My Life and My Experiences Project

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE · Feb 6, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The "My Life and My Experiences Project" is a research study focused on understanding how stress affects memory in teenagers, particularly those who have experienced maltreatment, such as abuse or neglect. The researchers believe that these young people might actually remember stressful events better than those who have not faced such challenges, and they want to test this idea. To do this, they will compare how both maltreated and non-maltreated teenagers remember different activities and images after experiencing varying levels of stress.

Eligible participants are teenagers aged 12 to 17, with half having a history of contact with social services or the dependency court, while the other half must have always lived with at least one biological parent. Those interested in participating can expect to take part in different sessions where they will engage in activities designed to induce stress and then be tested on their memory of those experiences. It’s important to note that participants cannot have certain conditions like anxiety about public speaking or math, cognitive impairments, or learning disabilities. This study aims to better understand how stress affects memory in young people, which could improve how we support those who have faced difficult situations in their lives.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Ages 12-17 at start, half self reported or documented prior contact with social services/dependency court; half always lived with at least one biological parent
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Public speaking or math anxiety, cognitive impairments, head injuries, learning disabilities, steroid/hormonal treatments, or neuroendocrine diseases