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EVOLVE Study

Help us learn about adolescent mood disorders!

  Complete an online screening to find out if your daughter is eligible!

 

What is the research study about?

Starting at puberty, girls are almost 3x more likely to experience mood disturbances compared with boys. This profound gender disparity suggests a critical role of ovarian hormones (such as estrogen) in the emergence of adolescent mood disorders. The goal of the EVOLVE study is to understand the impact of changing hormones and stress on mood symptoms during the pubertal transition.

What is the pubertal transition?

The pubertal transition is a critical developmental period characterized by dramatic physical changes, hormonal fluctuations, brain maturation, and evolving social roles and responsibilities. Along with these profound developmental changes, there is also a heightened risk for psychological stress and emotional disturbances during the pubertal transition.

Who is eligible?

We are currently recruiting adolescents assigned female sex at birth between the ages of 11 and 14 who have had their first period within the last year, are undergoing a healthy pubertal transition, and are not currently taking any prescription medications (including hormonal contraceptives).

What does participation involve?

Hormone and Mood Variability (1 menstrual cycle, ~6 weeks)

  • Screening survey to determine eligibility (5 min)
  • Clinical interview and enrollment session (interview and self-report surveys on mood, stress, puberty and emotional processing) (1 hr)
  • Daily urine collections to assess hormone profiles for 1 menstrual cycle
  • 6 weekly saliva collections to assess weekly hormone (e.g., testosterone) fluctuation for 1 menstrual cycle
  • Daily mood symptom ratings for 1 menstrual cycle (2-3 min/survey)
  • 6 weekly mood and stress questionnaires for child and parent (5 min each)

Biobehavioral testing session (1-mid-to-late follicular and 1- mid-luteal)

  • 2 (1.5 hour) in-person laboratory sessions involving non-invasive measurement of brain activity (EEG) during a computer task and mental stress test

Follow-up:

  • 5 monthly mood and stress surveys (5 min each)

Compensation

Participants have the chance to earn up to $245 for their involvement in the hormone and mood assessments and biobehavioral laboratory sessions, and up to $45 for completing the 5 monthly follow-up surveys. Parents may receive up to $30 for completing 6 weekly mood surveys about their child’s mood.

Hormone and Mood Assessment: $185

  • $15 for the virtual enrollment session
  • $3 for each urine collection (x ~28 = $84)
  • $2 for completing the daily mood ratings (x ~28 = $56)
  • $5 for the weekly mood survey (x 6 = $30)

Biobehavioral testing sessions: $60

  • $30 for the laboratory session (x 2 = $60)

Parent Surveys: $30

  • $5 for weekly surveys (x 6 =$30)

Follow-up and bonus: $45

  • $5 for monthly follow-up surveys (x 5 = $25)
  • $20 bonus for completing the study

 

Find out if your daughter is eligible!

For more information, please contact the study coordinator (Kayla Jensen) at evolvestudy@unc.edu. This research study was approved by the UNC Biomedical IRB (#20-2816). This text was approved by the IRB on 5/24/2023.

You may contact the Institutional Review Board at (919) 966-3113 or email IRB_subjects@unc.edu