Participants were individuals who completed at least the first study session (Time 1 Session 1) of the Temple University (TU) Adolescent Cognition and Emotion (ACE) Project, a prospective longitudinal study of the development of depressive and anxiety disorders in adolescence, with TU IRB approval. Caucasian and African American male and female adolescents, ages 12 – 13, and their mothers or primary female caretakers (hereafter referred to as “mothers”) were recruited from Philadelphia area public and private middle schools. Participants were recruited in two main ways. First, with the Philadelphia School District’s (PSD) permission and provision of demographic and contact information, we mailed a letter of introduction and description of Project ACE to parents of Caucasian and African-American students aged 12–13 years old (approximate N = 8,662) attending some schools in the PSD. Although mothers could call or return a prepaid postcard indicating their interest in Project ACE, most families were recruited by this method through follow-up phone calls from project staff inviting mothers and their adolescent children to participate. Second, advertisements describing Project ACE were placed in Philadelphia area newspapers (e.g., Metro Kids, community newspapers) and mothers (approximate N = 134) called in to indicate their interest.
Mothers interested in participation with their adolescent children from either recruitment method initially completed a screening instrument over the phone to determine eligibility. Inclusion criteria for the study were: 1) the adolescent child was 12 or 13 years old; 2) the adolescent child self-identified as Caucasian/White, African American/Black or Biracial (adolescents could be Hispanic or non-Hispanic as long as they also identified as White or Black); and 3) the mother was also willing to participate. Exclusion criteria were: 1) there was no mother/primary female caretaker available to participate (e.g., mother had died); 2) either the adolescent or mother did not read or speak English well enough to be able to complete the study assessments; and 3) either the adolescent or mother was mentally retarded, had a severe learning disability or other cognitive impairment, had a severe developmental disorder (e.g., autism), was psychotic, or exhibited any other medical or psychiatric problem that would prevent either of them from being able to complete the study assessments. As long as they could adequately complete the study assessments, adolescents or mothers with mild learning disabilities or cognitive/sensory impairments were eligible for participation. Mothers and adolescents who met all study inclusion and exclusion criteria were scheduled for a Time 1 Session 1 (T1S1) assessment, at which time mothers provided written consent and the adolescents provided written assent to participate in Project ACE. The recruitment target was a sample size of 500 adolescents (125 in each gender by race group) and their mothers.
Mothers interested in participation with their adolescent children from either recruitment method initially completed a screening instrument over the phone to determine eligibility. Inclusion criteria for the study were: 1) the adolescent child was 12 or 13 years old; 2) the adolescent child self-identified as Caucasian/White, African American/Black or Biracial (adolescents could be Hispanic or non-Hispanic as long as they also identified as White or Black); and 3) the mother was also willing to participate. Exclusion criteria were: 1) there was no mother/primary female caretaker available to participate (e.g., mother had died); 2) either the adolescent or mother did not read or speak English well enough to be able to complete the study assessments; and 3) either the adolescent or mother was mentally retarded, had a severe learning disability or other cognitive impairment, had a severe developmental disorder (e.g., autism), was psychotic, or exhibited any other medical or psychiatric problem that would prevent either of them from being able to complete the study assessments. As long as they could adequately complete the study assessments, adolescents or mothers with mild learning disabilities or cognitive/sensory impairments were eligible for participation. Mothers and adolescents who met all study inclusion and exclusion criteria were scheduled for a Time 1 Session 1 (T1S1) assessment, at which time mothers provided written consent and the adolescents provided written assent to participate in Project ACE. The recruitment target was a sample size of 500 adolescents (125 in each gender by race group) and their mothers.