BUDGET JUSTIFICATION
A. SENIOR KEY PERSONNEL
Jane Doe, Ph.D., Principal Investigator - Dr. Doe is an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Studies
at the California State University, Fullerton, and Co-Director and Co-Founder of the CSUF Center for
Specialsim. Dr. Doe will have the main responsibility for directing the project and will be responsible for the
overall management of the research and for ensuring the scientific quality of the study. Dr. Doe will oversee
each aspect of the project, from recruitment and data collection, to data analysis and dissemination. She will
supervise the student assistants and will coordinate communication among project staff. Dr. Doe will serve as
lead trainer for several of the observational coding systems, and will oversee the implementation of the
measurement, processing, and interpretation of the sympathetic nervous system arousal data. Dr. Doe will also
oversee data analysis and preparation of project reports and scientific papers. Funds are requested to pay for
Dr. Doe’s salary during the academic year, equivalent to 25% effort (2.25 AY) in each year of the project.
Additionally, in years 1 and 2, she will devote 50% over 3 summer months (1.50 SM) and 37% over 3 summer
months (1.11 SM) in Year 3.
Adam Man, Ph.D., Co-Investigator - Dr. Man is an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Studies at the
California State Fullerton, and is Co-director and Co-founder of the CSUF Center for Specialism with Dr. Doe.
Dr. Man will assist Dr. Doe in the management of the project and will contribute substantially to data analysis
and dissemination. In addition to her scholarly contributions, Dr. Man will provide clinical oversight for the
project and appropriate follow-up for families. Dr. Man will provide training and supervision for the proposed
assessments, including research reliability for the ADOS-2, and cognitive testing of the children. Dr. Doe has
provided clinical oversight and supervision of data collection for the last 18 months of the pilot project. He has
also led aspects of data analysis and presentation and he has contributed to manuscript submissions, Funds
are requested to pay for Dr. Man’s salary during the academic year, equivalent to 25% effort (2.25 AY) in each
year of the project.
Note: Faculty at California State University Fullerton are required to teach four (4) courses per semester (12units/semester), and therefore committed effort reflects course release to ensure grant activities and related
research is completed within the allocated time. The PI and Co-PI request more than 2 months of support.
B. OTHER PERSONNEL
Graduate Research Assistant (TBD, 8.45 AY 1.95 SM in Years 1 -3): Salary support is requested to hire
one CSUF graduate research assistant to work at an hourly rate of $15 for 15 hours/week, for 48 weeks in
years 1 and 2 of the project, and 7.5 hours/week, for 48 weeks in year 3 of the project. , Under the direct
supervision of the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator, the graduate research assistant will be the
primary lead in data collection and lab coordination, with assistance of the undergraduate research assistant
and will be trained to research reliability in the ADOS-2 by Dr. Man. In addition, they will conduct several of
the child assessments, including cognitive testing. This graduate research assistant will assist Dr. Doe in
coordinating data processing, including management of the large amount of psychophysiological data, and the
organization and supervision of several observational coding teams.
Undergraduate Research Assistant (TBD, 9.0 AY 2.08 SM in Years 1 and 2): Salary support is requested
to hire one CSUF undergraduate research assistant to work at an hourly rate of $10 for 20 hours/week, for 48
weeks in years 1 and 2 of the project. Under the direct supervision of the Principal Investigator and CoInvestigator the undergraduate research assistant will assist the graduate students in data collection, data
management/processing, and project coordination, including the administration of aspects of the laboratory
protocol.
Fringe Benefits
Full time academic personnel’s benefit rate is 57.080% of their salary. During the summer months, academic
personnel’s benefit rate is 1.45% of their salary. Student payroll taxes are calculated at 4.50%. Employee
benefits are estimates, using the composite rates agreed upon by CSUF. Actual fringe benefit rates in place
during the project period will be charged.
C. EQUIPMENT
Funds are requested to purchase one (1) mobile laboratory from MindWare Technologies LTD. for
approximately $11,642. This equipment is necessary in order to provide validity support for the newer
Empatica E4 (EDA) wrist sensors (described below) and to closely replicate the methods previously utilized for
understanding the association between sympathetic nervous system activity and children’s externalizing
behavioral psychopathology. The equipment will be used to measure electrodermal activity during the baseline
and star-tracing tasks. The lab will consist of (1) MindWare Mobile Cardio/GSR ($7,500), (1) MindWare
Wireless Data Center and associated materials ($2,490), a 3m USB 2.0 Cable ($13.99), (5) pouches of
Mindware Disposible GSC Foam Electrodes ($200), (1) Case for the equipment ($290.99), and (1) Rackmount
Surge Strip 14-outlet ($99.99). The final cost of $11,642 includes shipping and handling and 8% CA sales tax.
The cost estimate of this equipment purchase was based on survey of market costs and vendor quotes, and is
subject to change, depending on the market condition at the time of the purchase. The amount budgeted
includes the cost of the equipment, applicable sales tax, and delivery charges. The cost estimate is based on
survey of market costs and vendor quotes.
D. TRAVEL
Domestic – Funds are requested in year 1 of the project for Dr. Man to attend SPEC-2 research reliability
training at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Although Dr. Man is trained in the previous SPEC, has received
clinical training in the SPEC-2, and has performed a large number of these evaluations, however she has not
yet attended the SPEC-2 research reliability training. The performance of the SPEC-2 is necessary in order to
confirm diagnosis and to capture a key criterion variable. Dr. Man will obtain research reliability and will train
project staff to reliability, as recommended by the developers of the SPEC-2.
Costs are based upon historical usage and include coach airfare on domestic U.S. flag carriers, ground
transportation, lodging, SPEC-2 Training Fee, and meals and incidental expenses.
E. PARTICIPANT/TRAINEE SUPPORT COSTS
Funds are requested to pay a total of seventy-five (75) participants in the study $50 each to compensate them
for their time in Years 1 and 2 of the project, 35 and 40 participants respectively.
F. OTHER DIRECT COSTS
Material and Supplies:
Funds are requested to purchase Empatica E4 (EDA) wrist sensors, questionnaires and assessment forms,
and the DISC computerized administration protocol. The wrist sensors are necessary to capture the key
predictor variables (EDA) during all tasks. The questionnaire and assessment forms are required to capture
key predictor (e.g., parenting) and criterion (e.g., child SPEC symptoms and externalizing psychopathology)
variables. The computerized protocol for the DISC is designed to enhance standardization and facilitate
administration. The computerized DISC is therefore recommended in lieu of paper administration for the
present study given that graduate students will perform the assessment.
Consultant Services:
James Smith, Ph.D., Anywhere University – Funds are requested to hire Dr. Smith as a consultant in each
year of the project. He will receive a daily rate of $500 for six (6) days of services each year. Dr. Smith is a
researcher with expertise in the measurement, interpretation, and analysis of electrodermal activity (EDA),
having received federal funding for this work. Indeed, one aspect of the proposed project is to apply his
approach to understanding the development of externalizing problems to children with SPEC and their families.
Dr. Smith has utilized the Mindware palmar measurement system extensively in several publications and will
consult on the initial set-up and training in the system. He will be available to troubleshoot any difficulties and
will assist with the management and processing of relevant data.
Daisy Johnson, Ph.D, University of Somewhere– Funds are requested to hire Dr. Johnson as a consultant
in each year of the project. She will receive a daily rate of $500 for five (5) days of services each year. Dr.
Johnson is a researcher with extensive experience studying social-emotional processes in children with ASD
utilizing complex, in-time analysis. He has received several large, federally funded projects for this work, and
will consult on aspects of project management and the management, processing, and analysis of the large
datasets resulting from the continuous measurement of EDA.
Billy Brown, Ph.D., University of Everywhere - Funds are requested to hire Dr. Brown as a consultant in
each year of the project. He will receive a daily rate of $500 for four (4) days of services each year. Dr. Brown
is a researcher with expertise in statistical modeling and analysis, particularly using psychophysiological
measurement during naturalistic interaction. Dr. Brown has coauthored two manuscript submissions based on
pilot data, consulting on the analysis of EDA variability, and the use of hierarchical linear models for
understanding parent-child covariation in EDA arousal.
Vendor Services: Expressed emotion coding system for this project will be done by its creator, Ms. Amy
Masters, MA. For over 30 years she has been involved in research projects that examine the role of
Expressed Emotion as a predictor of emotional well-being. Ms. Masters will charge $30 per participant (x 75
participants = $2,250). To ensure inter-rater reliability, approximately a quarter (20) of the transcripts will
require a second rating by Ms. Masters’ staff as well ($600), for a grand total of $2,850.
G. INDIRECT COSTS:
Indirect Costs (a.k.a. Facilities and Administrative costs) were estimated in accordance with the approved
indirect cost rate agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), dated May 2, 2013,
the Federal Cognizant Agency for CSUF. As of July 1, 2012, the applicable indirect cost rate for the proposed
period is 39.1% Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC), which is the on-campus Organized Research rate
appropriate for this project.