Local researchers are looking for teenage girls to aid in a study on the impact a sharp increase in hormones has on emotions.
The University of British Columbia is looking at the role sex hormones play on the maturing brain.
Scientists already know that physical changes are largely triggered by the increase in hormones, but less is known about how these hormones help teens mature emotionally.
The questions researchers are trying to answer include whether these hormones shape social interactions and friendships, and why some teens have more emotional difficulties than others.
Researchers are looking for girls between the ages of 13 and 15. They'll be asked to provide a saliva sample, from which researchers can measure sex and stress hormones.
- Read more about the study and frequently asked questions on UBC's website
Teens will then be questioned about their moods, health-related behaviours, stress level and social support, the university said in a post on its website.
They'll be asked to come back in 1 ½ years, and again in another 1 ½ years, to see how the changes in hormone levels affected their emotional and social development, researcher Bita Zareian said.
"We hope that our research will help teenagers and their parents, as well as the larger scientific and medical community, understand how sex hormones influence emotional and social development," Zareian said in a statement.
"The results of this study could also help teenagers and their parents make more informed decisions about the use of medications that alter levels of sex hormones."
Participating families will get an honorarium of up to $180 by the end of the study, and parking or transit fees will be reimbursed.
All information provided in the study will be kept confidential, and teens who decide they want to drop out can do so at any time.
Those interested in participating can email UBC's Social Health Lab or call 604-822-9557.
Other ongoing research conducted by the lab includes how hormones regulate and influence behaviour, and how smartphone and social media use is linked to sleep quality, well-being and social connectedness.
