Teens and Their Families Research Study
Parent and Teen Beliefs about Parental Monitoring of Teen Behavior
Thank you for your interest in this research study. This project focuses on an important aspect of parenting during adolescence.
As teenagers grow older, they tell their parents less about their everyday activities: where they go, who they are with, and what they do, especially when they are away from home. Parents need to know about these things to guide their teens and keep them out of trouble.
This research project examines parents’ and teenagers’ thinking about different ways parents can find out about teens’ activities. We hope that learning more about these issues can help teenagers become happy, successful, and well-adjusted young adults.
The research team is led by Dr. Judith Smetana at the Department of Psychology at the University of Rochester. Dr. Smetana and her team have been studying teenagers and their families for over 30 years, and their work is internationally known. Dr. Smetana has been interviewed on National Public Radio, and her work has been cited in the New York Times, Parenting magazine, and numerous other sources.
We are seeking families (one parent and one 14-17-year old) from the Rochester, NY area to participate in this project. Participating parents and teenagers will each fill out a brief (10 minute) online survey, which can be accessed through a secure site on the Internet.
As a thank you for participation, we are able to offer you teen a $10 Amazon gift card.
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about this project or feel free to contact Dr. Judith Smetana by email at jsmetana@ur.rochester.edu.
How to Enroll in this Project
You may review and download the Parent Information Letter (pdf), which describes your rights as a research participant. This will also be presented on the first page of the survey.
You may also review the Teen Assent form (pdf) if you wish. We will need to go over this information with your teen, so that they understand their rights as a research participant.
To participate, please complete the contact form so we can send you the survey.
We must have your teen’s assent to participate. More information on this can be found in the contact form.
You and your teen’s responses are confidential and anonymous. We hope to hear from you soon!
What is the study about?
We are studying changes in parent-teen relationships and communication over time.
Who should participate?
Both a parent and teen must agree to participate. If you have more than one child in this age range, only one child should participate.
What if I want to take the survey but my teen does not (or vice versa)?
To be eligible, we need at least one parent to participate, along with their child.
What does participation involve?
Parent(s) and students will fill out separate online surveys. We will send you links to the survey. These links are unique to your family; please don’t share with others.
How long do the surveys take?
The surveys take about 10 minutes to complete. They do not have to be finished at one sitting.
Do we receive anything for participating?
You will receive an online $10 Amazon gift card once the parent and teen surveys are both completed. The Amazon gift card will be emailed to the participating parent.
When and how will we receive this?
You will receive it shortly after we receive your family’s completed surveys. The gift card will be sent to the parent’s email address.
What if we decide not to finish the surveys?
You have the right to stop at any time, but we hope that both you and your teen will both complete the surveys!
Who will have access to our responses?
You and your child’s personal information and responses are completely confidential. Only project staff will have access to it. Information will not be shared with anyone outside our research team. We will not share teens’ responses with parents or vice versa.
Who can I contact if I have more questions about the project?
Feel free to contact Dr. Judith Smetana by email at jsmetana@ur.rochester.edu.
We’re interested! How do we enroll?
Click on this link and fill out the form:
https://universityrochester.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9XIJEUdwMYzSuRE
The information you provide is secure. We hope to hear from you soon!