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Join our database
Join our database
We are currently recruiting both children and adults to take part in our research. Complete an online form to join.
Join the database as a:
Join the database as a:
By adding your details to our database, we will be able to contact you with information about studies that you or your child may be eligible for. You can then decide whether or not you would like to take part.
In addition to obtaining data from Autistic individuals (who are diagnosed or self-identify) we often need to be able to compare the results to those obtained from individuals who are not Autistic. Therefore you, or your child, can also contribute to our research even if you (or they) are not Autistic.
Join one of our current studies
Join one of our current studies
Information on studies open for recruitment will be linked here when available.
About volunteering
About volunteering
Volunteering to take part in our research can be online or could require a visit to The University of Sheffield. We are based in the School of Psychology (ICOSS building), at the University of Sheffield. Our experience is that volunteers really enjoy participating and find it exciting and fun to be part of a research project.
Participation in each project is different. Some involve an interview and others involve multiple parts. A longer study may involve:
Working on cognitive tasks, often on the computer, eg looking for targets on the screen (eg a red triangle) and pressing a button when you’ve seen it.
Interacting with the experimenter, eg engaging in age-appropriate conversation, turn-taking, story telling or problem solving.
For a children's study parents or caregivers may be asked to complete a couple of questionnaires about the participant’s social skills and developmental milestones.
Some studies may also involve recording EEG, or measuring eye-movements while working on the cognitive tasks.
Interviews
Interviews
Interviews can be held in-person or online depending on your preference. You will have the opportunity to discuss your accessibility needs and we will set up the interview in a way that works for you.
We will send you all of the material that will be used in the interviews in advance so that you can look through things in advance at your own pace.
You will always have the opportunity to ask any questions you wish either in advance of the session or on the day, depending on what works best for you.
EEG
EEG
Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a harmless and painless procedure that involves placing a sponge covered hairnet on the head. The sponges record electrical activity conveyed from the brain to the scalp, and provides important information about how the brain responds to different stimuli. The sponges contain gel so your hair may get a little messy!
Our experimenters are well trained in using these techniques with children, including children with ASC. The protocol can often be adapted for a particular child's needs. If your child would like to take part, we can discuss their eligibility with you.
All of our studies receive full ethical approval from the appropriate ethical review committee, and information about what any particular study involves will be given before you decide to take part.
Eye tracking
Eye tracking
Eye tracking records exactly where you are looking when you are completing different tasks, this helps us to understand how the attention and perception system works.
If the experiment involves working on a computer, a small device will sit just below the computer screen and will track what you are looking at during the experiment.
If the experiment involves moving around or talking with an experimenter, you will wear a pair of lightweight glasses which contain a mobile eye tracking device and record your eye movements via infra red cameras.
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