UROP Project

psychology, sleep, physical activity, cognition, behavior
DEaR Lab logo.jpg
Research Mentor: yang.hou@med.fsu.edu Yang, Dr.
Department, College, Affiliation: Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Medicine
Contact Email: yang.hou@med.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Julia Moreira
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: julia.moreira@med.fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 4
Relevant Majors: It is open to all majors, but the most relevant majors are psychology, human development, education, and premed students.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Friday, Sept. 6th, from 4 - 4:30 PM
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/93386675317

Project Description

Most NF1 neurobehavioral research has focused on comparing individuals with and without NF1 and assessed neurobehavioral function at one time using traditional psychological measures in the clinic or lab. We know little about how neurobehavioral function varies across contextual factors in the daily lives and natural living environments of individuals with NF1. This critical knowledge gap impedes the development of interventions to improve the neurobehavioral function of individuals with NF1. The proposed study will address this critical gap by examining how psychosocial factors (e.g., parenting, social support, coping strategies) and lifestyle factors (physical activity, sleep) are related to neurobehavioral (cognitive, behavioral, emotional) function in the daily lives of adolescents with NF1. The project team will collect rich data on neurobehavioral function and its potential predictors from adolescents with NF1 (ages 13-19 years) in real-time and real-world environments using ecological momentary assessment and Fitbit activity trackers. Multilevel modeling will be used to analyze the data. Findings from the study will be critical for patient management and developing interventions to improve neurobehavioral function and overall quality of life among adolescents with NF1.

Research Tasks: • Literature search
• Collecting data from participants
• Cleaning and analyzing data
• Students with outstanding performance will have the opportunity to be promoted to be team leaders for various tasks


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Great communication and interpersonal skills; Great time management skills.
Recommended: Interested in going to graduate school or medical school; have basic data management or analytical skills.

Mentoring Philosophy

I work hard to promote students’ positive development and help them achieve their aspirations, with great attention to individual student needs. I communicate with students regarding their research interests and professional goals and offer them training options that are particularly relevant to their ultimate career aspirations. I have weekly lab meetings and always respond to students’ needs timely. I have provided mentorship for over 50 undergraduates and over 10 graduate students from various scholarly disciplines and social backgrounds (e.g., ethnic minorities, immigrants, first-generation college students, and international students) in the past years. These students received training on literature searches, data collection, data management and analysis, academic writing and presentation, and/or grant/fellowship applications. I support students with all my efforts in applying for scholarships, graduate programs, internships, and jobs.

Additional Information


Link to Publications

https://med.fsu.edu/houlab/home
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