Paid Participants Studies List

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. Anyone is welcome to sign up for the mailing list.

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Current Studies

We welcome both the general public and students, and please check the eligibility requirements for each study.

Last updated: March 16, 2024


Study Title: Healthy Lifestyle Intervention (in-person)
Researcher: Alfredo Sherman (Student lead), Juliet Fowler, Taha Liaqat, Vasily Vakorin, Bernhard Riecke, Sylvain Moreno (Principal Investigator)
Description: Are you interested in improving your lifestyle through a month-long healthy lifestyle intervention? This study investigates changes in the brain after completing a healthy lifestyle intervention, and explores how the experience of the intervention might affect its impact on the brain. The study comprises three in-person sessions, assessments, and weekly remote check-ins. The intervention will take place during your everyday activities.
Eligibility: You may be able to participate if:
  • 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
Location: Simon Fraser University, Surrey Campus, 250-13450 102 Ave, Surrey, BC V3T 0A3. Room SRYC 3760, Computational Neuroscience Research Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology.
Contact Information: If interested, please complete the pre-screening survey. The survey includes further details. If you have any questions, please email the student lead at alfredo_sherman@sfu.ca. Pre-screening survey link: https://forms.gle/EJCtLWPzawWNHGof9
Reimbursement/Time: Participants who successfully complete the intervention will receive up to $210 and participate in a raffle to win one Apple Watch. This study includes two in-person assessments, one in-person instruction session, and four weekly remote check-ins. The in-person assessments will take place before and after the intervention. Both will have an approximate duration of 60 to 120 minutes. The in-person training session will be approximately 30 minutes long. The remote check-ins will occur remotely over a secured Zoom meeting every week and will be around 5 to 15 minutes long. The healthy lifestyle intervention will take place during your everyday activities during the month for the intervention.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Mar 16 2024.

Study Title: 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.


Study Title: 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.


Study Title: Designing Musical Instrument Instructional Video Control Interface

Researcher: Dongwook Yoon (Primary Investigator), Thitaree Tanprasert & Jazzy Wan (Co-Investigators)

Description: The goal of the study is to evaluate the usability of video control interface and explore the pros and cons of different music tutorial video control designs. You will be asked fill out surveys on Qualtrics, learn piano by watching educational videos on a computer and answer interview questions. Throughout the experiment, you will be video- and audio-recorded. You will be filmed from above to capture your hands on the piano. Your face will not be captured on video.

Eligibility: You must be at least 19 years old and have played the piano before.

Location: (Room X521) ICICS Building, 2366 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

Contact Information: You can text Jazzy at 778-708-7721 or email jazzywan@student.ubc.ca ; please include “Piano Video Controller Study” in the email subject line.

Reimbursement/Time:

The study will be conducted in one session and will take 1 hour of your time. You will be compensated $30 for this session via e-transfer.

Study end date: Ongoing. Posted Mar 16, 2024


Study Title: Virtual Reality Empathy Trainer for Student-Professor Communication
Researcher: Dr. Luanne Sinnamon (Principal Investigator); Yusheng Ding (Co-Investigator), School of Information, University of British Columbia
Description: We are conducting a focus group with current university students to understand what miscommunication between students and professors is, and how students think and get motivated when they are trying to communicate or deciding not to. We are also interested in student’s ideas and suggestions for designing an information service to help students get better at communication with professors through virtual reality and large language models.
Eligibility: We are seeking university students (i.e. undergraduate, master, PhD), who do not have human-computer interaction or design background.
Location: The focus group will be conducted physically on UBC campus by scheduling a date and time (through Qualtrics) with the interested potential participants.
Contact Information: Please email the researchers if you are interested at dingyush@student.ubc.ca“VR Empathy Trainer – [Your Name]” in the email subject to ensure your email does not get lost.
Reimbursement/Time: The total time commitment required for the single focus group is an hour and a half and participants will be compensated for $30.
Study End Date: Ongoing (until March 30nd 2024)

Study Title: Computational principles of motor skill (In-person)
Researcher: Amanda Arteaga, Gregg Eschelmuller, Davin Hu, Rebecca Niven, Annika Szarka, Romeo Chua (Co-I), J. Timothy Inglis (Co-I), Hyosub Kim (PI)
Description: Participation in this study involves making reaching movements to visual targets in a simple video game-like setting. Your participation will help us advance our understanding of how the human motor system controls reaching movements and utilizes different types of sensory feedback for this purpose.
Eligibility: We are looking for healthy volunteers aged 18-35 with normal or corrected-to-normal vision (i.e., 20/20 with glasses or contacts) and no known history of neurological impairment.
Location: Room 203, Osborne Ctr Unit 2, 6108 Thunderbird Blvd, UBC Vancouver Campus
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please send an email to ccm.lab@ubc.ca. We will be in touch with further study information and scheduling.
Reimbursement/Time: The study involves an approximately 90-120 minute test session. Participants will receive a $15 honorarium. If interested, participants may be asked to return for 1-2 additional test sessions of similar length and receive an additional $15 honorarium for each session.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Feb 7 2024.

Study Title: Enhancing Semi-Structured Interviews with AI-Driven Assistants
Researcher: Dr. Joanna McGrenere (PI), Dr. Cristina Conati, Dr. Jiamin Dai, Zhe Liu (Graduate Student) Description: We are reaching out to find individuals who would be interested in participating in a 45-60 minute Zoom interview, talking about their experience in the previous semi-structured interviews they conducted.
The interview would be audio/video recorded with your permission. Zhe Liu, a graduate research assistant at UBC, will interview all the participants.
Eligibility:
More specifically, We are looking for:
Active interviewers with varying levels of experience in conducting semi-structured interviews, from novice to expert, who meets the following criteria:
● Over 18 years old
● Fluent in English
● Novice:
○ Have conducted 3 or more individual semi-structured interviews
○ Have an eagerness to further improve your interview skills
● Expert:
○ Have completed at least a half dozen semi-structured interview studies, involving multiple individual interviews each, over a period of at least 3 years, as the lead interviewer.
○ (Here, “lead interviewer” is defined as someone who takes the lead in designing interview questions, conducting the interviews and analyzing the interview data)
Location: Online (Zoom)
Contact Information: If you’re interested in this study, please complete this brief survey using the link below: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_086mMWZ4jKbpFrM
Reimbursement/Time: The interview will last approximately 45 – 60 minutes. Participants will receive a $20 (e-transfer) for their time.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Feb 7 2024.

Action Observation in Golf Putting

Researcher: Carrie Peters, Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI)

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 practice a golf putting action and will also watch videos of someone else also doing this task (ethics, H23-01790). This study is being run in the Motor Skills Lab in the School of Kinesiology by principal investigator Dr. Nicola Hodges.

Eligibility:A resume is not required to partake in the study, we simply ask that participants meet all the qualifications listed. We are looking for individuals who are/have: 1) Between ages 18-60 years old, 2) Right-hand dominant for putting, 3) Experienced golfers (golfed ≥ 10 times in the past 5 years) OR participants with no past golf experience (golfed ≤ 5 times in the past 5 years), 4) Normal or corrected-to-normal vision, 5) No known physical or neurological disorders or injuries that impede a putting action, 6) Must be able to understand and speak English

Location: Room 300, War Memorial Gym (6081 University Blvd; http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=428).

Contact Information:If you meet these qualifications, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “Golf 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 120-150 minutes. Experienced golfers will only complete the first testing session and participants without golf experience will be asked to return the next day to complete a follow-up testing session that will take ~15 minutes to complete. An honorarium at the rate of $15/hour will be provided upon completion of the study.

Study End Date: Ongoing.


Study Title: Relative Contribution in Mandarin-English Bilinguals’ Speech Processing [In Person]

Researcher: Suyuan Liu (Co-Investigator, UBC Department of Linguistics), Dr. Molly Babel (PI, UBC Department of Linguistics)

Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate what are some factors that affect one’s perceptual accuracy of others’ speech, with a focus on Mandarin and English. Eligible participants will be asked to will be asked to complete in total of four to five studies. In the first study, you will participate in two 30-minute informal interviews, one in Mandarin and one in English. You will be recorded during these interviews. The interview will consist of focusing on your experience with Mandarin, Mandarin accents, learning English, and English accents. In addition to the interview, we will ask for some personal information, such as, “What languages do you speak?” and “Where have you lived in your life?”. In a period after the completion of the interviews, you will be invited back for another three 30-minute perception studies. In the perception studies, you will be asked to make some judgements on the sound files you heard. After the perception studies, we might invite you back for a 1-hour electroencephalogram (EEG) study. For this study, we will use EEG to measure your brain activity while you make judgements of the sound files you hear. There is no known harm of the EEG. Your participation may involve up to 2.5-3.5 hours of your time total, over four to five sessions (1 hour for session 1, 30 minutes for sessions 2-4, and 1 hour for session 5 if invited). You will be compensated $20/hour for your participation (rounded up to the nearest half hour). If you are interested,  please fill out the eligibility survey with this link (https://tinyurl.com/mandarin-english-project) or email Suyuan Liu at suyuan.liu[at]ubc.ca.

Eligibility: Participants who live in Metro Vancouver, speak Mandarin and English, born and raised in mainland China, have taken the TOEFL exam and attended university in an English-speaking country may be eligible to participate.

Location: In Lab at Stores Road Annex (6368 Stores Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B4)

Contact Information: Molly Babel at molly.babel[at]ubc.ca or Suyuan Liu at suyuan.liu[at]ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: $20 CAD/hour, 2.5-3.5 hours

Study End Date: Ongoing


Title: Sequency Learning Dyad Keypress (In-person)

Researcher: Porter Trevisan (RA), Georgia Grieve, Dr. Matthew Scott and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI; School of Kinesiology, UBC)

Description: One-off research participant for research project in the School of Kinesiology (right-handed females only). You will be asked to come to the War Memorial Gym to take part in a study looking at the cognitive and behavioural processes involved in motor learning. We will study how people practice and learn various patterns of keystrokes across two days of practice. This study requires attendance of 2 sessions (1 session/day for 2 consecutive days). Day 1 will last approximately 1h 15 minutes. Day 2 will last approximately 30 minutes. Participants may, or may not, learn the task with another participant (depending on group allocation).

Eligibility: In order to participate in this study, you must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Female adult (age 18-35)
  • Right-hand dominant
  • Normal vision or wear corrective lenses
  • No injury to the right hand
  • Must be English speaking
  • Must be vaccinated against COVID-19
  • No known neurological disorders
  • No previous participation in a similar study (involving keystroke patterns) conducted by the Motor Skills Laboratory (if in doubt, please check with Aneesha, email: Kin.msl@ubc.ca)

Location: Room 24A (basement level) in the War Memorial Gym (6081 University Blvd; http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=428).

Contact Information: If you meet the qualifications below, please email Aneesha to indicate interest (resume NOT required). In your email provide a UBC email (if applicable), a phone number and your availability over the coming weeks. Please include “ATTN: Keypress” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Reimbursement/Time: The study is estimated to take up to 2 hours across the two days. Participants will be reimbursed $16.75 per hour.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 28 2024.


Study Title: 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


Study Title: 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 Jan 21 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.

Eligibility: We are looking for people who:

  • are 19-65 years old;
  • meet criteria for major depressive disorder (not bipolar disorder) and have had two or more episodes of depression;
  • are currently taking an antidepressant for depression, and have taken it continuously for at least 3 months and no more than 12 months, with no dose change in the past month
  • are interested in or are considering stopping your antidepressant
  • are feeling well (no longer depressed) and in remission, according to a clinical interview
  • do not have a seasonal pattern of depressive episodes (seasonal affective disorder)
  • have no other major medical conditions or psychiatric conditions (except for major depressive disorder);
  • 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: Tina Chen rui.chen@ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: $15 per visit (1-2 hours)

Study End Date: Sep 2024


Study Title: Effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on spontaneous thought (In Person)

Researcher: Dr. Lawrence Ward and Aakanksha Sahu

Description:

We are looking for volunteers to participate in a study of the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on spontaneous thought. It will involve viewing and responding to stimuli presented on a computer screen while you receive weak electrical stimulation on the scalp.

We are studying spontaneous thought. We are specifically interested in how people’s thoughts progress when they are not thinking about anything in particular. In this study you will engage in a task that requires you to spend some time thinking spontaneously and then rating those thoughts on two scales. Occasionally you will be asked to explain your ratings.

The experiment will consist of two 2-hour sessions, and you will receive $10 for each hour of participation.

Eligibility:

To be eligible to participate you must NOT:

– Have magnetizable metal in your brain/skull

– Have cochlear implants

– Have an implanted neurostimulator

– Have a history of seizures (epilepsy)

– Be suffering from a neurological or psychiatric disorder

– Be suffering from a skin disease

– Be allergic to lidocaine (topical anesthetic)

– Be pregnant

– Be taking psychotropic medicines

Location: Douglas Kenny Building, Room 3014, 2136 West Mall, V6T 1Z4

Contact Information:

If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact wardlab@psych.ubc.ca .

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 21, 2024


Study Title: 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


Study Title: Social networks of adults 50 years and older in BC

Researcher: Primary Investigator- Dr. Carolyn Szostak

Honour’s Student – Harshita Gupta

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: – 

1. Are you 50 years of age or older?
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.

Study End Date: Ongoing study. Posted on Jan 16, 2024.

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.


Study Title: Older Adults and Misinformation in Social Media (Online)
Researcher: Ishita Haque (MSc student), Co-Investigator, Dr Joanna McGrenere, Professor, Principal Investigator
Description: We are conducting a study with older adults to help them assess any possible misinformation in social media before they attempt to share the content. Share your strategies and experiences with misinformation and give feedback on some design sketches. Your input could lead to better ways to assess misinformation before it gets shared!
Your participation will involve:
● Completing an online screening survey to confirm eligibility (5 minutes)
● Participating in an interview (up to 1 hour and 15 minutes) over Zoom to share your strategies to combat misinformation encountered in social media. You will also be asked to share feedback on some design concept sketches.
● Completing a post-interview survey for collecting demographics and social media usage information (5 to 10 minutes).
Eligibility: We are looking for someone who:
● Is an older adult (aged 60+)
● Has experience using or visiting at least one social media platform for at least 3 months.
● Has used or visited any social media platform within the last 6 months.
● Shares or considers sharing any content (posts, news links, video links, etc.) found on any social media platform at least once every 6 months.
● Are free of diagnosed cognitive, visual, or hearing impairments.
● Are able to join the study over Zoom on a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet.
Location: Online
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating or want to know more about this study, please complete this survey at
https://tinyurl.com/y9p75mct or contact Ishita Haque ( ihaque94@cs.ubc.ca, 778-956-6095 ).
Reimbursement/Time: You will receive an honorarium of $25 CAD via INTERAC e-Transfer, PayPal, or similar platforms. The compensation will be paid after the post-interview survey is completed. The study will involve a total of 1 to 1.5 hours of participation.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Nov 30 2023.

Designing cognitively accessible financial technology to support people as they age (in-person interviews)

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. We will conduct interviews to discuss fictional user profiles (personas) and what could help such users with online banking and digital payment scenarios. The interview will be audio-recorded. You will be asked to fill in a short background questionnaire at the end.

Eligibility:

Pairs including an older adult (aged 65+) and a family member (spouse or adult child) who helps with technology or banking

– 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 in person at a place of mutual convenience in Vancouver (e.g., your home, a community centre, or a UBC research lab).

Contact Information: Dr Jiamin (Carrie) Dai, jiamin.dai@ubc.ca, 514-756-4580

Reimbursement/Time: $20 cash honorarium per person for a 1-hour interview with both of you.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Nov 7 2023.


Visual-motor experience and motor imagery in hand gestures

Researcher: Ryan Jin (RA), Anna Mae Pond (RA) Carrie Peters, Dr. Matthew Scott, Dr. Sarah Kraeutner, and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI; School of Kinesiology, UBC)

Description: 

Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate processes used in motor imagery. In this research study we examine motor imagery processes before and after physical and observation practice. 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 60-75 minutes. A $20 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.

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 “Motor imagery” 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.

Eligibility: 

  • Between 18 and 50 years old
  • No experience with visual sign languages (such as American Sign Language)
  • Right-hand dominant for most skills
  • Normal to corrected-to-normal vision
  • No known physical disorders or injuries to impede full body movement
  • No known neurological disorders
  • Must be able to understand and speak English

Location: 300A in the War Memorial Gym (6081 University Blvd; http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=428).

Contact information: If you meet the eligibility criteria, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “Motor imagery” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email (if available), a phone number, your gender and availability over the next two weeks.

Reimbursement/time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60-75 minutes. A $20 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Nov 6 2023.


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.


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.


Ensemble MEG (in-person)
Researcher: Hee Yeon Im (PI), Ahad Zafar (RA), Yasir Ahmed (RA)
Description: This study seeks to evaluate participants’ perception of facial features. You will complete a computer task while being seated in an MEG scanner. Before you enter the scanner, we will place sensors along your hairline and just below your eyes..
Eligibility:
  • 19-45 years of age
  • Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
Location: SFU Imagetech Facility, Surrey Memorial Hospital
13750 96 Ave
Surrey, BC
                 V3V 1Z2
Contact Information: If you’re interested and meet the eligibility criteria, please email Ahad at ubcvcnlab@bcchr.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The study will be conducted in one session, lasting about 2 hours.. You will receive $60 for your participation.
Study end date: December 2024. Posted Oct 26 2023.

Visuomotor Learning (in-person)

Researcher: Alexander Cook (Graduate student), Ahad Zafar (RA), and Hee Yeon Im (PI)
Description: This study seeks to evaluate participants’ learning of new motor movements through a behavioural task. You will first complete a few short visual assessments, followed by a computer task.
Eligibility:
  • 6-10 years of age
  • Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
Location: BC Children’s Hospital
                 Room E300E, 4480 Oak Street
                 V6H 3V4
Contact Information: If you’re interested and meet the eligibility criteria, please email Ahad at ubcvcnlab@bcchr.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The study will be conducted in one session, lasting between 40 mins to an hour. You will receive $30 for your participation.
Study end date: December 2024. Updated Oct 26 2023.

Clairvoyant – Psilocybin Assisted Psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (In-person)

Study Title: Clairvoyant – Psilocybin Assisted Psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (In-person)

Researcher: Dr. Christian Schutz (Principal Investigator); Zachary Allan (Study Coordinator)
DescriptionThis phase 2 clinical trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in adults with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) through analysis of alcohol consumption and symptom severity over 13 visits across approximately 29 weeks. 

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)

Contact information: Please email the research team at brainlab.clairvoyant@ubc.ca. A researcher will contact you to provide additional information about the study and a link to the eligibility questionnaire. 
Reimbursement/time: The study will take approximately 29 weeks. Each participant will dedicate approximately 43 hours to the study. Remuneration includes $50 for each visit and $100 for each dosing visit. 

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 InformationIndividuals 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.  


Exploring multi-modal expression of programming intent
(In-person)

Researcher: Anika Sayara, Dongwook Yoon (PI)

Description: During the study, you will watch a series of videos in Virtual Reality (VR) showcasing various game logics and interactions. Following each video, you will be immersed in a virtual environment resembling the scenarios depicted in the videos, complete with 3D models. Your task will be to instruct an AI to code the same game logics and interactions demonstrated in the videos. This process is similar to interacting with ChatGPT, but in a VR setting and unlike ChatGPT that only takes text as input, the AI you will be interacting with is capable of understanding all natural input such as voice, hand, head movement, etc. Afterwards, you will participate in a brief interview session where you will be asked to share your thoughts and experiences regarding the activities you performed during the study. The entire study will be completed in a single session of 60 minutes.

Eligibility:
● Be of age 19 years or older
● able-bodied with sound vision and hearing capabilities to use the VR
headset
● Have actively engaged in coding VR experiences [optional]

Location: Room 306A, Department of Computer Science (2366 Main Mall
#201, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4)

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please fill out the survey here: bit.ly/screener_survey
Any queries should be directed to Anika Sayara at sayanika@cs.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Participants with VR programming experience will receive $100 and those without will receive $30 as honorarium.

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:

  • Adults, 19 years old or older.

  • Self-identified Syrian nationals.

  • 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.


Errors in motor learning

Researchers: Jean Louise Fabrice, Sowmya Gopalakrishnan, Dr. Matthew Scott, Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI)

Description: 

We are examining the relationship between error experience, confidence in ability to perform successfully (self-efficacy) and skill learning. Participants will learn to throw darts and will be assigned to either an easy-to-difficult or a difficult-to-easy progression of practice (near or far from the dartboard to start), or they will throw to either a large or small target. Participants are required to attend two consecutive days, ~1.5 hours in total.

Eligibility: 

We are looking for individuals who are/have:

  • Not played darts more than once in the past 12-month period OR have not ever played more than 5 times
  • Between ages 19-50 (or 18-50 for UBC students) 
  • Must be female
  • Must be right-handed
  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
  • No existing injury to upper limbs and no known neurological disorder
  • Not a current competitive athlete in basketball, softball etc. (activities involving upper limb throwing accuracy)
  • Good understanding of English instructions

Location: War Memorial Gym, room 300, School of Kinesiology, UBC, 6081, University Blvd.

Contact Information: If you are interested in partaking in the study, please email Jean Fabrice at kin.msl@ubc.ca with your availability over the next 3-weeks along with a phone number and a ubc email address (if applicable). In your email please include “Darts Challenge” as the subject heading.

Reimbursement/Time: $15/hour (1.5-2 hours total)

Start and End Date: Ongoing.


Psychoeducation for Bipolar Risk (Online)

Researcher: PI: Kamyar Keramatian; Research Assistant: Heeva Chavoshi

Description: The purpose of this study is to test a novel intervention for individuals at high risk for bipolar disorder (BD) to reduce the delay in its accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment initiation. First, a screening and baseline visit is completed. After, the intervention begins, which will consist of 8 weekly group sessions, each 60 minutes in duration and will be conducted using Zoom. After each session, participants will be asked to complete a brief survey about their views on the content and process of the session and their suggestions for improvements. After the final session, four additional surveys will be completed and a focus group will be conducted to obtain feedback from participants.

Eligibility:

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

– are between the ages of 15 and 24 years old

– are able to understand and communicate in English

– have a family history of bipolar disorder or are having challenges with problematic mood changes

You are not eligible to participate in this study if you:

– have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder

– have significant alcohol or substance use disorder

– are currently severely depressed or actively suicidal

Location: Online study (over Zoom).

Contact Information: bd.research@ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The study’s intervention consists of 60 minute weekly sessions for 8 weeks. You will receive the total of $40 for completing the screening and baseline visits, $15 for completing each psychoeducation session, and an additional $30 for participating in the post-intervention group feedback session.

Study End Date: Ongoing


An Exploration of Parents with ADHD and Their Experiences of Raising Children with ADHD (online)

Researcher: Bethany Ee (PhD Candidate) & Dr. Laurie Ford (PI)

Description:This study aims to explore and describe the lived experiences of mothers with ADHD while they raise a child with ADHD. While there is a lot of research documenting the difficulties that families with ADHD experience, we hope to explore the potential strengths that mothers with ADHD have when it comes to parenting their child with ADHD. The study will require participating in a Zoom interview (60mins) and completing four short journal entries (5-10mins).

Eligibility:Mothers with ADHD, who have a biological child with ADHD between the ages of 6 to 12 years old.

Location:online

Contact Information:BethanyE@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time:Participants will receive an honorarium in the form of a $25 Amazon gift card

Study End Date: Ongoing


Visual Anticipation in Volleyball

Researcher: Ellie Saplywy (RA), Ryan Jinn (RA), Matt Krueger, Dr. Matthew Scott, and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI; School of Kinesiology, UBC)

Description: This study will require participants to come to the War Memorial Gym for a testing session taking up to 1 hour. In this experiment, participants will be shown various videos of offensive volleyball plays that will be occluded (edited) at various points in time to prevent information about ball flight. Participants will be asked to respond on force plates (pressure sensitive mats) about the direction of the ball (left, right, centre/straight-up).

Participants will be reimbursed $15 minimum for participation in 1 testing session (or $15.65/hr whichever is more depending on time).

No resume is required, we simply as that you meet all the listed qualifications. If you meet these qualifications, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca with the subject line “Volleyball anticipation“. In your email, please include your ubc email if applicable, a phone number and your availability over the coming weeks.  Thank you for your interest!

Eligibility: In order to participate in this study, you must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Males and females between ages 19-35 years
  • Must have some experience playing volleyball. We are looking for individuals of two different experience types. You may participate if you have NOT played post-secondary/competitive volleyball (i.e., only played recreationally). Alternatively, you can partake if you are have played at the Collegiate or USport level in Canada (high level of experience).
  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
  • No existing injury to lower limbs and no known neurological disorder
  • Good understanding of English instructions

Location: 300A in the War Memorial Gym (6081 University Blvd; http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=428).

Contact Information: If you meet the eligibility criteria, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “Volleyball” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email (if available), a phone number, your gender and availability over the next two weeks.

Reimbursement/Time: The study is estimated to take up to 1 hour across one visit. Participants will be reimbursed $15.65 per hour.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Apr 12, 2023


Efficacy of Lurasidone in Improving Cognitive Functioning in Euthymic patients with Bipolar I Disorder (ELICE BD- H20-00129; In-person)

Researcher: Lakshmi Yatham (Principal Investigator); Jayasree Basivireddy (Primary Study Coordinator)

Description: The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of Lurasidone in improving cognition in bipolar type-1 and type-2 participants.  Some people with bipolar disorder have problems with memory, concentration, and decision making skills even after their mood symptoms have improved.  Such cognitive deficits are associated with impairments in everyday functioning and quality of life. This study has 4 (screen, baseline, week-3, week-6) clinic visits and 4 phone appointments. At screen visit neurocognitive testing (paper and pencil tests of memory, problem solving etc) is completed. Only participants with cognitive impairment will complete clinical assessments, physical examination and laboratory tests. At baseline visit, eligible participant are randomized to receive either cariprazine or Placebo over 6 weeks. Neurocognitive testing, blood sample collection and clinical assessments are completed at all clinic visits.

Eligibility: Individuals who meet all of the following criteria are eligible to participate

  • You are between the ages of 19 and 65 inclusive
  • You must be diagnosed with Bipolar disorder
  • You are not stable on your current medication
  • You are not in a manic or depressive episode currently

No changes will be made to your current medications

Location: Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor of 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) 822-3769

Reimbursement/Time:  The study will take approximately 11-13 hours of your time over 10-12weeks.  You will receive $25 at screen and week-3 visits.  $50 at baseline and week 6 visits. In addition, your transportation / parking expenses will be covered for the clinic visits.

Study end date:  31 Dec 2025


Efficacy of Cariprazine in Improving Cognitive Functioning in Euthymic patients with Bipolar I Disorder (CARPZ-01 :H20-01293; in-person study)

Researcher: Lakshmi Yatham (Principal Investigator); Jayasree Basivireddy (Primary Study Coordinator)

Description: The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of cariprazine in improving cognition in bipolar type-1 participants.  Some people with bipolar disorder have problems with memory, concentration, and decision making skills even after their mood symptoms have improved.  Such cognitive deficits are associated with impairments in everyday functioning and quality of life. This study has 4 (screen, baseline, week-3, week-6) clinic visits and 4 phone appointments. At screen visit neurocognitive testing (paper and pencil tests of memory, problem solving etc) is completed. Only participants with cognitive impairment will complete clinical assessments, physical examination and laboratory tests. At baseline visit, eligible participant are randomized to receive either cariprazine or Placebo over 6 weeks. Neurocognitive testing, blood sample collection and clinical assessments are completed at all clinic visits.

Eligibility: Individuals who meet all of the following criteria are eligible to participate

  • You are between the ages of 19 and 65 inclusive
  • You must be diagnosed with Bipolar disorder
  • You are not stable on your current medication
  • You are not in a manic or depressive episode currently

No changes will be made to your current medications

Location: Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor of 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) 822-3769

Reimbursement/Time:  The study will take approximately 11-13 hours of your time over 10-12weeks.  You will receive $25 at screen and week-3 visits.  $50 at baseline and week 6 visits. In addition, your transportation / parking expenses will be covered for the clinic visits.

Study end date:  30 Sept 2026


Recovery Transitions Research Study

Researcher: Dr. Robinder Bedi

Description: Eight in-person group counselling sessions involving discussions on the life transitions that occur after achieving abstinence from alcohol use or successful controlled drinking following past problematic alcohol use.

Eligibility:

  • Participants will be adults, defined as being at least 19 years old.
  • Participants must have a previously experienced problematic alcohol use, but no major problems with alcohol in the last year.

Location: Groups running in Vancouver and Surrey

Contact Information: If you meet the requirements mentioned above, please email bedi.lab4@ubc.ca to indicate interest. Alternatively, you can leave us a message at 604-822-8953. 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 $120 upon completion of a set of questionnaires before and after the group sessions.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted 2023 Mar 29

Gambling PET/MR Imaging Study (In-person)

Researcher: Dr. Lester Tong, Dr. Luke Clark, Dr. Catharine Winstanley (PI)
Description:  The purpose of this study is to understand brain activity associated with gambling decisions. Participants will undergo:
  • A gambling task during the PET & MRI brain imaging scans
  • A positron emission tomography (PET) scan
    • Uses a small amount of radiation (4.63mSv) attached to a known chemical compound to help the scanner image chemicals in your brain
    • 90 minutes to complete
  • Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) scans
    • Uses a large magnet inside the scanner to take pictures of your brain and measure
    • Done at the same time as the PET scan in the same scanner
  • Total time requirement is 3 hours
Eligibility:
  • Healthy male and female volunteers age 19-50
  • Normal or corrected to normal vision and hearing
  • Fluent English
Location: Charles E. Fipke Integrated Neuroimaging Suite, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
Contact Information: Lester Tong (lctong@mail.ubc.ca)
Reimbursement/Time:  You will be compensated for your time and receive cash bonuses earned on the gambling task

Study End Date: Ongoing, posted March 29, 2023.


Fostering Empathy through Intergenerational Storytelling in Embodied Virtual Reality

Researcher: Chenxinran Elise Shen (MSC student), Joanna McGrenere, Dongwook Yoon

Description: 

The study involves using our experimental VR system to switch bodies and discuss life events in different points of views. We will ask the participants to do the following:

(1) Participants are required to complete an online screening survey to confirm their eligibility.

(2) A 20-minute Zoom meeting will be scheduled with the older adult participant to share information about their memorable life events and relevant photos.

(3) Participants will be invited to attend a 30-minute VR session at the UBC lab, where the older adult participant will share their life event in a designed VR space to the younger participant.

(4) After the VR session, participants will be interviewed for 20 minutes about their experience in a semi-structured format.

Eligibility:

  • Participants must have at least one generational gap (e.g. parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, uncle and niece)
  • Both participants must be 18 years or older and able to effectively communicate in English.
  • The older family member will share life stories and provide relevant photos. Participants will also need to provide photo(s) of their front face for VR avatar modeling

Location: Room x521, Department of Computer Science (2366 Main Mall #201, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4)

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact  Chenxinran Shen at elise007@cs.ubc.ca or text me at 4379730599.

Reimbursement/Time: You and your family member will receive $80 in total via e-transfer for your commitment to the project, at a prorated amount. We will cover the transportation expense with a cap at $50.

Study End Date: Ongoing, posted March 29, 2023.


Normal Values for Cervical and Ocular Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP): Comparison of air conducted (AC) and vibratory stimuli (bone conduction-BC) (In-person)

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. Posted 2023 march 1


Emerging Adults’ Experience of Caring for Parents with Advanced Disease (Online Study)

Researcher: Eryn Tong, Dr. Abby Goldstein (PI)

Description: We are currently conducting a study to better understand the experience of emerging adults caring for parents living with an incurable, terminal illness. This study is being conducted at the University of Toronto. Interested individuals will be invited to participate in a one-to-one interview lasting approximately 60 minutes. We are hoping to recruit a range of individuals with diverse experiences.

Eligibility:

  • Between 18 and 29 years of age
  • Currently providing unpaid support to a parent living with an incurable, terminal medical condition
  • Living in Canada
  • Fluent in English

Location: Online (Microsoft Teams)

Contact Information: Please include “Caregiving Study” in the subject line; Eryn Tong eryn.tong@mail.utoronto.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The interview will last approximately 1 hour. Participants will receive a $20 gift card for their time.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted 2023 Feb 7


Study title: Synapse-BD: Assessing neurite density and neuroinflammation in bipolar disorder (in-person study)

Researcher: Lakshmi Yatham (Principal Investigator); Shannon Reid (Research Assistant)

Description: The purpose of this study is to determine if there are differences between individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy individuals in the position and density of nerve cells in the brain, and if they are related to inflammation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) will be used to obtain this information. Participants will come to the clinic for a screening visit to answer questionnaires, provide saliva and blood samples, and talk to a study psychiatrists. Participants who are found to be eligible after the screening visit will be scheduled to come in for a subsequent 90 minute PET/MRI scan as well as a cognitive test and a second blood sample.

Eligibility: Participants are either people who have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder type I for 5 years or more, or people who are healthy controls with no personal or family history of any mood and/or psychotic disorders. You may be able to participate if:

  • You are between the ages of 19 and 50
  • You have a good working English language ability
  • You have no history of any major medical illnesses or head injury
  • Your body mass index is between 18.0 and 29.9
  • Those who can get pregnant must be using contraception

Location: Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor of 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 study will take approximately 6 hours of your time, and time and travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Study end date: Ongoing. Posted 2023 Feb 7


Effect of Audiovisual Multisensory Integration on Manual Interception (in-person)

Researcher: Dr Miriam Spering (Principal investigator), Abibat Akande, Philipp Kreyenmeier (Graduate students)

Description: We are looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study on audiovisual multisensory integration on manual interception. 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. You will also be asked to intercept it by hitting it on the screen with your finger. You can collect points during the experiment based on your performance.

Eligibility:  To participate, you must fulfill the following requirements:

  • be between 19-49 years old.
  • have normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity.
  • do not have hard contact lenses.
  • have no history of neurological disease (such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, trauma to the head, including a concussion within 12 months of the study).
  • have no history of eye disease (such as strabismus or amblyopia, known a “lazy eye”)
  • do not have an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator.
  • have no history of psychiatric disease (such as schizophrenia or depression).

Location: The study location is 2366 Main Mall, Computer Science building, ICICS Room X715, UBC campus.

Contact Information: Please email Abibat: akande02@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. In addition to this, you will be paid out your winnings based on the number of points you collected during the experiment.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 10, 2023


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If you have paid studies you want to list on the mailing list/listserv, please send an email to Melanie Butt [mbutt@psych.ubc.ca] with the following information. Please send your listing plain-text in an email with 1) ethics approval attachment; 2) “Paid study posting” in the email subject to ensure your email does not get lost.

Study Title: A unique title used to identify your study (Indicate if this is an online study or not)

Researcher: The grad student(s) and the primary investigator

Description: A few sentences or a short paragraph about what participants will do. You can use the Human Subjects Pool style as a guide.

Eligibility: Any restrictions, such as if you only want students, psych majors, a certain age, etc.

Location: Where the participant will take part in the study (e.g., Kenny building, UBC campus, Vancouver General Hospital, online). Please note that not all readers of the list are UBC students, and so if your location is a building on campus, we recommend you include a street address so participants can look up the location of the building.

Contact Information: A name, email address/phone number, a scheduling link (if eligible) so participants can organize a time to participate

Reimbursement/Time: What participants will be paid and how long will the study take

Study End Date: When the study will be removed from the list. Studies labelled ongoing will remain on the list for one year or until you contact Melanie to remove them.

Please note: This list is a posting service only. All studies affiliated with UBC involving human participants are required to have a research ethics certificate before using this service and the use of this site needs to be specifically outlined in the research ethics application. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure proper ethics guidelines are being followed in using this list as an advertising space. For information on UBC Research Ethics, consult the Office of Research Ethics website. This list is hosted online by, but not affiliated with, the Psychology Graduate Student Council.