Sips and Shapes 4: Research Study at the University of Missouri. MU Institutional Review Board (IRB) Project #2106130
Principal investigator: Dr. Roberto Cofresi, Department of Psychological Sciences. Contact: cofresir@missouri.edu
Summary
We are seeking young adults for a paid research study looking at brain and mental processes during learning of new visual cues for liquid rewards. Individuals age 18-25 who have consumed at least 5 drinks containing any kind of alcohol in their lifetime may be eligible. No alcohol will be consumed in this study. Participation involves 4 in-person visits to the MU campus within one week, plus 5 short online surveys over the next 12 months. During the visits, you will complete computer tasks while receiving small sips of water or juice in the scanner. Visits will take between 1 and 2 hours of your time, for a total in-person involvement of 6 hours.
Purpose of the study
This study is conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of factors that can lead to alcohol and other drug use-related problems in some people (MU Institutional Review Board (IRB) Project#2106130). More specifically, this research has two goals. The first goal is to explore how the brain’s processing of a visual stimulus changes as a result of new experiences with that stimulus (e.g., when we learn that it predicts drug or food reward). The second goal is to explore if between-person differences in learning-related changes in how the brain processes a visual stimulus are related to between-person differences in the use of alcohol and/or other drugs. We hope that the insight we gain from this study will improve our understanding of factors that might put people at risk for developing problems with alcohol or other drugs, or that might protect people from developing such problems.
How to participate
Complete the eligibility screener so that the research team can determine if you meet the study eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Screener: Sips and Shapes 4
How do I know if I am eligible?
Take the eligibility screener! Potentially eligible participants will be contacted by research team via email/text/phone call (depending on your indicated preference). We will schedule a brief Zoom call to review what participation in the study entails and confirm your eligibility for MRI procedures. Potential contraindications include metal implants, implanted medical devices, fear of tight spaces or loud sounds, pregnancy.
Please note: If you have participated in a previous Sips and Shapes study, you are not eligible for this one. However, if you have only taken a screener for another study but were not contacted to participate, you are still welcome to complete the screener for this study. We sometimes reach out to different people depending on the study’s needs, so you may be invited to participate this time!
Enrolled participants will be asked to:
Complete 4 lab visits in 1 week span
Visit the researcher’s lab on the MU campus in Columbia, MO to complete a computerized learning task in which you are presented various visual stimuli, some of which predict receipt of a liquid reward. The liquid reward will be a fruit juice. You will pick the flavor you like best from 3 options, and we will use that one as the liquid reward. The amount served will be no more than 8-oz total. Your functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recording will be collected so that we can visualize how your brain processes visual stimuli and liquid reward. Participants are compensated at a rate of $20 per hour for laboratory visits. Payment is provided in cash at the end of each visit.
- Visit 1 (~1 hour): $20
- Visit 2 (~2 hours): $40
- Visit 3 (~1.5 hours): $30
- Visit 4 (~1.5 hours): $30 Participants who complete all four lab visits will receive an additional $60 completion bonus at the final visit. Those who arrive on time for all visits are also eligible for an on-time bonus of $10 per visit (up to $40 total). In total, participants can earn up to $220 for completing all laboratory visits and arriving on time.
Complete 5 online surveys in 1 year span
Complete online remote survey (~20 min) 5 times: once before the first lab visit, and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the last lab visit. Earn $10/survey + $10 “on-time” bonus if completed the day we sent it to you. Bonus: earn $30 “streak” bonus if you complete all 5 surveys! In total, you can earn up to $130. Compensation via electronic gift cards.
What if I have questions about the study?
You should contact the research team!
MU LAMP Lab
Email: mulamplab@missouri.edu
Dr. Roberto Cofresi
Email: cofresir@missouri.edu