Information for participants

Welcome to the new study "Challenges in Young Families" (HEJFAM)!

First of all, we would like to thank you very much for your participation and support of the family study. With your participation, you support meaningful prevention work in families and schools and contribute to expanding the knowledge base of the research. From the total of 13 survey waves of the Duisburg Crime Survey, you are already familiar with filling out a questionnaire. The new project has a somewhat different content focus; among other things, it will be about everyday family life or family life and its challenges.  

The family study consists of two parts: a written questionnaire and a neurobiological examination. The partial studies will be conducted under the direction of Dr. Christina Beckord (University of Bielefeld) and the neuropsychologist Prof. Dr. Kerstin Konrad (RWTH Aachen).

You received mail from us between November and February, where you filled in a short questionnaire, your address data and your personal code and agreed to participate in the family study. The questionnaires have now also been sent out in August, as announced. Those who have also agreed to participate in the neurobiological study will receive more information from us by mail and telephone.

 

Written questionnaire

The questionnaire has already been sent to you. This one is a bit shorter than the previous questionnaires and contains many new questions. After we receive the completed questionnaire, you will receive 25 euros for your participation in the survey.

The postal survey will be conducted by the University of Bielefeld, Faculty of Sociology, by Dr. Christina Beckord. During the survey we would like to learn more about you and your family. It will be about attitudes, patterns of action and values in your family as well as about family life and its challenges. We are interested in the communication and interaction between you and your child or children. In addition, questions will be asked about your recreational activities, occupation, and delinquency.

If you have any further questions about the questionnaire, please feel free to contact us directly:

Patricia John Sánchez

Email: krimstadt2@uni-bielefeld.de

Phone: 0521 106-3848

 

Neurobiological examination

If you also take part in the neurobiological examination, you will first receive a call from our employees in Aachen with further information and to make an appointment. In doing so, we will orientate ourselves entirely towards you. An appointment is also possible on weekends, school vacations and public vacations. The means of transportation is up to you. You will then be received at the University Hospital in Aachen or at the Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Neuenhofer Weg 22, 52074 Aachen) with your oldest child. Insurance will be taken out for the journey to and from the examination.

Depending on the age of your child, the examination consists of several parts, which will take place on one day within 2.5 to 3.5 hours (without MRI) or between 4 and 5 hours (with MRI). As an expense allowance, you will receive 150 euros or 180 - 210 euros (with MRI), depending on the length of the examination. Your child will also receive a gift worth 10 euros and another one for taking part in the MRI examination.

The aim of the study is to find out how parents and children talk and play together and how this affects the child's development. We're looking at how similar parents and their children are: in their play, in their bodily functions, and in their brain activity. In this way, we want to learn more about how behavioral patterns are transferred from parents to their children. For more information on the neurobiological examination, please contact our cooperation partners at the University Hospital of RWTH Aachen here.

If you have any further questions about the neurobiological examination, please do not hesitate to contact us directly:

Lena Mehlem

Email: hejfam-neuro@ukaachen.de

Phone: 0241 80-89892

 

You have only participated in the written survey so far and would also like to take part in the neurobiological examination? Or you have not taken part at all so far and would now like to participate?

No problem. Simply send an e-mail to krimstadt2@uni-bielefeld.de or call 0521 106-3848.

 

Procedure

1. You have provided us with your data in the short questionnaire and on the address card.
2. With the help of this data we sent the questionnaires to you.
3. When you receive the questionnaire, please fill in the code and answer the questions.
4. After completing the questionnaire, please place it in the return envelope.
5. Also, please fill out the address card with your current information and place it in the small white envelope, which you will then also place in the return envelope.
6. Drop the return envelope into a Deutsche Post mailbox. You do not need to stamp it! We will pay the postage costs.
7. Upon receipt of the completed questionnaire, you will receive 25 euros for your efforts.
8. If you have also agreed to participate in the neurobiological examination, you will receive a letter with further information in due course.

 

Questions or uncertainties?

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us personally. If you have questions about the written survey, you can contact us by mail at krimstadt2@uni-bielefeld.de or by phone at 0521 106-3848 (Tues and Thurs from 11 am - 1 pm). If you have any questions about the neurobiological examination, please contact us by mail at hejfam-neuro@ukaachen.de or by phone at 0241 80-89892.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

When will the survey and neurobiological examination take place?

You received the questionnaire by post in August. If you have also agreed to participate in the neurobiological examination, you will also still be contacted. Please be patient, as only individual parent-child pairs can participate in the examination. It can take up to two years until we have invited all persons.

Should only one parent participate and if so, which one?

Ideally, the parent who also participated in the Duisburg Crime Survey should participate.

Does my child already have to be able to read etc. for the neurobiological survey?

No. The games are designed to be age-appropriate, so nothing specific is required.

Can I also participate in only one part of the study (written questionnaire or neurobiological survey)?

You can participate only in the written questionnaire. To participate in the neurobiological examination, participation in the written questionnaire is required. It is not possible to participate in the neurobiological examination only.

I have adopted children, can I still participate?

Yes, you can participate in the written survey.

Can I get the results of the examination?

If incidental findings (pathologies, e.g. cysts, tumors) are found in the child during the MRI, the staff is required to report this and provide information regarding follow-up examinations. In addition, if you are interested, you can receive a brief feedback on the child directly on site or afterwards by telephone.

Can I cancel participation?

You can cancel your participation at any time without giving any reason.

 

Data protection

The data collected in the course of the study will be treated confidentially. Central results of this study will be presented in scientific journals or lectures. This will of course be done in such a way that no conclusions can be drawn about individual persons at any time. With this procedure, the research project follows the recommendations of the German Research Foundation for the quality assurance of research.

It is not possible to draw conclusions about you from your answers at any time. Of course, participation in the study is voluntary. You can terminate your participation in this study at any time without giving reasons and without any disadvantages. You can request the deletion of your contact data at any time. To do so, please contact krimstadt2@uni-bielefeld.de.

If you have any further questions about data protection, please contact Ms. Schmid (datenschutzbeauftragte@uni-bielefeld.de).