Web Parental Permission Script

NHSBH WEB PARENTAL PERMISSION AND YOUTH ASSENT TELEPHONE SCRIPTS
Outbound Call Script for Youth Web Interview Parental Permission and Informed Consent
(Inbound Call Script begins on page 10)

DIAL 1 (CATI-CMS)
DIAL NUMBER
IF NO ANSWER, LEAVE MESSAGE ON 1st ATTEMPT (OR 1st TIME VOICEMAIL IS AN
OPTION):
MESSAGE: Hello, my name is _______________ with RTI International. I am calling about
an important research study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Recently, someone in your household completed a brief set of questions
online, so I am following up on those results.
I will try to call again. You can also call us back at your convenience by calling 1-800-8484079, any day of the week.
We look forward to speaking with you soon. Thank you.
IF YOU GOT AN ANSWER:
My name is _______________ with RTI International. I am calling about a study sponsored by
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Recently, someone in your household
completed a brief set of questions online, so I am following up on those results.
VERIFY CASE
Are you an adult resident of [ADDRESS]?
IF ASKED, AN ADULT IS 18 YEARS OLD OR OLDER
YES: PROCEED
NO: Is there an adult resident available now that I may speak with?
YES: INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND CONFIRM INFORMATION ABOVE. IF
CONFIRMED, CLICK YES TO PROCEED
NO: Thank you. I will try to call again. Or an adult resident of this household may
call us back at 1-800-848-4079, any day of the week.
Before I continue, your safety is important to us. I want to be sure you are at home, not
walking or in an area where you might be distracted. Are you at home in a place where
you can safely talk on the phone and answer my questions?
YES: PROCEED
NO: Thank you. I will try to call again. Or an adult resident of this household may call
us back by calling 1-800-848-4079, any day of the week. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.

1

ONE YOUTH IS SELECTED
Recently, a (AGE) year old resident of this household completed a brief set of questions online,
and our scientific sampling process randomly selected one child in your household who is
(AGE) years old to participate in a research study. I am calling to conduct the parental
permission process with the child’s parent or guardian. PROCEED TO “CONFIRM PARENT OR
GUARDIAN” SECTION.
TWO YOUTHS ARE SELECTED
Recently, a (AGE) year old resident of this household completed a brief set of questions online,
and our scientific sampling process randomly selected two children in your household to
participate in this research study: a (AGE) year-old and a (AGE) year-old. I am calling to conduct
the parental permission process with each child’s parent or guardian. PROCEED TO “CONFIRM
PARENT OR GUARDIAN” SECTION.
CONFIRM PARENT OR GUARDIAN
ONE YOUTH SELECTED
Our records indicate that a (AGE) year-old child was randomly selected in your
household to complete the full interview online.
Are you the child’s parent or guardian?
YES: What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND CLICK
SAVE.
• IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP) : PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND
YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
• IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the household?
o YES: May I speak to that person?
 YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND
EXPLAIN THE SITUATION. CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE THE
CHILD’S PARENT. IF THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION
BY CLICKING SAVE.
 NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-848-4079, any day of
the week. The child will also need to be on the call as well.
Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.
o NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
NO: I apologize but I must speak to a parent or guardian for each selected child. Is
there a parent or guardian available for me to talk to and may I speak to that
person?
• YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE
SITUATION, THEN CONTINUE.
o What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND
CLICK SAVE.

2

IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP): PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION
BY CLICKING SAVE.
 IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the
household?
• YES: May I speak to that person?
o YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE THE CHILD’S
PARENT. IF THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
o NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-8484079, any day of the week. The child will also
need to be on the call as well. Thank you for
your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.
o NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
NO: Please have a parent or guardian of the (AGE) year-old child call us at
1-800-848-4079, any day of the week. The child will also need to be on the
call as well. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.


•

TWO YOUTHS SELECTED
Our records indicate that two children were randomly selected in your household
to complete the full interview online: a (AGE) year-old child and a (AGE) year-old
child.
Are you a parent or guardian for at least one of the selected children?
YES: PROCEED BELOW
NO: I apologize but I must speak to a parent or guardian for each selected child. Is
there a parent or guardian available for me to talk to and may I speak to that
person?
• YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE
SITUATION, THEN CONTINUE.
o What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND
CLICK SAVE.
 IF PARENT(INCLUDING STEP): PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION
BY CLICKING SAVE.
 IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the
household?
• YES: May I speak to that person?
o YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE THE CHILD’S
PARENT. IF THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.

3

NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-8484079, any day of the week. The child will also
need to be on the call as well. Thank you for
your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.
o NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
NO: Please have the parent call us at 1-800-848-4079, any day of the week.
The children will also need to be on the call as well. Thank you for your
time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
o

•

Are you the parent or guardian for both selected children?
• YES: What is your relationship to the children? SELECT RELATIONSHIP
AND CLICK SAVE.
o IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP): PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN
AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
o IF GUARDIAN: Does either child have a parent living in the
household?
• YES: Are any of them available for me to talk to and may I
speak with them?
o YES: WHEN PERSON(S) JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THEY ARE THE CHILD’S PARENT. IF
THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN
AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY
CLICKING SAVE.
o NO: Please have the (parent/parents) call us at 1800-848-4079, any day of the week. The children will
also need to be on the call as well. Thank you for
your time END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK
SAVE.
• NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
• NO: Which child are you calling for? The [AGE_A] year old or the [AGE_B]
year old? DISCLOSE THE RELATION TO CLARIFY. SELECT A OR B TO
PROCEED.
o Are you a parent or guardian for the selected [AGE] year old?
 YES: PROCEED BELOW
 NO: CONFIRM ROSTER AGAIN AND DETERMINE IF THE
PERSON ON THE PHONE IS THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF
ANY ROSTERED CHILDREN. IF THEY ARE NOT: Please have
a parent call us back at 1-800-848-4079, any day of the week.
The children will also need to be on the call as well. Thank
you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK
SAVE.
o What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND
CLICK SAVE.
 IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP): PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY”
SECTION.
 IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the
household?

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•

YES: Is that person available for me to talk to and may I
speak to them?
o YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THEY ARE THE CHILD’S PARENT. IF
THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN
AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
o NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-848-4079,
any day of the week. The children will also need to
be on the call as well. Thank you for your time. END
CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.

•

NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION.

VIEWSELECTION DATA AVAILABLE/ CONFIRM PARENT OR GUARDIAN
PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY
ONE YOUTH IS SELECTED
Is the child currently available to join us on the phone?
YES: PROCEED BELOW.
NO: I’m sorry, but I need to speak with both of you during this call to complete the
parental permission process. Please call us back at 1-800-848-4079 when both of you are
available to talk and when the child is available to begin the online interview. Thank you
for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
Is the child available to complete the online interview now?
YES: PROCEED TO PARENTAL PERMISSION.
NO: It is important for the child to start the online interview immediately after this call if
possible. If that is not possible, after this call, the child may complete the online
interview at any time prior to [MONTH, DAY, 2025] as long as your child is at home in a
private location and a parent is also present in the home. Let’s talk more about that now.
PROCEED TO “PARENTAL PERMISSION” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
TWO YOUTHS ARE SELECTED
Are both children currently available to join us on the phone?
YES: Are both available to complete their online interviews now?
• YES: PROCEED TO “PARENTAL PERMISSION” SECTION
• NO: PROCEED BELOW.
NO: Is one of them available to join us?
• YES: Which child is available, the [AGE_A] year old or the [AGE_B] year old and is
the child available to complete the interview now? DISCLOSE THE RELATION TO
CLARIFY. SELECT A OR B. IF THE CHILD IS AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE
INTERVIEW, CLICK PROCEED. IF THE CHILD CANNOT COMPLETE THE INTERVIEW
NOW CLICK CHILD NOT AVAIL.
o NOT AVAIL A OR B: It is important for the child to start the online interview
immediately after this call if possible. If that is not possible, after this call,

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the child may complete the online interview at any time prior to [MONTH,
DAY, 2025] as long as your child is at home in a private location and a
parent is also present in the home. Let’s talk more about that now.
PROCEED TO “PARENTAL PERMISSION” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
• NO: I’m sorry, but I need to speak with each selected child and their parent or
guardian during this call to complete the parental permission process. Please call
us back when all three of you are available to talk and when both children are
available to begin the online interview. Thank you for your time. END CALL.
ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
PARENTAL PERMISSION
FOR ONE YOUTH
Your (AGE) year-old child has been selected to be in this study. Your child’s
participation is voluntary. This online interview asks about tobacco, alcohol, and drug
use or non-use, knowledge and attitudes about drugs, mental health, and other health
related issues. All of your child’s answers will be confidential and used only for
statistical purposes. The child must complete the interview at home with at least one
parent present in the home for the entire interview. As the parent providing permission, if
you cannot be at home for the entire interview, please advise another parent in the home
of your child’s participation in the study. It is important for your child to take part in this
interview in a private location within the home where no one else can see the answers,
including parents.
Your child may consider some of the questions to be sensitive in nature and some
questions may also make your child feel certain emotions, such as sadness. For
example, the interview asks questions about criminal history, depression, suicide and
other topics. Your child can refuse to answer any questions and can stop the interview at
any time. If your child becomes upset during the interview and wishes to speak to a
mental health professional about how they are feeling, a toll-free helpline number is
provided. If you have questions about your child’s rights as a study participant, call RTI’s
Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).
If your child has to stop the interview, after 15 minutes they will be logged out
automatically and will need the Participant Code from the letter to resume their interview
at the point where they exited. However, if they stop the interview and do not resume
within 4 weeks, all of their answers will be removed for security purposes to protect their
privacy – they will still be able to complete the interview and receive a $30 gift card but
they will need to start over.
Do I have your permission to interview your child for this study?
YES: Thank you! Now, I need to speak to your child. PROCEED TO “YOUTH
ASSENT” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
NO: Thank you for your time. END CALL. PARENT REFUSAL HAS BEEN MARKED,
ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
FOR TWO YOUTHS THAT SHARE PARENT/GUARDIAN
Your (AGE) year-old child and (AGE) year-old child have been selected to be in this
study. Your children’s participation is voluntary. This online interview asks about

6

tobacco, alcohol, and drug use or non-use, knowledge and attitudes about drugs, mental
health, and other health related issues. All of your children’s answers will be confidential
and used only for statistical purposes. Both children must complete the interview at
home with at least one parent present in the home for the entirety of both interviews. As
the parent providing permission, if you cannot be at home for the entirety of both
interviews, please advise another parent in the home of your children’s participation in
the study. It is important for your children to take part in this interview in a private
location within the home where no one else can see the answers, including parents.
Your children may consider some of the questions to be sensitive in nature and some
questions may also make them feel certain emotions, such as sadness. For example, the
interview asks questions about criminal history, depression, suicide and other topics.
Your children can refuse to answer any questions and can stop the interview at any time.
If either of your children become upset during the interview and wishes to speak to a
mental health professional about how they are feeling, a toll-free helpline number is
provided. If you have questions about your children’s rights as a study participant, call
RTI’s Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).
If either child has to stop the interview, after 15 minutes they will be logged out
automatically and will need the Participant Code from the letter to resume their interview
at the point where they exited. However, if they stop the interview and do not resume
within 4 weeks, all of their answers will be removed for security purposes to protect their
privacy – they will still be able to complete the interview and receive a $30 gift card but
they will need to start over.
Do I have your permission to interview your children for this study?
YES: Thank you! Now, I need to speak to (your child/each child separately).
SELECT A OR B, THEN PROCEED WITH THE QUESTION BELOW.
NO: Thank you for your time. END CALL. PARENT REFUSAL HAS BEEN MARKED,
ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
May I speak with the (AGE) year-old? DISCLOSE THE RELATION TO CLARIFY. IF
PARENT/GUARDIAN AGREES, CLICK SAVE.
YES: PROCEED TO “YOUTH ASSENT” SECTION.
NO: I’m sorry, but I must speak with the child about the interview before we can
begin. Are you comfortable with me speaking with your child?
• YES: (PARENT/GUARDIAN AGREES): Okay, thank you.
• NO: Thank you for your time. END CALL. PARENT REFUSAL HAS BEEN
MARKED, ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.

YOUTH ASSENT
READ SCRIPT TO EACH YOUTH SEPERATELY
SPEAKING WITH A [AGE] YEAR OLD
WHEN SPEAKING WITH CHILD: Before we begin, I need to ensure your privacy. Are you
at home?
YES: PROCEED BELOW

7

NO: It is very important that you complete the online interview at home. I cannot allow
you to start the interview at this time. Please have your parent/guardian call us back at 1800-848-4079 when your parent or guardian is available to talk and when you are
available to begin the online interview. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER
NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
This year, about 70,000 people across the nation will complete this interview. You have
been randomly chosen to take part. You will represent over 1,000 young people in this
country who are similar to you. You may choose not to take part in this study, but no one
else can take your place. When you finish the interview, you will receive a $30 gift card.
This study asks about tobacco, alcohol, and drug use or non-use, knowledge and
attitudes about drugs, mental health, and other health issues. The data you provide are
confidential. Only the combined responses from all 70,000 people will be reported, not
just one person's answers.
While the interview has some personal questions, federal law keeps your answers
private. Your participation is voluntary. You can quit the interview at any time by closing
your browser window and you can refuse to answer any questions.
It is recommended you complete the entire interview in one sitting, which takes about an
hour, depending on your answers.
If you have to stop the interview, after 15 minutes you will be logged out automatically
and will need your Participant Code to resume the interview at the point where you
exited. However, if you stop the interview and do not resume within 4 weeks, all of your
answers will be removed for security purposes to protect your privacy – you will still be
able to complete the interview and receive a $30 gift card but you will need to start over.
You may consider some of the questions to be sensitive in nature and some questions
may also make you feel certain emotions, such as sadness. For example, the interview
asks questions about criminal history, depression, suicide and other topics. Remember,
you can refuse to answer any questions and you can stop the interview at any time. If
you become upset during the interview and wish to speak to a mental health professional
about how you are feeling, you can call the toll-free helpline number provided in the
online interview. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, call RTI’s
Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).
Before you begin, I need to confirm several key requirements.
Are you a current resident of this household?
YES: PROCEED BELOW
NO: I apologize. I need to double check my records. END CALL. ENTER NOTES
AND CLICK SAVE.
Are you at home in a private location?
YES: PROCEED BELOW
NO: Please have your parent/guardian call us back at 1-800-848-4079 when you
are at home and can safely talk. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER
NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.

8

Do you agree to proceed with the online interview?
YES: Thank you! You may now begin the online interview. To access the interview,
please use the website address and participant code that was provided in the
letter. If you need help with this, please ask an available parent for assistance.
CLICK SAVE TO CONTINUE. IF TWO YOUTHS SELECTED, PROCEED BELOW
NO: Thank you for your time. NOTE [AGE FILL] YEAR OLD IR DECLINED
INTERVIEW. CLICK SAVE. IF TWO YOUTHS SELECTED, PROCEED BELOW,
OTHERWISE END CALL.
IF TWO YOUTHS SELECTED AND OTHER YOUTH IS AVAILABLE TO BEGIN INTERVIEW
NOW: May I now speak with the (AGE) year-old?
YES: WHEN SECOND CHILD JOINS THE CALL, CLICK SAVE TO PROCEED TO THE
YOUTH ASSENT SECTION.
NO: Okay. Please have your parent/guardian call us back at 1-800-848-4079 at
their convenience, any day of the week. The (AGE) year-old will also need to be on
the call as well. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK
SAVE.
PARENT CONSENT EXIT
CLOSE THE CURRENT BROWSER WINDOW TO RETURN TO THE CATI SYSTEM
IF R TELLS YOU THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE LETTER WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO
ACCESS THE SURVEY WBESITE AND THE PARTICIPANT CODE, PLEASE TELL THEM
FOR SECURITY REASONS WE CANNOT GIVE THE PARTICIPANT CODE OVER THE
PHONE. WE WILL SEND A NEW LETTER TO THE ADDRESS WE HAVE ON FILE
BUTTON – “SEND NEW LETTER”

9

Inbound Call Script for Youth Web Interview Parental Permission and Informed Consent
INTRODUCTION
Hello, thank you for calling RTI, my name is _______________. How can I help you? CONFIRM
CALLER’S INTENT IS TO PROVIDE PARENTAL PERMISSION FOR YOUTH INTERVIEW(S).
Your safety is important, so I want to be sure you are at home, not walking or in an area
where you might be distracted. Are you at home in a place where you can safely talk on
the phone and answer my questions?
YES:
NO:
•
•

PROCEED
Are you able to move to a place within your home where you can safely talk?
YES: PROCEED
NO: Please call us back at 1-800-848-4079 when you are at home and can safely
talk. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.

VERIFY CASE AND PARTICIPANT CODE
Please look at the letter your household received about the study and tell me the
participant code that is provided on the letter.
ENTER PARTICIPANT ID
CONFIRM ID WITH CALLER
CLICK SUBMIT

•

•

IF HOUSEHOLD HAS MISPLACED THE LETTER/CODE: Unfortunately, you must
provide the participant code to begin the parental permission process. We can
send a replacement letter to the address the original letter was sent to. What is
that address? IF CALLER REFUSES TO PROVIDE ADDRESS OR DOES NOT WANT
A REPLACEMENT LETTER, CLICK NO.
o ENTER ADDRESS
 BEGIN SEARCH BY SELECTING STATE AND OR ZIP FIRST THEN
NARROW BY OTHER ADDRESS ELEMENTS. SELECT THE
CORRESPONDING ADDRESS LISTED, CONFIRM WITH
RESPONDENT. CLICK SEND, THEN: It will take approximately three
business days to receive the replacement letter. Please call us back
at 1-800-848-4079 when you have the code. Thank you for your time.
END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
o NO: Please call us back at 1-800-848-4079 when you have the code. Thank
you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
IF PARTICPANT CODE INDICATES THAT NO ONE SELECTED: The participant
code _______________ indicates that no one at this household is eligible for the
interview or the participant code is invalid. Please check the value and read it
back to me. RE-ENTER AS NEEDED. IF THERE CONTINUES TO BE ERRORS WITH
PARTICIPANT CODE, ISSUE REPLACEMENT LETTER.

To confirm I am speaking with the correct household, please tell me your address.
CONFIRM THE SDU IS [ADDRESS FILL].

10

YES: PROCEED
NO: RE-ENTER ID

ONE YOUTH SELECTED
Our records indicate that a (AGE) year-old child was randomly selected in your
household to complete the full interview online.
Are you the child’s parent or guardian?
YES: What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND CLICK
SAVE.
• IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP): PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND
YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
• IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the household?
o YES: May I speak to that person?
 YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND
EXPLAIN THE SITUATION. CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE THE
CHILD’S PARENT. IF THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION
BY CLICKING SAVE.
 NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-848-4079, any day of
the week. The child will also need to be on the call as well.
Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.
o NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
NO: I apologize but I must speak to a parent or guardian for each selected child. Is
there a parent or guardian available for me to talk to and may I speak to that
person?
• YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE
SITUATION, THEN CONTINUE.
o What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND
CLICK SAVE.
 IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP): PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION
BY CLICKING SAVE.
 IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the
household?
• YES: May I speak to that person?
o YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE THE CHILD’S
PARENT. IF THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
o NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-8484079, any day of the week. The child will also
need to be on the call as well. Thank you for

11

•

your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.
o NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
NO: Please have a parent or guardian of the (AGE) year-old child call us at
1-800-848-4079, any day of the week. The child will also need to be on the
call as well. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.

TWO YOUTH SELECTED
Our records indicate that two children were randomly selected in your household
to complete the full interview online: a (AGE) year-old child and a (AGE) year-old
child.
Are you a parent or guardian for at least one of the selected children?
YES: PROCEED BELOW
NO: I apologize but I must speak to a parent or guardian for each selected child. Is
there a parent or guardian available for me to talk to and may I speak to that
person?
• YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE
SITUATION, THEN CONTINUE.
o What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND
CLICK SAVE.
 IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP) : PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION
BY CLICKING SAVE.
 IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the
household?
• YES: May I speak to that person?
o YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE THE CHILD’S
PARENT. IF THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
o NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-8484079, any day of the week. The child will also
need to be on the call as well. Thank you for
your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND
CLICK SAVE.
o NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
• NO: Please have the parent call us at 1-800-848-4079, any day of the week.
The children will also need to be on the call as well. Thank you for your
time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
Are you the parent or guardian for both selected children?
• YES: What is your relationship to the children? SELECT RELATIONSHIP
AND CLICK SAVE.

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IF PARENT(INCLUDING STEP) : PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN
AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
o IF GUARDIAN: Does either child have a parent living in the
household?
• YES: Are any of them available for me to talk to and may I
speak with them?
o YES: WHEN PERSON(S) JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THEY ARE THE CHILD’S PARENT. IF
THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN
AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION BY
CLICKING SAVE.
o NO: Please have the (parent/parents) call us at 1800-848-4079, any day of the week. The children will
also need to be on the call as well. Thank you for
your time END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK
SAVE.
• NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
NO: Which child are you calling for? The [AGE_A] year old or the [AGE_B]
year old? DISCLOSE THE RELATION TO CLARIFY. SELECT A OR B TO
PROCEED.
o Are you a parent or guardian for the selected [AGE] year old?
 YES: PROCEED BELOW
 NO: CONFIRM ROSTER AGAIN AND DETERMINE IF THE
PERSON ON THE PHONE IS THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF
ANY ROSTERED CHILDREN. IF THEY ARE NOT: Please have
a parent call us back at 1-800-848-4079, any day of the week.
The children will also need to be on the call as well. Thank
you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK
SAVE.
o What is your relationship to the child? SELECT RELATIONSHIP AND
CLICK SAVE.
 IF PARENT (INCLUDING STEP) : PROCEED TO
“PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY”
SECTION.
 IF GUARDIAN: Does the child have a parent living in the
household?
• YES: Is that person available for me to talk to and may I
speak to them?
o YES: WHEN PERSON JOINS, INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
CONFIRM THEY ARE THE CHILD’S PARENT. IF
THEY CONFIRM PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN
AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
o NO: Please have a parent call us at 1-800-848-4079,
any day of the week. The children will also need to
be on the call as well. Thank you for your time. END
CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
o

•

NO: PROCEED TO “PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR
AVAILABILITY” SECTION.
VIEW SELECTION DATA AVAILABLE/ CONFIRM PARENT OR GUARDIAN
•

13

PARENT/GUARDIAN AND YOUTH IR AVAILABILITY
ONE YOUTH IS SELECTED
Is the child currently available to join us on the phone?
YES: PROCEED BELOW.
NO: I’m sorry, but I need to speak with both of you during this call to complete the
parental permission process. Please call us back at 1-800-848-4079 when both of you are
available to talk and when the child is available to begin the online interview. Thank you
for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
Is the child available to complete the online interview now?
YES: PROCEED TO PARENTAL PERMISSION.
NO: It is important for the child to start the online interview immediately after this call if
possible. If that is not possible, after this call, the child may complete the online
interview at any time prior to [MONTH, DAY, 2025] as long as your child is at home in a
private location and a parent is also present in the home. Let’s talk more about that now.
PROCEED TO “PARENTAL PERMISSION” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
TWO YOUTHS ARE SELECTED
Are both children currently available to join us on the phone?
YES: Are both available to complete their online interviews now?
• YES: PROCEED TO “PARENTAL PERMISSION” SECTION
• NO: PROCEED BELOW.
NO: Is one of them available to join us?
• YES: Which child is available, the [AGE_A] year old or the [AGE_B] year old and is
the child available to complete the interview now? DISCLOSE THE RELATION TO
CLARIFY. SELECT A OR B. IF THE CHILD IS AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE
INTERVIEW, CLICK PROCEED. IF THE CHILD CANNOT COMPLETE THE INTERVIEW
NOW CLICK CHILD NOT AVAIL.
o NOT AVAIL A OR B: It is important for the child to start the online interview
immediately after this call if possible. If that is not possible, after this call,
the child may complete the online interview at any time prior [MONTH, DAY,
2025] as long as your child is at home in a private location and a parent is
also present in the home. Let’s talk more about that now. PROCEED TO
“PARENTAL PERMISSION” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
• NO: I’m sorry, but I need to speak with each selected child and their parent or
guardian during this call to complete the parental permission process. Please call
us back when all three of you are available to talk and when both children are
available to begin the online interview. Thank you for your time. END CALL.
ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
PARENTAL PERMISSION
FOR ONE YOUTH

14

Your (AGE) year-old child has been selected to be in this study. Your child’s
participation is voluntary. This online interview asks about tobacco, alcohol, and drug
use or non-use, knowledge and attitudes about drugs, mental health, and other health
related issues. All of your child’s answers will be confidential and used only for
statistical purposes. The child must complete the interview at home with at least one
parent present in the home for the entire interview. As the parent providing permission, if
you cannot be at home for the entire interview, please advise another parent in the home
of your child’s participation in the study. It is important for your child to take part in this
interview in a private location within the home where no one else can see the answers,
including parents.
Your child may consider some of the questions to be sensitive in nature and some
questions may also make your child feel certain emotions, such as sadness. For
example, the interview asks questions about criminal history, depression, suicide and
other topics. Your child can refuse to answer any questions and can stop the interview at
any time. If your child becomes upset during the interview and wishes to speak to a
mental health professional about how they are feeling, a toll-free helpline number is
provided. If you have questions about your child’s rights as a study participant, call RTI’s
Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).
If your child has to stop the interview, after 15 minutes they will be logged out
automatically and will need the Participant Code from the letter to resume their interview
at the point where they exited. However, if they stop the interview and do not resume
within 4 weeks, all of their answers will be removed for security purposes to protect their
privacy – they will still be able to complete the interview and receive a $30 gift card but
they will need to start over.
Do I have your permission to interview your child for this study?
YES: Thank you! Now, I need to speak to your child. PROCEED TO “YOUTH
ASSENT” SECTION BY CLICKING SAVE.
NO: Thank you for your time. END CALL. PARENT REFUSAL HAS BEEN MARKED,
ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
FOR TWO YOUTHS THAT SHARE PARENT/GUARDIAN
Your (AGE) year-old child and (AGE) year-old child have been selected to be in this
study. Your children’s participation is voluntary. This online interview asks about
tobacco, alcohol, and drug use or non-use, knowledge and attitudes about drugs, mental
health, and other health related issues. All of your children’s answers will be confidential
and used only for statistical purposes. Both children must complete the interview at
home with at least one parent present in the home for the entirety of both interviews. As
the parent providing permission, if you cannot be at home for the entirety of both
interviews, please advise another parent in the home of your children’s participation in
the study. It is important for your children to take part in this interview in a private
location within the home where no one else can see the answers, including parents.
Your children may consider some of the questions to be sensitive in nature and some
questions may also make them feel certain emotions, such as sadness. For example, the
interview asks questions about criminal history, depression, suicide and other topics.
Your children can refuse to answer any questions and can stop the interview at any time.
If either of your children become upset during the interview and wishes to speak to a
mental health professional about how they are feeling, a toll-free helpline number is

15

provided. If you have questions about your children’s rights as a study participant, call
RTI’s Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).
If either child has to stop the interview, after 15 minutes they will be logged out
automatically and will need the Participant Code from the letter to resume their interview
at the point where they exited. However, if they stop the interview and do not resume
within 4 weeks, all of their answers will be removed for security purposes to protect their
privacy – they will still be able to complete the interview and receive a $30 gift card but
they will need to start over.
Do I have your permission to interview your children for this study?
YES: Thank you! Now, I need to speak to (your child/each child separately).
SELECT A OR B, THEN PROCEED WITH THE QUESTION BELOW.
NO: Thank you for your time. END CALL. PARENT REFUSAL HAS BEEN MARKED,
ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
May I speak with the (AGE) year-old? DISCLOSE THE RELATION TO CLARIFY. IF
PARENT/GUARDIAN AGREES, CLICK SAVE.
YES: PROCEED TO “YOUTH ASSENT” SECTION.
NO: I’m sorry, but I must speak with the child about the interview before we can
begin. Are you comfortable with me speaking with your child?
• YES: (PARENT/GUARDIAN AGREES): Okay, thank you.
• NO: Thank you for your time. END CALL. PARENT REFUSAL HAS BEEN
MARKED, ENTER NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.

YOUTH ASSENT
READ SCRIPT TO EACH YOUTH SEPERATELY
SPEAKING WITH A [AGE] YEAR OLD
WHEN SPEAKING WITH CHILD: Before we begin, I need to ensure your privacy. Are you
at home?
YES: PROCEED BELOW
NO: It is very important that you complete the online interview at home. I cannot allow
you to start the interview at this time. Please have your parent/guardian call us back at 1800-848-4079 when your parent or guardian is available to talk and when you are
available to begin the online interview. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER
NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
This year, about 70,000 people across the nation will complete this interview. You have
been randomly chosen to take part. You will represent over 1,000 young people in this
country who are similar to you. You may choose not to take part in this study, but no one
else can take your place. When you finish the interview, you will receive a $30 gift card.
This study asks about tobacco, alcohol, and drug use or non-use, knowledge and
attitudes about drugs, mental health, and other health issues. The data you provide are
confidential. Only the combined responses from all 70,000 people will be reported, not
just one person's answers.

16

While the interview has some personal questions, federal law keeps your answers
private. Your participation is voluntary. You can quit the interview at any time by closing
your browser window and you can refuse to answer any questions.
It is recommended you complete the entire interview in one sitting, which takes about an
hour, depending on your answers.
If you have to stop the interview, after 15 minutes you will be logged out automatically
and will need your Participant Code to resume the interview at the point where you
exited. However, if you stop the interview and do not resume within 4 weeks, all of your
answers will be removed for security purposes to protect your privacy – you will still be
able to complete the interview and receive a $30 gift card but you will need to start over.
You may consider some of the questions to be sensitive in nature and some questions
may also make you feel certain emotions, such as sadness. For example, the interview
asks questions about criminal history, depression, suicide and other topics. Remember,
you can refuse to answer any questions and you can stop the interview at any time. If
you become upset during the interview and wish to speak to a mental health professional
about how you are feeling, you can call the toll-free helpline number provided in the
online interview. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, call RTI’s
Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).
Before you begin, I need to confirm several key requirements.
Are you a current resident of this household?
YES: PROCEED BELOW
NO: I apologize. I need to double check my records. END CALL. ENTER NOTES
AND CLICK SAVE.
Are you at home in a private location?
YES: PROCEED BELOW
NO: Please have your parent/guardian call us back at 1-800-848-4079 when you
are at home and can safely talk. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER
NOTES AND CLICK SAVE.
Do you agree to proceed with the online interview?
YES: Thank you! You may now begin the online interview. To access the interview,
please use the website address and participant code that was provided in the
letter. If you need help with this, please ask an available parent for assistance.
CLICK SAVE TO CONTINUE. IF TWO YOUTHS SELECTED, PROCEED BELOW
NO: Thank you for your time. NOTE [AGE FILL] YEAR OLD IR DECLINED
INTERVIEW. CLICK SAVE. IF TWO YOUTHS SELECTED, PROCEED BELOW,
OTHERWISE END CALL.
IF TWO YOUTHS SELECTED AND OTHER YOUTH IS AVAILABLE TO BEGIN INTERVIEW
NOW: May I now speak with the (AGE) year-old?
YES: WHEN SECOND CHILD JOINS THE CALL, CLICK SAVE TO PROCEED TO THE
YOUTH ASSENT SECTION.

17

NO: Okay. Please have your parent/guardian call us back at 1-800-848-4079 at
their convenience, any day of the week. The (AGE) year-old will also need to be on
the call as well. Thank you for your time. END CALL. ENTER NOTES AND CLICK
SAVE.

18