FAQ

This will benefit African Americans because it will provide us with an understanding of how African American families think and talk about emotions and what that might have to do with their experiences with race and culture. There is not a lot of research about this topic and so people like educators, doctors, therapists, law makers, and many others make decisions everyday for African American youth and families without having the knowledge of what might best support African Americans’ emotions and well-being. We hope that our research study will give those people a better understanding of African American families’ emotional lives.

The National Science Foundation

This lab visit will be approximately two hours and a half.

Loose-fitting clothing if possible. For example, a large, loose-fitting t-shirt and comfortable athletic pants. Please do not wear one-piece clothing like dresses, rompers, overalls, or one-piece track suits. Skirts are okay to wear, but we assume you will be most comfortable wearing pants.

Yes, you will be either in the same room or the room next door to your child during the entire visit. When we are using the equipment to measure your heart rate, breathing, and sweat activity, you will be in the room with your child the entire time so you can see everything that is going on.

No, the equipment that we use to measure heart rate, breathing, and sweat activity are only taking readings of what is happening in your body, just like a thermometer takes your temperature. The equipment used here is commonly used by both medical professionals and scientists. There are no side effects or discomfort associated with using the equipment.

We will be using: an Electrodermograph, which measures your skin’s sweat response with stickers that we put on two of your fingers, an Electrocardiogram machine, which measures your heart rate with three stickers that we put on your chest and abdomen. We measure your breathing with a respiration belt that is put around your diaphragm or the upper part of your stomach.

To reschedule your appointment, you can contact us here at the S.H.I.E.L.D Lab at 804-404-6342. You can also email us at shieldlab@vcu.edu. Feel free to also visit our website https://www.shieldlabresearch.org/

Yes. We will continue to enroll families in our study over the next few months. We want families to join our study either while their child is in the 6th grade or has just completed their 6th grade year. You can reach back out to us at the S.H.I.E.L.D Lab at 804-404-6342. Feel free to call or text. You can also email us at shieldlab@vcu.edu.