Overview of Child Consent

Participating in speech science is very fun! But we also want to make sure we do so responsibly and with the full consent of parents/guardians and assent from the child. Below are excerpts from the approved consent form (through the UC Davis Institutional Review Board, IRB, Ethics Committee). The full document is available as a PDF below for your reference.

Why is this research being done?

This research study is about how talking to digital device impacts human speech patterns. The objective of this study is to test whether children and adults have different strategies in the way they produce and perceive speech in human-device interaction.

How long will the research last?

We expect that you will be in this research study for fifteen (15) minutes.

What happens if I say yes, I want my child to be in this research?

If you choose to have your child participate in the study, your child will hear speech produced by human and digital device voices and they may be asked to respond via button press, mouse click, keyboard entry, or by voice. Some of these tasks will be administered on a computer and others will be interactive games with the experimenter. For example, your child may be asked to participate in a “game” where they help an experimenter or digital device learn something new, such as a the location of an item on a map. The study will take place in a quiet room or sound attenuated booth and your child may be asked to wear headphones and/or a head-mounted microphone. Your child may be asked questions about their conception of digital devices. You may also be asked to complete surveys with basic demographic information about your child. Your child will not be identified by name in these recordings. If your child chooses to participate, they will be compensated with a small toy from a prize box.

What happens if I or my child do not want to be in this research?

Your child may decide not to take part in the research and it will not be held against them or you.

What happens if my child says yes, but I changes their mind later?

Your child can leave the research at any time and it will not be held against you or your child. Your child can choose whether or not to be in this study. If your child consents to be in this study, your child may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind. Your child may also refuse to answer any questions or participate in any procedure for any reason.

What happens to the information collected for the research?

Efforts will be made to limit use or disclosure of your child’s personal information, including research study to people who have a need to review this information. We cannot promise complete confidentiality. Organizations that may inspect and copy your information include the IRB and other University of California representatives responsible for the management or oversight of this study.