APPLICATION FOR RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS
The Institute for Research on Youth Depression and Prevention
Supervised by Dr. Jami Young (Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology)
Busch Campus
We are currently accepting volunteer research assistant applications for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Applications are welcomed from students (returning or graduating) at any level and majoring in any discipline.
These positions will begin in May 2015, and we expect a one-year commitment through May 2016.
The current study, the Personalized Depression Prevention (PDP) project, focuses on examining the prevention
of depression in adolescents. In particular, we are examining which prevention programs are most beneficial for
teenagers with different risk factors for depression.
Teenagers who participate in PDP will receive one of two depression prevention programs, both of which have
been found to be effective in previous studies. The first prevention program is Interpersonal PsychotherapyAdolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), developed by Dr. Young. The intervention addresses interpersonal risk
factors by teaching adolescents new ways of communicating with important people in their lives. The second
prevention program is Coping With Stress (CWS), which addresses cognitive risk factors by focusing on
improving thoughts and feelings. Teenagers will be either matched or mismatched to these programs based on
their risk profile. We are interested in finding out whether or not matching a prevention program to an
individual’s risk profile improves outcomes (i.e., does a teenager with interpersonal vulnerabilities do better in
an interpersonal prevention program).
Research assistants will have the opportunity to assist with the administration of questionnaires during in-person
meetings with adolescent and parent participants, and to complete follow-up evaluations over the phone with
teens and parents. Research assistants will also have the opportunity to learn about the interventions through
participation in mock prevention groups (to be conducted in the spring and summer of 2015) in order to provide
training to graduate students in psychology who will lead the interventions. In addition, research assistants will
gain extensive research experience through their involvement in all phases of research including data entry and
data management.
Students can elect to receive course credit each semester for their work in the lab or can work on a volunteer
basis. Students who elect to receive course credit can choose to register for PSYCH 391/392 or for PSYCH
495/496. The 400-level course includes a required paper each semester. Research assistants are expected to
work 8 hours a week: a daytime 4-hour shift in which they will assist with data management, and one weekday
evening or weekend day shift where they will assist with assessments. In addition, research assistants are
expected to attend a 1.5-hour weekly lab meeting.
If you have any questions about this position or application process please contact either Dr. Schueler
(cms518@rutgers.edu) or Dr. Benas (jbenas@rci.rutgers.edu). Completed applications may be emailed or
left in Dr. Young’s mailbox in the Third Floor Mailroom of the Graduate School of Applied and Professional
Psychology, Psychology Building (152 Frelinghuysen Road) on Busch Campus.
To be considered, applications and a copy of your most recent transcript must be returned before:
Friday, February 6, 2015.
All applicants will be notified of interview decisions in mid-February, 2015. Interviews, for those invited, will
occur in late February, 2015.
APPLICATION FOR RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION
Name: ______________________________________________________________
Current Year (circle one): Freshman
Other?
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
______________________________
Phone:
__________________________________________
E-Mail:
__________________________________________
Major(s):
__________________________________________
Overall GPA:
__________________________________________
Psychology GPA:
__________________________________________
Note: A = 4.00
B+ = 3.50
B = 3.00
C+ = 2.50
C = 2.00
D = 1.00
F = 0.00
**Please include your most recent transcript with your application**
1.
Position duration: Please note that lab positions are for one full calendar year (May 2015-May 2016).
Please describe any limitations to your availability:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
2.
Volunteers typically commit 10 hours per week to the work being conducted in the lab (this
includes 8 hours of work plus the weekly lab meeting). Are you able to commit 10 hours per
week?
Yes
No
3.
Volunteers in the lab will be expected to work one evening per week (4pm-8pm). Are you
available at least one evening per week?
Yes
No
If yes, please list which evenings you could potentially be available (you will only have one evening
shift, but we would like to know all of your availability to make sure we can get full coverage from all
our RAs):
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4.
Volunteers in the lab are expected to assist with evaluations on weekends. Are you available on
weekends? (You will only be asked to assist approximately one weekend per month)
Yes
5.
Lab meetings will be on Wednesdays from 12 – 1:30 pm starting Fall 2015. Will you be available
to attend the lab meetings throughout the academic year?
Yes
6.
No
No
Do you speak any foreign languages?
Yes
No
If yes, what language(s)?
For the following questions, please attach a typed response:
7. Describe any past or current research experience(s)
8. Why do you want to volunteer as a research assistant in our lab?
9. What are your goals after graduation?
10. Please tell us something about yourself that you would like us to know (e.g., an interesting
hobby, a life experience, etc.).
(Note: Please attach a copy of your most recent transcript. If you would like to do so, you may also attach a
copy of your CV/resumé. Doing so, however, is not required.)