Information for adults
What to expect
If you are thinking about volunteering to help with our research, the information below will explain what you can expect.
Our Researchers
All of our researchers are friendly and approachable. They have experience of working with autistic individuals and understand that everyone has different abilities and needs. During any research session they will do what they can to accommodate any specific needs that you may have - you just need to ask.
Throughout the session our researchers will check that you are still happy to continue, and will offer breaks regularly. If you decide that you would like to stop participating, you can do so at any time, and without giving a reason.
A Typical Research Session
If you decide that you would like to take part in our research, we will invite you to come to the University. The actual activities that you will be asked to complete will depend on the specific research project, although the structure of the session will be the same.
We will send you an information sheet about the study before you come so that you can read a little about the activities you will be asked to complete. When you arrive, you will be given this information again and the researcher will explain everything in more detail. We will ask you to sign a consent form which confirms that you have understood the information and agrees that you would like to take part.
We may ask you to complete questionnaires, computer tasks, or other hands-on activities. These will be explained to you in advance, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions at any time.
After the activities are finished, the researcher will explain what they were trying to find out, and how the tasks measure different things. We send out reports of our findings at the end of each study.
Why participate?
The aim of our research is to better understand different aspects of autism. We want to know how people with autism can be effectively supported in society. By volunteering to take part, you are helping us to achieve this aim.
People who participate often find the experience interesting and rewarding. We are keen to involve the public in our research - explaining how experiments work, what we have found, and how we hope to change things in the future. We also welcome your thoughts, and participation provides an opportunity for you to discuss the research that you think is important.
We will reimburse your travel costs to and from the University and can usually pay a small inconvenience allowance for your time.