnaire.
Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years of age and have normal vision (or corrected to normal vision).
Location: This is a lab study that takes place at the Vision lab, located in the Kenny building, 2136 West Mall, room 3302.
Contact Information: If you are interested please email Veronica Dudarev at vdudarev@mail.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The study will take up to 30 minutes. You will receive $5.
Study End Date: Ongoing.
Understanding Attitudes towards Government Services in Canada
Researcher: Assistant Professor Vince Hopkins (UBC), Dr. Christian Schimpf (UBC), and Professor Mark Pickup (SFU)
Description: We are looking for volunteer university students to participate in an eye-tracking study. The purpose of the in-person study is to learn more about your attitudes towards government services in Canada. As participant, you would be asked to complete a survey in person at the SFU Complex Social Problems Research Space. Your participation is entirely voluntary.
Eligibility: You must be enrolled as a university student at the time of the study.
Location: SFU Complex Social Problems Research Space, Simon Fraser University, Department of Political Science, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6.
Contact Information: To participate or learn more, contact: csprs@sfu.ca
Reimbursement/Time: You will receive compensation of $50 CAD for your time after completing the survey. The study will take approximately one hour of your time.
Study End Date: August 31, 2025.
Movie Watching Brain MRI Study
Researcher: Tamara Vanderwal (PI), Daria Hammond (RA)
Description: Researchers at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute are seeking healthy children for a Movie fMRI Test-Retest Study. We are interested in testing a new method of MRI brain scan alignment in children. Participants will watch G-rated movie clips during an MRI brain scan and complete a series of tasks and games.
Eligibility:
- Children ages 6-12
- No neurological or psychiatric disorders
- Not taking any medications that affect the brain.
- Fluent in English.
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
Location: BC Children’s Hospital (4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC)
Contact Information: If you’re interested in and meet eligibility criteria, please contact movielab@bcch.ca or fill out our participant interest form (https://rc.bcchr.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=CDE893KT739JPN3E).
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will first take part in a virtual screening session. If they are eligible, participants will complete 2 study sessions at BC Children’s Hospital, each about 3 hours long. They will receive $60 compensation, as well as an image of their brain.
Study End Date: October 31st, 2026.
Mandarin-English Cross-linguistic Connections (in-person)
Researcher: Prof. Molly Babel (PI); Chenxi Xu (PhD Student); Sarah Ong (Undergraduate student assistant)
Description: In this experiment, listeners will listen to Mandarin and English tokens and make judgments while their accuracy and response time will be measured. They will also fill in a questionnaire about their language experience.
Eligibility: Mandarin-English bilinguals with certain proficiency as described below are eligible to participate. No Chinese literacy is required.
Proficiency requirement: For both Mandarin and English, you can understand the main points of clear input on familiar matters. You can deal with topics that are likely to arise in social situations. For example, you can describe experiences, events, and your hopes and dreams.
Location: SpeechInContext Lab at Store Road Annex, 6368 Stores Road, UBC (next to Orchard Commons).
Contact Information: If you want to participate in this study, please fill in the sign-up form https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9MN9cjlH87iip3o or connect Chenxi Xu through xcx23xcx@student.ubc.ca. We will schedule a slot with you soon!
Reimbursement/Time: The study will take up to 60 minutes, and the participants will be compensated with CAD 15 in cash.
Study End Date: Ongoing.
A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experience of Craving in the Context of Compulsive Overeating
Researcher: Laura Bickel (Graduate Student Investigator) and Dr. Rebecca Todd (Principal Investigator; Motivated Cognition Lab, UBC)
Description: We invite you to participate in our study investigating “what it is like” to crave and feel out of control around food, focusing on those attentional processes and emotions that are likely to generate and motivate compulsive overeating. The participation involves keeping a diary via a journaling app and journaling to open-ended questions for one week. You will also engage in an interview session that will be held at the end of the week.
Eligibility: In order to be eligible to take part in the study, you must meet the following criteria:
- Over 19 years of age
- Located in Metro Vancouver
- Fluent in English
- Access to a smartphone or laptop
-
Willing to install the research journaling app on their mobile phone or laptop and committo using it at least three times a day
- Comfortable with being voice recorded in interview sessions
- Willing to share their diary notes
- Able to commit approximately 4 hours for one week and a 45-minutes pre-study meeting
Location: The journaling may take place on UBC campus, at participant’s home or in the field. The interview session will take place either on UBC campus, at participant’s home, or in the field.
Contact Information: For more information, please email Laura Bickel at lbickel@mail.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: If you agree to participate, you will be asked to dedicate approximately 45 minutes for a pre-study meeting and 4 hours of your time for journaling activities and the interview session taking place over the course of one week. Participants will receive a gift card (28$) for one yoga session at YYoga or for the book store Indigo.
Study End Date: Ongoing.
Chronic pain experiences in autistic young people
Researcher: Dr. Katelynn Boerner (Lead Researcher), Dr. Tim Oberlander (Principal Investigator)
Description: Our research team at BC Children’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia are looking to understand the perspectives of autistic children and young people who live with chronic pain. The study contains online questionnaires and an online interview. Youth can skip any questions that they don’t want to answer, participate with camera on or off, type answers in the chat if they prefer, have a support person with them, use any communication tool they are most comfortable with, and privacy will be protected throughout. Accommodations can be made for non-verbal and non-English speaking participants.
Eligibility: We are looking for youth who:
1) Have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
2) Have chronic pain (pain that has lasted 3 months or longer)
3) Live in British Columbia
4) Are between 13 and 25 years old
We are also looking for parents of autistic young people who live with chronic pain (25 years or younger) to take part in an interview study.
Location:Online
Contact Information: If you or someone you know might be interested in participating, please contact Jessica Luu at ASD&Pain@bcchr.ca or 604-875-2000 ext. 5445
Reimbursement/Time: Participating in this study will take about 1.5-2 hours. Youth will receive a $50 gift card for completing the study.
Study End Date: December 31, 2025.
Multisensory integration for motion prediction and movement control
Researcher: Jeremy Thomas (Graduate Student), Dr Miriam Spering (Principal investigator)
Description: We are looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study to understand how humans sense and predict motion under high visual uncertainty. If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to look at a moving object on a screen and follow its motion with your eyes.
Eligibility: To participate, you must fulfill the following requirements:
- 19-30 years old
- Normal vision, or vision corrected with glasses or contact lenses
- Normal hearing and no history of hearing impairment
- If using contact lenses, must have soft contact lenses, because the eye camera cannot accurately record eye movements through hard contact lenses
- No implanted pacemaker or defibrillator
- No history of neurological disease (such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, trauma to the head, including a concussion within 12 months of the study), psychiatric disease (such as schizophrenia or depression), or eye disease (such as strabismus or amblyopia, known as “lazy eye”)
Location: The study location is 2366 Main Mall, Computer Science building, ICICS Room X715, UBC campus.
Contact Information: You can contact Jeremy at: jjthoma@student.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The experiment consists of a single session lasting up to 90 minutes. You will be compensated $10/hour in cash upon completion of this study.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 10, 2025.
Moderators of Performance in Varsity Athletes
Researcher: Ria Gill (student), Dr. Evelyn Stewart (supervisor).
Description: There are many variables that play into sport performance of university athletes: stress, sleep, nutrition, physical and mental health all factor into that tiniest sliver of advantage that defines a win. This survey examines what beliefs and behaviors a student varsity athlete possesses, and how those qualities affect performance in both school and sport. This study can be completed entirely online.
Eligibility:
- A varsity athlete competing in USPORTS
- At least 19 years of age or older
- Fluent English
Location: Online (RedCap). Please visit this link https://rc.bcchr.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=8MD74F4XF8JHRDPC
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Ria Gill at riagill@student.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The study is estimated to take 5 minutes. Participants will receive an honorarium in the form of a $10 gift card.
UBC Family Study
Researcher: Dr. Joelle LeMoult, Taylyn Jameson, Bronwen Grocott, Katerina Rnic, and Seon Hong
Description: Learning to regulate one’s emotions is an important part of growing up. In this study, we want to better understand how families and friends influence pre-teens’ emotional development and wellbeing. At this stage of the study, we are looking for pre-teens and their caregiver to come to complete some computer tasks and answer questions about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours during one remote Zoom session and one in-person session at UBC Vancouver.
Eligibility: Children aged 10-12 and their caregiver, speak English fluently, able to attend in person session at UBC campus
Location: Session 1 takes place via Zoom. Session 2 will take place in the Kenny Building on UBC Campus.
Contact Information: Email: familystudy@psych.ubc.ca; website + booking link: https://blogs.ubc.ca/familystudy/
Reimbursement/Time: Each of the 2 sessions will be between 2-3 hours, and families will be given a $120 honorarium for participation in addition to reimbursement of parking or bus fees for the in person session.
Visuomotor Learning MEG (in-person)
- 6-11 years of age
- Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
13750 96 Ave
Surrey, BC
Ensemble MEG (in-person)
- 19-45 years of age
- Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
13750 96 Ave
Surrey, BC
Culture and Mental Health Technologies Study – supporting therapeutic writing and sharing of mental health stories using LLMs (Phase 2: Reading and evaluating mental health stories)
Researcher: Sang-Wha Sien – PhD student, UBC Computer Science; Kersten Smith – Master’s student, UBC Computer Science; Dr. Joanna McGrenere – Principal Investigator, Professor, UBC Computer Science
Description: The purpose of this study is to explore the needs and challenges in therapeutic writing of mental health experiences and how best to support this activity with the assistance of language model (LLM) agents.
Continuing from the previous phase, your participation involves reading several stories written by the study participants and comparing them by answering questions about your preferences. It should take about 20 minutes to complete.
Eligibility: You will be considered for this study if you are (1) a current UBC student with a valid UBC email, (2) 18 years of age or older, and (3) are interested in reading and learning from stories of peers’ mental health experiences.
Location: Online
Contact Information: For further information, contact Sang-Wha Sien (swsien@cs.ubc.ca).
Reimbursement/Time: At the end of the questionnaire, you will be asked to enter your email address in order to be entered into a draw for 1 of 5 $25 cash prizes via INTERAC e-Transfer. The prize draw is open to anyone who chooses to apply, including those who withdraw from the study. The regional distribution is for Canada, and the odds of winning depend on the number of people who apply.
If you are interested in participating, please take this questionnaire at: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3UiH6KjqL0Xr0sm
Understanding how older adults learn software tasks (in-person)
Researcher: Dr. Joanna McGrenere (Principal Investigator), Teerapaun Tanprasert and Manushree Singhania
Description: We are conducting a study to understand the learning behavior of older adults while informally learning and doing new software tasks. The study session will be about 1.5 to 2 hours long, where participants will learn some new tasks on a laptop provided by us and reflect on their learning experience. The study will be conducted in-person in Vancouver at UBC. The session will be audio/video recorded.
Eligibility:
We are looking for in-person individual participants who are:
- Age 55+
- Speaks English Fluently
- Ability to operate a computer (laptop or desktop, not a smartphone or a tablet)
Location: The study will be conducted at a quiet location at University of British Columbia,Vancouver.
Contact Information: If you meet the criteria above and are interested in participating, please fill this short screening survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4SWJ8sx55NPtihE For more information, please email ms3@student.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: Each participant will receive 40 CAD honorarium (in cash or via Interac e-Transfer) for participating in the 1.5 to 2-hour session.
Everyday pain experiences in autistic young people (online study)
Researcher: Dr Tim Oberlander (Principal investigator)
Description: Our research team at BC Children’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia are looking to understand the perspectives of autistic children and young people on pain. The study contains an online questionnaire and an online check-in survey to be completed 3 times a week, for 2 weeks. Youth can skip any questions in the questionnaire and the survey that they don’t want to answer, and privacy will be protected throughout.
Eligibility:
We are looking for youth who:
1) Have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
2) Live in British Columbia
3) Are between 8 and 25 years old
to participate in this study.
Location: Online.
Contact Information: If you or someone you know might be interested in participating, please contactASD&Pain@bcchr.ca or 604-875-2000 ext. 5445
Compensation: Participants who complete all steps of the study will receive a $100 e-gift card from any Canadian store of their choice.
Time Commitment: In its entirety, participating in this study will take about 5 hours.
Reimbursement: Youth will receive a $20 gift card for completing the questionnaire, and an additional $20 gift card for each week at least 80% of the check-in questions are completed.
Positive Experience Study among First-Year Students (in-lab + online)
Researcher: Dr. Elizabeth Dunn (Principle investigator), Ruoning Li, Dunigan Folk (Graduate students)
Description: This study explores first-year students’ thoughts and feelings about university life.
Eligibility:
- You must be a first-year student who just started at UBC.
- You must be able to access Discord on your phone.
- You must be able to provide your phone number and receive text messages.
What to Expect:
- Lab Visit (in person, 30 minutes): We’ll help you set up Discord on your phone. You’ll provide your phone number and complete a short survey.
- Daily Activity (online, 14 days): Each day, you’ll participate via Discord, sharing your thoughts or experiences and completing a 1-minute survey.
- Final Survey (online, Day 15): Complete a brief follow-up survey.
Time Commitment: Total of 120 minutes, including the lab visit and daily surveys.
Lab Location: Room 2214 – 2222, Douglas T. Kenny Building (2136 West Mall)
Contact Information: Clair Tang (clairtang99@gmail.com)
Reimbursement: You will receive $20 for completing the entire study. To qualify for the payment, you must:
- Attend the lab visit (Part 1).
- Participate via Discord and complete at least 12 of the 14 daily surveys (Part 2).
- Complete the final survey (Part 3).
If these criteria aren’t met, no compensation will be provided. Payment will be issued in one week after completing Part 3.
Please Sign up Here: https://calendly.com/happylabronnie/positive-experience-study
Canadian-based racialized Two-Spirit, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (2SGBTQ) men’s suicidality – an online photovoice study
Researcher: Calvin C. Fernandez (Student Investigator), Dr John Oliffe (Principal Investigator)
Description: Interested participants can contact the student investigator, and will be invited to a 15-minute Zoom pre-interview meeting to i) assess their eligibility, ii) receive briefing about the study and consent details, and iii) review safety measures while participating in the study. Eligible participants will subsequently complete a sociodemographic form and be invited to take and submit 5 to 10 digital photographs that best illustrate their strategies, including strengths and challenges for dealing with suicidality. They will then undergo individual Zoom interviews with the student investigator, using the submitted photographs to illustrate, narrate and/or discuss their experiences of suicidality.
Eligibility: Only those who: i) self-identify as a racialized 2SGBTQ man, ii) aged 19 and above, iii) currently live in Canada, iv) can speak and understand English, and v) have experienced suicidal ideation, planning and/or attempt more than a year ago will be eligible to participate in the study.
Location: The submission of digital photographs and individual interviews will be conducted online.
Contact Information: To participate, contact Calvin Fernandez at calvin.fernandez@ubc.ca
Compensation: Participants who complete all steps of the study will receive a $100 e-gift card from any Canadian store of their choice.
Time Commitment: Participants are expected to spend approximately 15 minutes for the pre-interview meeting, and approximately 1 hour for the individual interview. Additional time may be required e.g. time taken to take photographs which may vary between participants.
Cannabidiol Adjunctive Therapy for Acute Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial (in-person study)
Researcher: Lakshmi Yatham (Principal Investigator), Shannon Reid (Research Coordinator)
Description: This study is examining whether cannabidiol (also known as CBD) is effective in treating episodes of depression in people diagnosed with bipolar disorder when added to their regular medications for 6 weeks. Participants visit the clinic for a screening visit and a baseline visit, as well as visits at week 2, 4, and 6 to complete clinical assessments with a study doctor, laboratory tests, and answer questionnaires. Eligible participants will receive either placebo (i.e. an inactive substance) or 200-600mg of CBD to take daily for 6 weeks. The assignment to placebo vs CBD group is random, and neither the participant nor the study staff will know to which treatment group the participant has been assigned.
Eligibility: Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible to participate:
· Aged 19-70 years
· Diagnosed with bipolar disorder
· Currently experiencing depression
· Currently taking medication for mood stabilization (e.g. lithium, epival/valproate, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole, ziprasidone, and/or lamotrigine)
Individuals meeting any of the following criteria are not eligible to participate in this trial:
· Current or past month daily use of CBD/cannabis
· Have met criteria for an alcohol/substance use disorder within the past 6 months
· Are pregnant or lactating
Location: Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor of UBC Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health), 2215 Wesbrook Mall
Contact Information: Please email or call the study coordinator at bipolar.research@ubc.ca or (604) 822-8045
Reimbursement/Time: The total time commitment required for the study is approximately 7-8 hours over 8-10 weeks, and participants will be compensated for their time and travel expenses.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Oct 31 2023.
Singlehood and Dating (Online study)
ACE-Ex Study (partially in-person and online)
Researcher: Gabrielle Zieff, Dr. Eli Puterman and Dr. Joelle LeMoult
Description: Engaging in exercise has many benefits for physical and mental health, including changing how we respond to social events throughout the day. People who have experienced challenging periods early on in life may especially benefit from exercise in this regard. Our team of researchers is exploring how participating in 6 weeks of a simple, app-based, at-home exercise program may be beneficial to physical and mental health in adults who have experienced challenging childhoods. More specifically, we will investigate how exercise may impact our body’s and mind’s responses to a social event. In our study, participants will attend two in-person sessions separated by 6-7 weeks, with short weekly surveys in-between. Financial compensation will be provided for completion of the study. Those who may be enrolled in a Psychology course will have the opportunity to receive 6 HSP credits for participating instead of the monetary incentive.
Eligibility: Individuals who have experienced a challenging childhood, are between the ages of 18-35, and would like to begin exercising regularly.
Location: The study will take place in Medical Sciences Block C, Health Sciences Mall, UBC Campus. Further details will be provided following an eligibility screening.
Contact Information: Please click here to see if you are eligible and to complete a pre-screening survey: https://acexstudy.kin.ubc.ca/interested/
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will be paid $40 for both 90-minute in-person sessions, and $5 for each of the five weekly surveys, for a maximum total of $105.
Study End Date: December 6th, 2024.
Visuomotor Adaptation
Principal Investigator: Nicola J. Hodges
Study team / Co-Investigators: Beverley Larssen, Carrie Peters, Matthew Scott
Description
Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate processes used in visuomotor adaptation. The mechanisms underlying motor learning (physical practice and observational practice) will be examined in this project. Participants will be expected to learn how to reach accurately to visually-presented targets by physically moving in a modified environment. This study is being run in the Motor Skills Lab in the School of Kinesiology by principal investigator Dr. Nicola Hodges.
It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60-90 minutes. This time may be across one or two consecutive days. A $15 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.
Eligibility:
We are looking for individuals who are/have:
Between ages 18-50 years old
Right-hand dominant for most skills
Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
No existing injury to the right hand
No known physical disorders or injuries that impede full body movement
No known neurological disorders
Must be able to understand instructions written and spoken in English
Location: War Memorial Gym, 6081 University Blvd, Vancouver BC
Contact Information: A resume is not required to partake in the study, we simply ask that participants meet all the qualifications listed. If you meet these qualifications, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “VMA study” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email address (if available), a phone number, and your availability over the next 2 weeks.
Reimbursement/Time:
It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60-90 minutes. This time may be across one or two consecutive days. A $15 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.
Study end date: Ongoing. Posted June 19 2024.
General Surface Touch Interaction Techniques using IR Halo Effect
Researcher: Ziyi (Kaseya) Xia (Contact, Graduate Research Assistant), Dr. Robert Xiao (PI)
Description: You will be asked to interact with projected graphical objects on some day-to-day surfaces and finish a series of virtual keyboard phrase typing tasks to help evaluate our system. Your hands will be recorded for further analysis during the interaction. We will also ask you for your impression of the interaction experience by filling out a survey.
Eligibility:
· Inclusion Criteria:
o 18-50 years old
o Be able to communicate in English
o Used mobile phone to type words regularly
· Exclusion Criteria:
o Blindness and Deafness
Location: ICICS 509x
Contact Information: Kaseya Xia (zxia0101@student.ubc.ca), 778-680-6770
Reimbursement/Time: Your participation will take approximately 1h and will be done in our lab in the ICICS building. You will be compensated $16 for your participation.
Study End Date: September 5th, 2024
RSO2 Study (in person study) / Quantifying Consistency in Tissue Oxygenation Across Anatomical Landmarks in Healthy Individuals Through Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
a. We want to figure out the normal levels of oxygen in tissues for healthy people using NIRS.
b. We’re looking into how oxygen levels differ in various parts of the body for healthy individuals.
c. We plan to gather information and analyze data from 107 different people, to get a diverse range of perspectives.
a. Your age is between 19 and 70 years.
b. You are in good general health with no known neurological disorders or musculoskeletal impairments that could affect muscle function.
a. Severe cardiovascular conditions (e.g., unstable angina, heart failure).
c. Severe neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, uncontrolled seizures).
d. Severe skin conditions at the sensor placement sites (e.g., open wounds, burns).
B: Medications:
a. Use of medications that affect vascular tone or blood flow (e.g., vasodilators, vasoconstrictors) if they cannot be safely discontinued during the study.
C: Allergies:
a. Known allergies to the materials used in NIRS sensors or adhesives.
D: Pregnancy:
a. Exclusion of pregnant participants due to potential changes in blood circulation and oxygenation.
E: Cognitive Impairment:
a. Severe cognitive impairment that may affect the participant’s ability to provide informed consent or cooperate during the study.
F: Previous Negative Reactions:
a. Previous adverse reactions to NIRS measurements or discomfort during NIRS experiments.
J: Communication Barriers:
a. Language or communication barriers that may hinder the participant’s ability to understand study instructions.
K: Other Exclusionary Factors:
a. Any other factors specific to the research study that might affect data quality or safety.
Zoom Speed Dating Study
Social Media and Perceptions Study (SMAP)
Social Consequences of First Impressions – Zoom
Exploring the Perceptions and Health Impacts of Climate Change among LGBTQIA+ People (virtual)
Researcher:
Shelby Yamamoto (Primary Investigator), Sammy Lowe (Co-Investigator), Ishwar Tiwari (Postdoc), Sachit Gurung (RA), Nandia Shirchindorj (RA)
Description: The CHEER Lab is investigating the perceptions and health impacts of climate change amongst LGBTQIA+ identifying adults (≥18 years). We are interested in learning about the physical and mental health impacts of climate change.
Participants will join a virtual focus group discussion for approximately 60 minutes. Questions will focus on an overall discussion of climate change and health, personal lived experience with climate change, climate change information and resources, and climate hope and resilience.
We are looking for:
- LGBTQIA+ adults, who are 18 or over
- Living in British Columbia or Alberta
- Have access to the Internet
Investigation of Interactive Affective Touch: Happraisal Substudy
Researcher: Preeti Vyas
Description: The Sensory, Perception, and Interaction (SPIN) Research Group in the UBC Dept. of Computer Science is looking for participants for a study investigating the sensing, design, and interpretation of emotive interactions with a small robot. You will be compensated $15/hr for your participation.We will ask you to interact with a stationary and/or moving small zoomorphic robot prototype. Before the study, we will ask you to complete a screening questionnaire. During the study, we will record your bio-signals (heart rate, breathing rate, etc.) and ask you to describe the motions and perceived emotional content from such interaction and/or ask you to talk about your experiences with animals and pets and your process for emotion regulation. Your interactions may be video recorded given your consent. This study is part of a graduate student research project.The study will take place between June 14th to 27th 2024. Please contact us at the email below to sign up for the study.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions
Eligibility: People 18 years or older
Contact information: pv@cs.ubc.ca
Reiumbursement/Time: $15 per hour, expected time to complete is 2 X 1hr sessions.
Designing cognitively accessible financial technology to support people as they age (in-person or Zoom design sessions)
Researcher: Dr Jiamin (Carrie) Dai, Postdoctoral Fellow, Co-Investigator, Dr Joanna McGrenere, Professor, Principal Investigator, Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia
Description: We are conducting a study to help design future financial technologies that are easier to use for older adults. Each design session will involve 2–5 participants to discuss fictional user profiles (personas) and critique and sketch features for online banking and digital payment scenarios. The design session will be audio-recorded. You will be asked to fill in a short background questionnaire at the end.
Eligibility: Older adults (aged 65+) and family members (spouses or adult children) who help with technology or banking, joining as pairs or individually
– Both have used online banking or digital payment at least once in the past year
– Both are able to read, write, and communicate verbally in English
We particularly welcome older adults:
– who are experiencing confusion or memory loss with aging
– who have been diagnosed by a medical professional with mild cognitive impairment or early-middle stage dementia
Location: The study will be conducted online (via Zoom) or in person at a place of mutual convenience in Vancouver (e.g., a community centre or a UBC research lab).
Contact Information: Dr Jiamin (Carrie) Dai, jiamin.dai@ubc.ca (preferred), 514-756-4580
Reimbursement/Time: $30 honorarium per person (in cash or via Interac e-Transfer) for joining a 1.5-hour design session.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted 30 May 2024.
Youth-Parent Relationships in South Asian Immigrant Families (in-person)
Investigation of the Biological Markers of Major Depression (OPTIMUM-D) (In-person)
Researcher: Research coordinators, Dr. Raymond Lam
Description: This study involves standard treatment for depression and randomization into placebo groups. Patients will be treated by a psychiatrist for 12 weeks with an antidepressant medication approved to treat depression. The study will involve a total of 5 in-person visits, 3 remote visits over 12 weeks.
Throughout the visits, the study will involve 3 x Collection of blood (Baseline, Week 8, 12) 3 x Stool Sample Collection (Baseline, Week 8, 12) 3 x Urine Collection (Baseline, Week 8, 12) 3 x Electroencephalography (EEG) (Baseline, Week 8, 12) 1 x Electrocardiography (ECG) (Week 1) 2 clinical assessments done by a psychiatrist over the phone (Week 4, 10).
Eligibility: Are between 18-60 years of age. Have been diagnosed with depression or suspect you may have depression, and are currently feeling depressed. in activities, change in appetite, poor sleep, fatigue, low self-esteem, and poor concentration. Are willing to take a standard antidepressant medication as treatment for your depression. Are willing to undergo blood/lab tests and brain scans.
Location: UBC Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor), 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
Contact Information: Research coordinator, Lam.MDDResearch2@ubc.ca/604-822-7804, https://app.reachbc.ca/project/study/356
Reimbursement/Time: To be discussed/12 weeks
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Apr 25 2024.
Feasibility study of long-term light and ion therapy for maintenance treatment in depression (LIMIT-D) (In-person)
Researcher: Dr. Raymond Lam, Department of Psychiatry
Description: The UBC Mood Disorders Centre at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health is now recruiting for a feasibility study exploring the use of two separate non-medication treatments, light therapy and ion therapy, as maintenance treatment in major depression. We are interested in exploring factors affecting the two treatments as maintenance treatments (to help prevent the return of symptoms) instead of medications in people with Major Depressive Disorders who wish to stop their antidepressant treatment.
Participation would include daily use of a bright light device or ion device provided by our clinic for 6 months, as well as regularly completing self-rated scales and meeting the study doctor for assessments. However, half of the treatment devices have been modified so that they are inactive (placebo). You have a 1 in 2 chance (like flipping a coin) of receiving an active or an inactive device.
- are 19-65 years old
- meet criteria for major depressive disorder (not bipolar disorder)
- are currently taking an antidepressant, with no dose change in the past month
- are interested in stopping your antidepressant
- are feeling well (no longer depressed), according to a clinical interview
- do not have a seasonal pattern of depressive episodes (seasonal affective disorder)
- do not have any other major medical or psychiatric conditions
- do not have a problem with substance use currently or within the past 6 months.
Location: UBC Mood Disorders Centre, at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
Contact information: Rachel Leong, rachel.leong@ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: $15 per visit (1-2 hours)
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted July 29 2024.
Genetic Architecture of Youth Anxiety (GAYA)
Researcher: Dr. S. Evelyn Stewart (PI)
Description: Anxiety disorders can significantly interfere with youth’s lives, so it is important to better understand how and why these disorders develop through mechanisms like genetics. To better understand the development of anxiety disorders among youth, we need to include larger samples of youth in current genetic research.
Participants in the GAYA study will complete questionnaires online, provide a DNA saliva sample, and play two phone games on the GAYA app.You can complete this study entirely at home if you wish, and you will be able to complete the study in less than 45 minutes.
Eligibility:
– 10-19 years of age
– Speak English
– Able to use a smartphone
Location: Online or at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
938 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please contact the study team at GAYA@bcchr.ca.
Reimbursement/Time: What participants will be paid $15 after completing the study. The study would take approximately 45 minutes to complete
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 10 2024.
Using eye movements as a readout of audiovisual integration
Researcher: Jessica Chalissery, Philipp Kreyenmeier, Anthony Herdman & Miriam Spering (Principle Investigator)
Description: We are looking for healthy young adults who will participate in a 60 minute study. You will complete short assessments to test your vision and hearing to confirm eligibility, then view visual and auditory stimuli on a computer monitor while your eye movement data is recorded. There are no known risks associated with participating in this study beyond those of working on a computer in daily life.
Eligibility:
- between ages 19 and 25
ability to provide informed consent
have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
have normal or corrected-to-normal hearing
no history of hearing impairment
no history of eye disease (such as strabismus or amblyopia, known as “lazy eye”)
no history of brain injury or neurological disease (such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, trauma to the head, including a concussion within 12 months of the study.)
have no history of psychiatric disorders
not taking any psychiatric medication
Location: The BRANE Lab, room B28, 2194 Woodward (IRC), Health Sciences Mall, UBC campus
Contact Information: You can contact Jessica Chalissery at jesschal@student.ubc.ca if you are interested in participating in this study.
Reimbursement/Time: You will be paid $10/hr upon completion of this study.
Study End Date: ongoing. Updated Oct 1 2024.
Substance Use and Gambling Behaviours Among Canadian University Students
Researchers: Daniel McGrath (Principal Investigator and supervisor, University of Calgary); Diandra Leslie (PhD student and co-investigator, University of Calgary); Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (co-investigator, University of British Columbia)
Description: The Substance Use and Gambling Lab at the University of Calgary and the Healthy Families Lab at the University of British Columbia are running a study about substance use and gambling trends among university students across Canada.
Eligibility: All currently enrolled University of British Columbia students are eligible to participate. You can participate even if you don’t use drugs/substances or gamble.
Location: Online survey. Click this link to join the studyhttps://survey.ucalgary.ca/jfe/form/SV_8ufcigA3cZq6lb8
Contact Information: For more information, send an email to mcgrathlab@ucalgary.ca or visit https://www.ucalgary.ca/labs/gamblinglab/participate
Reimbursement/Time: The survey takes about 15 to 25 minutes to complete. Everyone who complete the survey can enter to win one of four $100 gift cards to a variety of stores such as Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Sephora, Skip the Dishes, Starbucks, Walmart, and more.
Study end date: Friday, April 5 at 10:59 pm PDT.
Famous Faces in Focus: Athlete Portraits and Motor Embodiment (in person)
Researcher: Liz Kalenteridis (student lead), Nicola Hodges (Principal Investigator)
Description: Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate the influences of perception on our own motor system. In this research study, we examine motor reactions to images of famous tennis and soccer players.
Eligibility:
– Between ages 18-50 years old
– Identify as male
– Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
– No existing injury to the dominant hand and foot
– No known neurological disorders
– Must be able to understand and speak English
– Must be familiar with famous tennis and soccer players
Location: Room 300A, UBC War Memorial Gym. 6081 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z1 (http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=428).
Contact Information: If you meet the requirements and are interested, please email lizkal@student.ubc.ca with “Famous Faces Study” in the email subject line. You will receive a pre-screen survey to complete prior to testing.
Reimbursement/Time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60 minutes. A $10 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Apr 1 2024.
Healthy Lifestyle Intervention (in-person)
- You are between 18 and 40 years old
- You have no known significant health problems
- You are not currently participating in a health intervention
- You do less than 1 day of weekly moderate exercise
- You are right-handed
- You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
Normal Values for Cervical and Ocular Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP): Comparison of air conducted (AC) and vibratory stimuli (bone conduction-BC). The study recommends in person attendance to the lab.
Researcher: Ph.D. student May Elbar under the supervision of Professor Navid Shahnaz, associate professor (School of Audiology and Speech Science).
Description: In this study, we are investigating the influence of stimulus parameters on the lowest levels (threshold) that we could obtain these responses and the time it will take for each response wave to be produced (latency). We hope that the normative data obtained using this relatively new method will help find a more reliable way of diagnosing balance issues. The following tests will be conducted in this study: Otoscopic examination (Small equipment that helps us to visualize the external part of your ear), Wideband tympanometry and middle ear muscle reflex (the first test, wideband tympanometry, is a safe test to assess your middle ear function. In this test, a sound will be presented to your ear while the air pressure in the outer ear canal is changed within a safe range. You don’t have to do anything. The only things that you should not do during that test are speaking and/or swallowing. It lasts for almost 1 minute), Automatic Audiometry (Bekesy Audiometry 250-16000 Hz) (the hearing assessment will be done in a specific testing sound booth and will require you to press a button when you hear beep sounds of varying quality and level that are presented through headphones), Otoacoustic emission: (Assessment of the hearing function through introduction of different tones at different frequencies through prob tip put in your ears), Ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential vestibular evoked myogenic potential: (We will place some surface electrodes on your head, neck, and around the eye, and small earphones will be inserted into your ears, then a vibrator will be put behind your ear. In a part of the test, you will have to do a certain position with your neck. In another part, you have to look at a specific target).
Eligibility criteria:
- Adults between the ages of 18 to 29
- Normal hearing thresholds: more than or equal 25 decibel Hearing level between 250Hz to 8000 Hertz.
- Normal balance function.
- Free of any history of severe head accidents, balance dysfunction, noise exposure, or ototoxic drug.
- No outer or middle ear defects were visible during the otoscopy.
- All participants should have normal middle ear function.
- All participants should be fluent in the English language as they should be able to follow instructions on test protocol during the test. English as a second language participant whose first language is Farsi or Arabic can be accommodated.
Location: Testing will be completed in the Middle Ear Lab located on the UBC campus in the IRC building. Faculty of Medicine, 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC Canada V6T1Z3
Contact Information: get in touch with the Middle Ear Lab through email at mel@audiospeech.ubc.ca to set up an appointment.
Reimbursement/Time: There is no reimbursement for participation in this study. However, participants will have a complete hearing check-up and vestibular assessment by VEMP. In case of detecting any abnormality, we can refer the participant to the recommended medical specialist.it takes about one and a half hours to complete a clinical hearing test and other measures of middle ear function and vestibular system.
Study End Date: ongoing study. Posted Mar 16 2024.
Career Development in Recovery Study
Researcher: Dr. Robinder Bedi
Description: Eight in-person group counselling sessions involving discussions on career development for individuals with a history of problematic substance use.
Eligibility:
- Participants will be adults, defined as being at least 19 years old.
- Participants must have previously experienced problematic substance use, but no severe problems with substances in the last year.
Location: Online. Participants must be located in BC or Alberta.
Contact Information: If you meet the requirements mentioned above, please email bedi.lab1@ubc.ca to indicate interest. Alternatively, you can leave us a message at 604 822 8953 or complete this contact form:https://bit.ly/CareerStudyContact. A researcher will contact you to provide more information about the study and to obtain information to determine eligibility (takes approximately 20 minutes).
Reimbursement/Time: Up to $160 upon completion of a set of questionnaires before, after, and at 3-months and 9-months after the groups.
Study End Date: Ongoing until July 2026. Posted Mar 16 2024.
Virtual Reality Empathy Trainer for Student-Professor Communication
Computational principles of motor skill (In-person)
Cognition Under Tension: A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experience of Being In & Out of Control
Researcher: Laura Bickel (Graduate Student Investigator) and Dr. Rebecca Todd (Principal Investigator; Motivated Cognition Lab, UBC)
Description:
We invite you to participate in our study investigating “what it is like” to feel in control and out of control around food, focusing on those attentional processes and emotions that are likely to generate and motivate restrictive eating and compulsive patterns of overeating. The participation involves keeping a diary via What’s App and journaling to open-ended questions over three weeks. You will also engage in three interview sessions that will be held at the end of each week.
Eligibility: In order to be eligible to take part in the study, you must meet the following criteria:
– Must be over 19 years of age
– Must be fluent in English
– Must be located in Metro Vancouver
– Must have access to a smartphone or laptop
– Must have What’s App installed on your mobile phone or laptop and commit to using it at least three times a day
– Must be comfortable with being voice recorded in interview sessions
– Must be willing to share your What’s App diary notes
– Must be able to commit approximately 3 hours per week for 3 weeks (a total of 9 hours) and a 30 minute pre-study meeting
– Must experience at least one binge eating episode per week
Location:
The journaling may take place on UBC campus, at participant’s home or in the field. The interview sessions will take place either on UBC campus, via Zoom, or at participant’s home.
Contact Information:
For more information, please email Laura Bickel at lbickel@mail.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time:
If you agree to participate, you will be asked to dedicate approximately 9 hours of your time for journaling activities and interview sessions taking place across three weeks (3 hours per week). Participants will receive a gift card (28$) for one yoga session at YYoga or for the book store Indigo.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 28, 2024
Alcohol Use in Emerging Adulthood: A Virtual Daily Diary Study
Researcher:
Student Principal Investigator:
Jasmin Katz, M.A., Ph.D. Candidate, Clinical and Counselling Psychology
Graduate Student, Psychology of Emerging Adulthood Research Lab
Applied Psychology and Human Development, OISE/University of Toronto
Faculty Supervisor:
Abby Goldstein, Ph.D., C. Psych., Associate Professor
Director, Psychology of Emerging Adulthood Research Lab
Applied Psychology and Human Development, OISE/University of Toronto
Description:
- The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between depression and problematic alcohol use among emerging adults
- We are interested exploring potential psychological factors that contribute to problematic alcohol use
- We hope this information will provide us with a better understanding of alcohol use in emerging adulthood and give us insight into treatment targets for emerging adults struggling with depressive symptoms and alcohol use
- We hope that a total of 50 emerging adults will participate in this study
What will you be asked to do?
This study involves two phases, each described below.
- Complete initial baseline assessment in a virtual video meeting
- Provide 14 days of daily self-report data on REDCap through accessing a link sent to smartphone
Eligibility:
You may participate in this study if you:
- Reside in North America
- Are between the ages of 18 and 29
- Own a smartphone
- Are fluent in written English
- Use alcohol regularly (2+ times/week)
- Experience depressive symptoms (CES-D-10 score of >10)
Location: Virtual
Contact Information: Please contact: project.emerge@utoronto.ca if you are interested in participating.
Other questions: Jasmin Katz, M.A. Ph.D. Candidate Email: jasmin.katz@mail.utoronto.ca
Reimbursement/Time: This study requires you to take approximately 30 minutes for the baseline assessment appointment (20 minutes for the online survey and 5-10 minutes for training on the daily diary survey), and then 5-10 minutes each day for 14 days. We want to be sure you are compensated for the time you are putting into the study. You will be compensated $for filling out the online baseline survey. As a thank you for your ongoing efforts, you will be paid $15 for each week you complete the survey. We will also give you a bonus $10 for completing 80% of the surveys (34 out of 42 surveys). In total, you have the opportunity to receive $60 for participating in the study. Payment will be in PayPal e-transfer, or Amazon.ca gift card at the end of the study.
Study End Date: Estimated end date is May 2024
Social networks of adults 50 years and older in BC
Researcher: Primary Investigator- Dr. Carolyn Szostak
Directed Studies Student- Siu Lin Rodriguez
Description: Researchers from UBC Okanagan are interested in learning more about the social networks of adults 50 years and older. We hope to gain insight into the social connections that make up the social networks to help us better understand how to improve the quality of these relationships and, hopefully, enhance people’s well-being.
Eligibility: –
2. Do you live in BC? We are looking for people who live in rural/remote AND urban/semi-urban communities within BC.
3. Do you have a mental health concern, such as symptoms of depression, anxiety, or problems with drug or alcohol use?
If you answered yes to these questions, you are eligible to participate.
Location: To participate, please click on the following link: https://bit.ly/SocialNetworks2023
Contact Information: If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact: Harshita Gupta (harshi11@student.ubc.ca)
Reimbursement/Time: Survey participants will have the opportunity to enter a draw for a chance to win one of five prizes!
Most people are able to complete the survey in about 1.5 hours. The exact time will depend upon how many people are in your social network.
Sensorimotor Control and Adaptation of Voluntary Movement (In-person)
Researcher: Gregg Eschelmuller, Annika Szarka, Nick Butler, Tim Inglis (Co-I), Hyosub Kim (Co-I), Romeo Chua (PI)
Description: We are conducting studies to examine the use of vision and limb position sense in movement control. We are interested in how we prepare, control, and adapt our voluntary movements. In this study, you will be asked to make reaching movements in response to visual targets. Your primary goal will be to make target-directed reaches under a variety of sensory conditions. A computer-controlled motion analysis system will be used to monitor eye and hand movements. Visual and position sense stimuli will be presented via visual displays and muscle vibration.
Eligibility: You may be able to participate if:
- Age 18-40
- Have normal or corrected vision
- No known neurological disorder
Location: Room 202, Osborne Ctr Unit 2, 6108 Thunderbird Blvd, UBC Vancouver Campus
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please send an email to pmd.lab@ubc.ca. We will be in touch with further study information and scheduling.
Reimbursement/Time: The study consists of one session of testing, approximately 60-75 minutes. Participants will receive a $10 honorarium for participation.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 3 2024.
The Social Communication, Historical Experiences, Memory and Affect (SCHEMA) Study for Men
Researcher: Dr. Connor Kerns (PI), Dr. Daniela Palombo (Co-PI), Dr. Jason Rights (Co-PI), Dr. Veronica Dudarev (Collaborator)
Description: We would like to invite autistic and non-autistic young adults to help us better understand the relationship between social and emotional processing and well-being in young adulthood. This is a three-part study that includes one in-person visit at UBC (1-2 hours) and two online sessions (45 minutes each).
- Part 1: Approximately 5 days prior to your scheduled in-person visit (study part 2), you will be asked to complete some online questionnaires at home.
- Part 2: The second part of the study will involve a testing session at our lab. During this session, you will complete an online questionnaire about your emotions and some cognitive tasks, including one that involves a computer-based eye tracker. Please note that one of the cognitive tasks will involve some images that may be disturbing or upsetting.
- Part 3: For the third part of the study, you will be asked to complete some computer-based cognitive tasks at home.
Approximately, 5 days prior to your scheduled visit, we will send you a link to the sample images in the welcome email.
Eligibility:
Identifies as a man; 18-30 yrs old; fluent in English; and does not have/meet any of the following conditions:
- colour blindness
- documented intellectual disability
- psychotic disorder
- history of psychosis
- seizure, epilepsy, and/or head injury (last 6 months)
- eye movement abnormalities
- wears glasses with more than one power
Location:
- Parts 1 and 3 of the study are completed online (45 mins each).
- Part 2 is a 1-2 hour in-person lab visit at: Room 4207, Douglas T. Kenny Building (2136 West Mall, Vancouver BC, V6T1Z4)
Contact Information: If you’re interested, please complete a brief screening survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0k4rlcA33CLdZKm. If eligible, we will email you a link to Part 1 of the study and schedule you for Part 2 (in-person visit) of the study.
Please contact schemastudy@psych.ubc.ca if you would like to view the consent form prior to signing up for the study or if you have any questions regarding the study.
Reimbursement/Time: You will receive $15 per hour as an Amazon gift card. The study will take approximately 2.5 hours (for non-autistic participants) or 3.5 hours (for autistic participants).
Study End Date: Ongoing (until 2026). Posted Oct 30 2023.
Clairvoyant – Psilocybin Assisted Psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (In-person)
Eligibility: Participants must meet the following criteria in order to participate. Additional criteria may apply.
- Individuals between 19 and 70 years of age.
- Generally healthy with no unstable health conditions.
- Have alcohol dependence and/or use alcohol almost daily and in large amounts.
Location: UBC Hospital – Detwiller Pavilion (2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC)
Study end date: March, 31st, 2024
The vocational experience of autistic adults: A self-deterministic perspective (Online Study)
Researcher: Talia Vacca, Dr. Charles Chen (PI)
Description: We are conducting a research study on vocational experiences in autism. The purpose of this study is to better understand the career experiences of individuals with a confirmed autism diagnosis. We are looking to conduct virtual interviews with a total of 15 individuals who would like to share their work experience, with the ultimate goal of understanding how their diagnosis, motivations and meaning, influence their career outcomes and work experience.
Eligibility:
- Between 18 and 25 years of age
- Have a confirmed diagnosis from a psychiatrist or psychologist
- Have worked for a minimum of 2 consecutive months within the last 5 years
- Fluent in English, as interviews will be conducted in English
Location: Online (Microsoft Teams)
Contact Information: Individuals who are interested in participating can contact the researcher by email at vocationinautism@gmail.com to learn more about the study.
Reimbursement/Time: The interview will last approximately 1 hour. Participants will receive $10 for their time.
Study End Date: Ongoing.
DaNI – Daily Nature Interactions (online)
Researcher: Johanna Bock (PhD student), Dr. Lorien Nesbitt (PI)
Description: The aim of this study is to understand how people living in cities use nature in their day-to-day life to support their mental health. We are asking you as a resident of Metro Vancouver to share your experiences with us in order to learn about the diverse interests and perceptions of the many different people living in this city. For this study, we send you a survey link every night for a week with a quick survey about your day, how you are feeling and how much time you spent engaging with nature, doing different activities, and in different places.
Eligibility: Individuals between 18 and 65 years of age, living in Metro Vancouver, without physical impairments that affect their use or enjoyment of natural environments.
Location: Online survey (compatible with phone, tablet, computer). This is the link to the first survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1Sa0qiCvO62fPeK, please fill it out at the end of the day.
Contact Information: If you have any questions, contact Johanna Bock, jbock@mail.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The study will take about 40 minutes in total over seven days (Ten minutes on day one, five minutes for the following six days). All participants will be entered into a draw to win $100.
Study End Date: September 30, 2023
Disruptive Technologies and Negative Heritage: Evaluating the Social and Economic Impacts of the 3D printed Triumphal Arch of Palmyra (In-person Study)
Researcher: Dr. Lindsay Der (PI); Pamela Zamora Quesada (RA), Rachel Thibeault (RA).
Description: We are looking for Syrian citizens for a research study on Syrian cultural heritage. Eligible participants will be invited to attend in-person focus group sessions for up to two hours and/or in-person individual interviews for up to three hours (interviews may be divided into different sessions if it is convenient for participants). In the focus groups, participants will be asked their views and thoughts on cultural heritage, the impact of the Syrian civil war on cultural heritage and any work done to mitigate such destruction. In the interview, participants will be asked more in-depth questions about the 3D-printed Triumphal Arch of Palmyra, cultural heritage and cultural diplomacy.
Eligibility:
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Adults, 19 years old or older.
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Self-identified Syrian nationals.
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Fluent in English and/or Arabic.
Location: Focus groups will primarily take place ace in Vancouver and Surrey. Interviews will take place in Metro Vancouver.
Contact Information: Dr. Lindsay Der, lindsay.der@ubc.ca.
Reimbursement/Time: Selected participants will be compensated $16.75 per hour.
Study End Date: Ongoing.