The PLAY Study has concluded and is no longer enrolling new participants.

Purpose:

The purpose of the PLAY Study was to learn more about how maternal depression affects the perception of rewarding experiences and positive emotions experienced by young children.

Qualifications:

1. Child enrolled in study is between 2-7 years old at time of enrollment
2. Mother enrolled in study is biological mother of child enrolled in study
3. Mother enrolled in study has no history of psychosis
4. Child enrolled in study has not been diagnosed with depression
5. Child enrolled in study does not take psychiatric medications
6. Child enrolled in study has not been diagnosed with a developmental disability

What to expect:

Participants in the PLAY Study completed one phone interview and complete 1-2 in-person visits. The initial phone interview took place with the potential mother participant and lasted about 10-15 minutes. This phone interview was used to determine participant eligibility for the PLAY Study.

If determined to be eligible, mother and child participants completed one in-person lab visit that lasted approximately 1.5-2 hours. At this lab visit, mother and child participants had the chance to watch a video and play with toys together to get warmed up to the laboratory and feel comfortable. Child participants then played three age-appropriate computer games and had the opportunity to earn prizes throughout the visit. While playing these computer games, the child's brain activity was monitored using NIRS. NIRS is a non-invasive and painless form of neuroimaging that uses infrared light to detect changes in brain activity during different tasks. A NIRS cap looks and feels very similar to a swim cap, and has several fiber optic cables attached to it. Mother-child dyads were videotaped for future analyses throughout the visit. After children completed the computer games, mothers were asked to complete several questionnaires regarding their child's feelings and behaviors, their parenting styles, and their psychiatric history.

If the child participant enrolled in the PLAY Study was 5 or older, they were eligible to complete an additional in-person visit where they completed an fMRI scan. fMRI is a painless and non-invasive form of neuroimaging that does not use radiation. While in the scanner, children completed two play-based tasks and had the opportunity to earn prizes. fMRI scans for the PLAY Study were less than 30 minutes in duration.

Participants in the PLAY Study were financially compensated for their participation.