Who can participate?

• The study is open to children between the ages of 4 and 10 and a primary caregiving parent.
• Finalization of the adoption must have occurred within 12 months of beginning participation in PALS.
• The adoptive parent must not be biologically related to the adopted child.
• International adoptees are not included in this study.
• The child’s estimated IQ must be above 70. Children diagnosed with an intellectual disability are not included in this study.

What will volunteers do?

The child and parent will be asked to complete interviews, questionnaires and various tasks. Parents may also be asked to complete questionnaires online. The research team from Penn State College of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics will collect all data in a remote study visit, at the Transforming the Lives of Children (TLC) Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and in person at the child and parent’s home.

Participation will last for one year and will include the following:

• One visit occurring remotely on Zoom
• One visit at the Transforming the Lives of Children Center in Harrisburg, no more than four weeks after Zoom visit (optional)
• Final visit at home will occur one year after the first Zoom visit

Compensation is provided to eligible participants.

Benefits

There is no direct benefit to participating; however, results may guide future treatment of adopted children and families by helping to identify influential factors in healthy development of adopted children.

For details or to participate

Contact the research coordinator at pals@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or 717-531-0003, ext. 321713.

If you’d like us to contact you, complete our Interest Form.