This study looks to identify strengths in the area of creativity, for children both with and without Dyslexia. The hope is that by identifying strengths for students with dyslexia, we can better understand what these students can do, rather than what they can’t. Identifying these strengths can help researchers to determine how they may be utilized for future interventions.

Students from grades 6 through 8 will be asked to participate and will be assessed on various language and reading measures. These measures will allow researchers to group students together. The groups that children become a part of will produce four creative products that will be compared between and within groups.

This is a 3 year research project to improve word reading skills in struggling readers. Researchers are testing two different ways to provide instruction, one focused on syllabic units and other focused on meaning units. In Year 3 of the study, researchers plan to use fMRI neuroimaging before and after the intervention to see whether the two types of intervention produce different changes in the brain’s processing of words.

This project analyzes adolescents’ friendships, and reactions when friendships end or break-up. Teens simply fill out an online survey about their experiences with ending a friendship. The findings from this study will provide information about how to recognize unhealthy friendships and the best ways to help teens deal with a friendship break-up.

This research hypothesized that nutrition and physical activity messages, if used to advertise unhealthy foods, would create a “health halo” effect, (i.e., a healthier perception of advertised foods) and increase children's consumption of unhealthy foods versus healthy foods.

This study is designed to support middle school students who are struggling with reading comprehension in content-area classes. Researchers are working with middle school students with and without learning disabilities (including dyslexia) and working with these students in inclusive English language arts, science, and social studies classrooms that are co-taught (by general and special education teachers). We help teachers implement specific strategies following a clear procedure designed by our team.

Our researchers will work with teachers and administrators to find convenient times to visit and work with students. UConn researchers know they are guests in your schools and will work with you to schedule times that are appropriate.

The number of visits will vary by study. Some studies require only one or two visits. Some studies involve helping children directly, and these studies usually involve more visits. UConn's researchers will explain the time commitment before you agree to participate.

Contact the Child Research Recruitment Coordinator to discuss how to get involved (contact info above). The Coordinator will put your organization in touch with researchers who conduct studies that may be of interest. For each possible study, a researcher will arrange to talk with you and explain the study so you can decide whether to participate. If you wish to participate, the researcher’s team will work with you on the other steps in the process, such as obtaining parental permission and scheduling.

Researchers will only work with children who have consent from parents. We try our best to get all consent forms returned, whether the parent agrees for their child to participate or not. Participation is completely voluntary and a school, parent or child can choose to withdraw from a study or an activity at any time.

If research is being carried out at the school site, then researchers will contact the school/teacher at the return deadline to arrange for collection of the consent forms and begin the research process. If research is being carried out elsewhere (i.e, kids are recruited at the school but study is conducted on a UConn campus), then the school officials role is completed.