Informed Consent
Principal Investigator: Dr. Claire Beaulieu, Psy.D.
Student Investigator: Brynn Greene, M.A.
Title of Study: Shame in Adult Children of Alcoholics: The Influence of Perceived Parental Bonding
My name is Brynn Greene, and I am a fourth-year doctoral student at Spalding University. I am researching Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs). The goal of this study is to understand how childhood relationships with parents may connect to shame later in life. This section will help you decide if you want to take part in this study.
Study Purpose: The goal of this study is to understand the experiences of Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs). The study aims to explore how early relationships with parents may connect to feelings of shame later in life.
Procedures of the Study: If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete a set of 61 questions within a single online survey. These questions will ask you to reflect on childhood experiences with your caregivers and feelings of shame as an adult. The survey takes about 25 to 35 minutes total.
You will also be asked questions, including personal background information. These questions help the researcher understand who is taking part in the study and are not linked to survey answers. All responses are anonymous.
Please follow the prompts through QuestionPro to answer the questions and submit your responses. The survey will take about 25 to 35 minutes in total.
Risk of Participating: The biggest risk of taking part in this study is feeling stress, sadness, or remembering painful memories when answering questions. Some questions ask about childhood experiences and negative feelings, which may be hard or upsetting to think about.
Safeguards:
To lower risk, the following steps will be taken:
• Recruitment materials will be posted only in appropriate groups, clinics, and online forums. The researcher will follow each site’s rules and gain permission when required. • You may end the survey at any time by closing your browser. By answering and submitting questions, you agree to take part in the study. Each question needs an answer before you can move forward in the survey. • No responses will record your name. The researchers will not know who took part in this survey or how they responded.• Information such as age, gender, and other details will only be reported in summary format, never individually.
If the questions in this study are upsetting to you, please use these resources for support:
• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988• Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741• SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-4357• Al-Anon Family Groups: https://al-anon.org• Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunctional Families: https://adultchildren.orgBecause names are not attached to this survey, researchers cannot follow up with participants. Please reach out to the resources above if you need support.
Confidentiality: Your responses will not include any information. Your name will never be connected to your answers. Only the researcher, Brynn Greene, and advisor, Dr. Claire Beaulieu, will see each response. Data may be used in papers or presentations, but only in a summarized format. Online answers will be saved in private files and on computers. Only the researcher and advisor can see the responses. All records will be kept for three years and then destroyed.
Voluntary Participation: Taking part in this study is optional. There are no rewards or penalties whether you participate or not. You can choose not to take part, or you can stop at any time with no negative outcomes.
Risk of Participating: The main benefit of taking part in this study is that your answers may help researchers better understand how early relationships with parents connect to shame later in life. This can inform future research and support for Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs). Also, participating in this study may lead you to think more about your own experiences and feelings.
Contact Information: If you have questions about this study, please email me at [email protected]. You can also email my advisor at [email protected]. Please contact Dr. Lisa Potts, Chair of the Research Ethics Committee, at (502) 873-4442 or [email protected], if you have any questions about your rights as someone who took part in this study or if you feel you have been placed at risk.
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