The HEALthy Brain and Child Development
(HBCD) Study
Researchers at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute are joining a nationwide effort to study factors that influence child development.
Join the HBCD study and help uncover how early life experiences can shape an individual’s future!
Study Background
The HBCD Study will enroll a large cohort of participating families from across the U.S. and follow them and their children through early childhood. The researchers want to better understand how the brain develops and is affected by exposure to substances and other environmental conditions during pregnancy and after birth.
Researchers will collect information during pregnancy and through early childhood, including:
- Pictures of the brain
- Growth measurements
- Samples of blood and saliva (biosamples)
- Medical and family history surveys
- Information about their social, emotional, and cognitive
development
Participating families will be individuals in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy or who have recently given birth and their children. It is important that people who join the study are from diverse backgrounds, with varied income levels, education, and living environments.
All identifying information from or about you will be kept private and confidential, as required by law. Your family’s information and samples will be stored without personally identifiable information, along with that of others in the study. Researchers will learn from your contributions for many years to come. Join today!
Additional Information
The first few years of life are a time of rapid growth and brain development. The HBCD Study will help us better understand how a child may be shaped by experiences and conditions in pregnancy and early life. These include social and environmental experiences in early life and exposure to substances (such as opioids, alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis) during pregnancy.
You may qualify for this study if you meet the following criteria. Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 18+
- Currently pregnant
- Live within central Arkansas
- Plan on staying in the area after the child is born
- Plan on being one of the primary caregivers for the child
- Familes that use substances, and those who do not
Participants in our study, along with their children, will be followed for 10 years after the child’s birth. There will be 3-4 study visits during the first year, followed by 1-2 in subsequent years. At these visits, you and/or your child may be asked to:
- Complete interviews and surveys
- Provide biological samples, such as blood and saliva
- Undergo MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans, which provide images of the brain
- Undergo EEG (Electroencephalogram) tests, which measure brain activity
- Wear small, non-invasive sensors that measure heart rate, sleep, and movement
Participants can receive up to either $1,710 or $1,460 along with 10 months worth of diapers for completing the first 8 visits. This is broken down as follows:
- Visit 1: $150
- Visit 2: $220 or $170 and 2 months of diapers
- Visit 3: $320 or $245 and 3 months of diapers
- Visit 4: $360 or $285 and 3 months of diapers
- Visit 5: $85
- Visit 6: $360 or $310 and 2 months of diapers
- Visit 7: $125
- Visit 7 (a-c): $45
- Visit 8: $45
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.
