Memory and Aging
- Faculty Sponsor: Castel, Alan
- Department: Psychology
- Contact Name: Kara Hoover
- E-mail: karahoover@ucla.edu
- Website: http://castel.psych.ucla.edu
Description of Research Project
The purpose of this research is to better understand how well both younger and older adults can direct attention to information that they want to later remember, and how motivation (in various forms) influences what people attend to and later remember. Prior research shows that overall memory declines as people age, but the ability to remember information that is deemed valuable or important is largely preserved with age. Factors such as motivation and attention can influence memory in both younger and older adults, and this has implications ranging from educational settings (e.g., college students trying to remember information for classes) to everyday memory issues (e.g., remembering the name of someone you recently met). This research also involves examining predictions and judgments about memory, strategies people may use to try to improve memory, and other metacognitive factors that may influence or correlate with memory performance.
Description of Student Responsibilities
Students may assist with a variety of tasks in the lab, including participant contact and scheduling, data collection (e.g., running tasks with participants), designing experiments, and managing databases. Students should be professional, organized, and personable. No prior experience is required, but students should have some interest in the topic and willingness to learn. Knowledge or experience with coding languages is a plus, but not required. Please submit a brief paragraph stating your interest and a resume/CV to Kara Hoover (graduate student) at karahoover@ucla.edu.
Connecting Evidence to Action to Engage Student in School-Based Mental Health (REACHing Families)
- Faculty Sponsor: Chorpita, Bruce
- Department: Psychology
- Contact Name: Meredith Boyd
- E-mail: meredithboyd@ucla.edu
- Website: https://www.childfirst.ucla.edu/
Description of Research Project
The primary aim of the present study is to explore the impact of a coordinated knowledge system on therapist use of evidence to increase youth engagement in school based mental health services.
Description of Student Responsibilities
Complete HIPAA, CITI and lab specific training to handle and process data, Listen to and transcribe recordings of school-based psychotherapy sessions conducted in Spanish Translate transcriptions from Spanish to English Conduct literature reviews Attend and participate in weekly lab meetings aimed at professional develop and increasing research fluency.
Reaching Families Study
- Faculty Sponsor: Chorpita, Bruce
- Department: Psychology
- Contact Name: Meredith Boyd
- E-mail: meredithboyd@ucla.edu
- Website: https://www.childfirst.ucla.edu/
Description of Research Project
The Child FIRST (Focus on Innovation and Redesign in Systems and Treatment) Lab at UCLA is dedicated to improving the quality of children’s mental health care through innovations in mental health treatment design and clinical decision-making. We are currently conducting a research project aimed at improving child engagement in school-based mental health services.
Description of Student Responsibilities
We are currently recruiting research assistants to transcribe clinical recordings in Spanish and translate to English starting summer 2020 (abie to volunteer remotely if required encryption and confidentiality training is completed). Responsibilities include: --6 hour/week minimum commitment --assist with a diverse range of research tasks including transcribing, translating (Spanish to English), data entry and literature review --complete required confidentiality and human subjects training online --attend weekly professional development meetings tailored to your interests and goals.
Pediatric and Adult Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD
- Faculty Sponsor: Del'Homme, Melissa
- Department: Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
- Contact Name: Jenny Cowen, PhD
- E-mail: jcowen@mednet.ucla.edu
- Room Number: Med Plaza 300
- Phone: 310-825-6170
Description of Research Project
Our multidisciplinary team conducts several pediatric and adult treatment studies to investigate and treat a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Our broad interests are reflected by the many of clinical trials we conduct including treating ADHD and severe mood dysregulation in children and adolescents with an innovative non-medication approach, examining the efficacy of several medications on different symptoms of autism spectrum disorders including repetitive, hyperactive, and social withdrawal behaviors. The RA will have ample opportunity to interact with children and adults ages 5-35 with autism spectrum disorders and ADHD. Our lab offers a unique union of psychiatry and psychology for those students who are interested in learning about research in these fields!
Description of Student Responsibilities
We are looking for detail-oriented, enthusiastic, hard-working, organized, sociable, and independent students who are interested in learning about the research process and psychiatric disorders! The RA will be trained to administer vital signs including heart rate, blood pressure, height and weight, and EKG. The RA will also help facilitate study participant blood draws, process blood and urine, ship biological materials (after training), assist in preparing for and running study visits, data entry and management, developing participant recruitment strategies, as well as administrative/clerical tasks. Students who have shown dedication, interest and commitment to our projects in the past have created posters, helped to design databases, and have been connected with researchers in other areas of their interest. Students with experience in graphic design will have the opportunity to be creative and lead development of recruitment materials and manage the evolving group website and content. We would like at least a 2 quarter commitment from any interested students. Please attach a resume and class schedule to your email application.
Teen Bugs Study
- Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Bridget Callaghan
- Department: Psychology
- Contact Name: Zoe Damon
- E-mail: brainandbodylab@g.ucla.edu
- Room Number: 5581 Pritzker Hall
- Phone: 424-259-5702
- Website: https://brainandbodylab.psych.ucla.edu/
Description of Research Project
The Brain and Body Lab (BABLab) is comprised of a diverse group of researchers who are passionate about understanding child and adolescent development. In our lab, we work with parents, children, and teens to understand how our earliest life experiences, particularly with our caregivers, can promote wellbeing across the lifespan.
The Teen Bugs study investigates how early caregiving experiences influence brain development, the gut microbiome, and mental health in adolescents. Together, this information will help broaden our understanding of the gut-brain signaling pathways underlying youth anxiety and depression.
Description of Student Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities include assisting and running research sessions, collection of biological samples, data entry and validation, preparation of research materials, and recruitment. Research assistants are expected to commit to around 10 hours/week with the lab for a minimum of 1-year. Research assistants will have the opportunity to attend lab meetings and be involved with all aspects of the research process, with potential for an independent project. Candidates should be professional and organized, with good communication skills and a desire to learn! Interested students should email a CV to brainandbodylab@g.ucla.edu.
Biobehavioral Research in Children with Life-threatening Illnesses
- Faculty Sponsor: Evan, Elana E.
- Department: Pediatrics
- Contact Name: Elana E. Evan, PhD
- E-mail: eevan@mednet.ucla.edu
- Room Number: 22-464 MDCC
- Phone: 310-206-1771
- Website: http://www.uclahealth.org/cccp
Description of Research Project
The Children's Comfort Care Program at the UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital is home to an active biobehavioral research lab focusing on the care of children with serious illnesses. These are just a few examples of a variety of exciting, open projects with volunteer opportunities: Pediatric Symptom Communication Study: The goal of this study is to understand children's experiences of physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms during serious illness and determine the extent to which parents and children agree about the symptom experience; Communication Intervention: Help facilitate the implementation of a communication intervention for children with serious illnesses and their parents; Healthcare Provider Education: Assist during educational presentations and the distribution of information materials to healthcare staff who work with seriously ill children; provide support to track progress and efficacy of educational interventions for healthcare providers.
Description of Student Responsibilities
"RESEARCH ASSISTANTS will be needed to: code qualitative interviews conduct literature reviews enter data assist in data management participate in related research and program development tasks ELIGIBILITY: completed Pysch 100B or an equivalent research methods course must be responsible & detail-oriented submit a resume must work well independently & with a team volunteer at least 8-10 hrs/wk "
Gender identity and own body perception implications for the neurobiology of gender dysphoria
- Faculty Sponsor: Feusner, Jamie
- Department: Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
- Contact Name: Courtney Sheen
- E-mail: csheen@mednet.ucla.edu
Description of Research Project
Perturbations of the experience of self and gender identity motivate individuals with gender dysphoria towards changing their bodies with hormones and surgical interventions, which are often effective in relieving dysphoria for adults and youth. However, little is known about the neural circuitry involved in body perception in those with gender dysphoria, how it is affected by hormonal treatment, and what may predict better or worse longitudinal outcome after treatment. This study will provide valuable information on the neurobiological underpinning of gender dysphoria, and promises to uncover brain structure, activation, and connectivity, as well as body phenotype and hormonal patterns that could predict outcome in terms of body image and quality of life after cross-sex hormone treatment, which ultimately could be used to assist in medical decision-making.
Description of Student Responsibilities
Assist with data management and analysis, attend weekly lab meetings, record/collect behavioral data, assist with MRI and EEG data collection.
Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization Program
- Faculty Sponsor: Freeman, Stephanny
- Department: Child Psychiatry
- Contact Name: Freeman, Stephanny
- E-mail: SFreeman@mednet.ucla.edu
- Room Number: Semel Institute 78-222
Description of Research Project
The Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization Program is a short-term integrated day treatment program for young children who have been diagnosed with, or may have, autism, developmental disabilities, and behavior disorders. The program uses a comprehensive
Description of Student Responsibilities
The position is entry-level and is focused heavily on data and database management (i.e., data collection, entering, checking, backing up, etc.). There is also opportunity to work within a project that requires filming in one of the therapeutic classrooms, and training in coding and identifying specific social behaviors. As an RA, you must be able to work independently (once fully trained), must be able to communicate via various modalities with the coordinator (e.g., email, notes, etc.), must be organized and thoughtful, and have some basic computer skills. Please note that there is no clinical (i.e., working directly with children and treatment) component to this position. We require 7 hours per week and strongly recommend two consecutive quarters (given the intensive training).
Evaluating Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes
- Faculty Sponsor: Glasner-Edwards, Suzette
- Department: Psychiatry
- Contact Name: Suzette Glasner-Edwards
- E-mail: sglasner@ucla.edu
- Room Number: Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
- Phone: 310-267-5206
- Website: http://www.uclaisap.org
Description of Research Project
In a series of clinical research projects, we are (1) developing new psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for substance abusers with concurrent mental illness; and (2) investigating clinical outcomes of patients enrolled in these, and other substance abuse treatment programs throughout California. In conducting these studies, we work closely with a variety of community substance abuse treatment programs in Los Angeles county as well as the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
Description of Student Responsibilities
Students will be involved in various aspects of the project, including data collection in substance abusing adults and youth ages 12-20, preparation of materials for submission to Institutional Review Boards of the Human Subjects Protection Committee of UCLA and the California state government, data entry and management, conducting literature searches, performing treatment program site visits, attending weekly staff meetings, scheduling of interviews with treatment providers, providing research support for presentations and papers, and assisting the Principal Investigator and Project Director in maintaining quality control in data collection.. These projects are ongoing and there are opportunities for extended involvement throughout the year.
The UCLA High School Diversity Project
- Faculty Sponsor: Juvonen, Jaana
- Department: Psychology
- Contact Name: Piper Harris
- E-mail: piperharris@ucla.edu
- Room Number: 2322 Franz Hall
Description of Research Project
The purpose of this research is to test a set of interrelated hypotheses about the psychosocial benefits of racial/ethnic diversity in urban middle schools and high schools. It is hypothesized that greater diversity can benefit students' mental health, intergroup attitudes, and school adaptation via three mechanisms: (1) decreases in perceived vulnerability, (2) the formation and maintenance of cross-ethnic friendships; and (3) the development of complex social identities. These hypotheses will be examined in a longitudinal study of approximately 6,000 6th grade students as they enter one of the 26 urban middle schools in southern California.
Description of Student Responsibilities
We are looking for a team of diverse students who can commit to 8 hrs/week. The main responsibility will be to collect psychosocial, behavioral, and academic data from ethnically diverse middle school students in Los Angeles area public schools. Other tasks include preparation for data collection, subject recruitment and retention, and data entry. Please contact the Project Manager if interested.