Families who have Preterm Infants

The Early Social Development Lab is working on a study on preterm infant development and we need your help.
We are looking for families who have a preterm infant under the age of 1 month who was born between 32 and 36 weeks gestational age. 

Why should you participate?

At each visit to the lab, parents will receive a $25 gift card for their participation. At the 24-month visit, parents will receive $50 for participating. Totaled, participation in this study could earn you up to $225!

​Each time you visit the lab, we will be able to provide feedback on the child's development and answer any questions you may have. At the final 24-month visit, parents have the option of receiving a formal written report about their child's development based on the assessments we have given, which includes a screening for autism. 

Parents and children will also be contributing to important research on infant development and early detection of autism spectrum disorder.

What does the study involve?

Participation in our study involves families visiting our lab at the University of South Carolina, Columbia campus multiple times from the age of 3 months to 2 years. 

During each visit, infants will participate in a number of activities, including:
  • Completing play-based developmental assessments with our licensed clinical psychologist
  • Watching short videos while their eye movements are recorded
  • Interacting with toys and their parents while we record their heart activity

I'm In!

Can I have more information?
We can't wait to hear from you! You can get in touch with us a number of ways -
Absolutely, you can click here to be taken to our Gallery, which has a walk through of what a visit to the the lab is like, a number of pictures, and our full flyer.

You can also get in contact with us using any of the methods listed to the left and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have!