HARWICK INSTITUTE FOR COGNITIVE RESEARCH BEHAVIORAL GENETICS LABORATORY SUBJECT INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT PROTOCOLS Document date: January 6, 1988 Version: 3.2 Classification: INTERNAL — SENIOR PERSONNEL ONLY ===================================================================== I. PURPOSE ===================================================================== This document establishes the intake and assessment protocols for new subjects enrolled in the behavioral genetics study program. It supersedes version 3.1 (October 1985). All laboratory personnel conducting subject assessments must read and sign the acknowledgment form (Appendix A) before beginning work with subjects. ===================================================================== II. SUBJECT IDENTIFICATION AND RECRUITMENT ===================================================================== Subjects are identified through one of three channels: A. Family referral from existing cohort participants. B. Referral from program coordination based on family history review. Subjects identified via this channel may not be aware of prior family participation in related programs. Laboratory personnel should not disclose this information unless cleared to do so by program coordination. C. Self-referral. Rare. Requires senior review before intake. Initial contact is made by letter, using the standard recruitment language approved by the IRB (see Appendix B). The letter describes the study as a behavioral genetics survey. It does not reference prior program phases, family history flagging, or the Division 42 designation. If a prospective subject asks questions about how they were selected or what "behavioral genetics" means in this context, laboratory personnel should use the approved response language (Appendix C). If a prospective subject asks about the Harwick Institute's funding sources or program history, personnel should acknowledge that this is a legitimate question and refer it to administration. Do not answer it directly. ===================================================================== III. INTAKE ASSESSMENT — DIVERGENCE PHENOTYPE BATTERY (DPB) ===================================================================== The DPB consists of four components: 3.1 STRUCTURED INTERVIEW (60–90 minutes) Conducted in person by the PI or designated laboratory personnel. Covers self-reported emotional processing patterns, social history, and family behavioral history. Uses the standardized question set (Form DPB-1). Do not deviate from the question set. Deviations introduce scoring variability. 3.2 BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION SESSION (45 minutes) Subject is presented with a standardized sequence of social and emotional stimuli. Responses are recorded. The session is conducted in the observation room (B-107). Recording equipment should be initialized before the subject enters the room. The subject is informed that the session is recorded. 3.3 PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT Cortisol sampling at four time points across the assessment day (morning baseline, pre-stimulus, post-stimulus, late afternoon). Blood pressure and heart rate continuous monitoring during observation session. Note: diurnal cortisol curve in high-expression subjects typically shows the flattened profile described in the laboratory reference guide. Do not interpret this as a processing error. It is the expected finding. 3.4 FAMILY HISTORY INVENTORY Self-reported family history using Form DPB-4. Cross-reference against available records. Note any discrepancies between self-reported history and family record data. Do not inform the subject of discrepancies unless cleared to do so. ===================================================================== IV. CALIBRATION RESISTANCE — ASSESSMENT NOTE ===================================================================== Personnel should be aware that high-expression subjects frequently display what the assessment literature terms calibration resistance: a reduced responsiveness to feedback, social correction, and behavioral cues from the interviewer. This means standard interview rapport-building techniques may be less effective with high-expression subjects than with the general population. This is expected and should not be interpreted as subject hostility or non-cooperation. It also means that high-expression subjects are, paradoxically, less susceptible to the social pressure that sometimes produces socially desirable response bias in standard psychological interviews. For assessment purposes, this is an advantage. The responses you receive are more likely to be accurate. Treat high-expression subjects as reliable informants. ===================================================================== V. POST-ASSESSMENT DEBRIEF ===================================================================== Following each assessment, subjects receive a standard written summary of the study's stated purpose and their right to withdraw. This document is approved for IRB compliance. It does not reference the DPB's relationship to broader program history. If a subject asks whether their family has participated in prior research, the answer is: "This study is recruiting participants through a variety of channels. I'm not able to speak to whether other family members have participated in any research programs." If a subject specifically asks whether they were selected due to family history, the answer is: "We can discuss that with our program coordinator. I'll arrange that conversation for you." Then report the inquiry to program coordination within 24 hours. ===================================================================== VI. RECORD KEEPING ===================================================================== All assessment records are to be stored on the restricted filesystem under the subject's assigned ID. Paper records, if created, must be transferred to the restricted filesystem within 48 hours and the paper copies destroyed. Do not store subject records under the subject's legal name on any system. Use the assigned ID only. If a subject requests a copy of their own records, the request must be reviewed by the program director before any response is provided. Do not confirm or deny the existence of records. ===================================================================== Document end. Behavioral Genetics Laboratory — Harwick Institute — January 1988