Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who conducts the interviews?
The surveys are conducted by trained psychologists and students of psychology or related disciplines.
What does "PIER" mean?
Potsdamer Intrapersonale Entwicklungsrisiken/ Intrapersonal developmental risk factors of Potsdam
What if my child has no difficulties or problems – is he/she still interesting for the study?
Development means change. In childhood and adolescence, adapting to the rapid and drastic changes that need to be addressed is sometimes difficult. We want to find out what factors have useful or aggravating effects during this adaptation process. Consequently, we are pleased with every child participating in our study- regardless of whether he/she shows difficulties or problems.
Why do you also interview parents and teachers?
To obtain a complex, comprehensive impression of your child, it is very important, not only to get the child’s perspective, but also the views of parents and teachers. So we get an impression of how the child is perceived by others in different situations (at home, in everyday life and at school). You know your child best and his class teacher can complement this impression in learning situations by his/ her perception of the child. Of course, the teacher survey is only conducted with the consent of the parents.
What about privacy?
Of course we treat all information as confidential. The data are used for research purposes only and not shared with third parties. All test records of children, parents and teachers are provided with a code that allows no conclusion on the participants. The study is approved by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Land Brandenburg and carried out in accordance with the principles of the Brandenburg Data Protection Act.
Can my child participate again if he/she has changed schools?
Of course, your child can participate again, even if he/she is attending a new school. Let us know your child's new school and we will contact them. If your child's new school does not agree to participate, we will arrange individual meetings on the premises of the University of Potsdam or we will visit you at home.
Can my child participate even if he/she has already left school?
Even if your child has left school, we look forward to further participation. We are interested in the long-term development from childhood to adulthood. The transition from school to further education and professional life is a very important developmental step for young people, and we do not want to miss. If it is not possible to conduct the survey in the new job/ training school, we arrange individual meetings on the premises of the University of Potsdam or we can visit you at home.
Is it possible to arrange appointments outside of school hours?
In order to cause you as little organizational effort as possible and not to restrict your child in his spare time, we conduct the surveys during school hours. If you wish (e.g. because your child does not want to be interviewed at school) or tests at school are not possible (e.g. because your child is no longer in school or during holidays), we are pleased to arrange individual meetings on the premises of the University of Potsdam or at your home.