A history of childhood trauma is a key risk factor for various mental illnesses throughout life. The TX-CTRN is conducting a longitudinal, observational study to develop a statewide CTRN Participant Registry which will serve as a data repository enabling characterization of risk profiles among Texas children following a traumatic experience. This data will help Improve mental health services available to address the effects of youth trauma and inform policymakers of regional and statewide service delivery gaps. Importantly, it will also help researchers develop predictive models for short- and long-term outcomes for children in the aftermath of one or more traumatic life events.
To be eligible, a prospective participant must be between the ages of 8-20; have a history of a traumatic event; dedicate time to 6 virtual assessment sessions over 2 years; and speak English or Spanish.
Childhood trauma commonly refers to abuse and neglect, but there are other traumatic events, or potentially traumatic events, commonly experienced by children in the U.S. They include but are not limited to, witnessing serious violence in the community, witnessing interpersonal violence in their homes, loss of a family member or friend to a violent or accidental death, online victimization, a serious motor vehicle accident, natural disasters, animal attacks, falls and medical procedures. If you’re still unsure, please complete the interest form and we will be in touch.
A longitudinal observational study is a research method that follows the same group of individuals over an extended period. The core purpose is to understand how and why things change over time. These studies are beneficial for examining the effects of rare exposures or risk factors in a population, in this case, childhood trauma.
Yes. All virtual assessments are conducted in a private setting, and only the designated rater(s) conducting the visit can hear the participant’s responses. If the participant agrees to audio/visual recordings for the visit, your visit may be viewed by approved members of the research team for analysis or as a teaching tool.
No. This study is purely observational. Baseline data will be collected regarding trauma history, mood symptoms, suicidal ideation and behavior, associated comorbidities/conditions, medical history, treatment history, service use, and social determinants of health.
Parents must be willing to provide consent for their child to be enrolled in the study. Parents will also be enrolled and required to provide family health history information, complete a self-report, as well as a clinician-administered assessment.
Study data will be managed using REDCap, a secure web application designed to support data capture for research studies. It will be stored on secure servers at a state-of-the-art secure data facility under rigorous firewall and password protection. These servers contain several layers of security and protection. Only IRB approved research personnel will have access to their own Node’s data in REDCap. No data containing participant identifiers or PHI will be stored on removable media; it will all be de-identified.
A participant may voluntarily withdraw from the study at any time. However, compensation will only be awarded for the assessments completed. Participants will receive their compensation immediately following each visit.
Any information collected before withdrawal will remain in the study repository. If a participant wants the researchers to stop using their health information, they must submit this request in writing to:
Charles B. Nemeroff, M.D., Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School 1601 Trinity St., Building B, Stop Z0600 Austin, TX 78712
Once this written request is received, the participant’s involvement in the repository will end, and no new health information will be collected. However, any information collected before the date the letter is received will continue to be stored and used in the repository.
No.
Please visit the Participants page, select the site closest to your primary residence, and complete the interest form.
Interested in the study but not quite ready to enroll? These FAQs may help you decide. If you have a question that isn’t listed here, please email texasctrn@austin.utexas.edu. Thank you for your interest in helping advance research in childhood trauma.
Still have questions? Please email texasctrn@austin.utexas.edu and a team member will get in touch.
