INFORMED CONSENT FORM FOR ONLINE SURVEY



GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY & METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER





TITLE OF STUDY: Young Adult Experiences of Sibling-to-Sibling Violence



INVESTIGATOR INFORMATION:

Investigator: Investigator:

Dr. Courtney McDonald Dr. Katherine Martinez

courtney.mcdonald@gsw.edu kmart128@msudenver.edu

(229) 931-2038 (303) 556-8441



I have been asked to participate in a research study under the direction of Courtney McDonald and Katherine Martinez.



The following information will explain this research study to you. Whether or not you take part is up to you: you may choose not to take part, you may agree to take part and later change your mind, and your decisions will not be held against you. Please ask all the questions you want before you decide.

The purpose of this study is to explore how young adults (18-35 years old) experience violence from and towards brothers and sisters (sibling-to-sibling violence). We are interested in learning whether violence by or against a sibling differs by individual traits, such as race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, education level, and location (e.g., rural, urban, suburban, North/South United States).



You can participate in this study if you have experienced some kind of verbal or physical violence by or against a sibling. To complete this online survey, you must be between the ages of 18 and 35 and have at least one sibling. We are interested in surveying up to 400 students from Metropolitan State University of Denver and 400 students from Georgia Southwestern State University. We are also interested in surveying up to 600 non-student individuals from each of the communities in and around Denver, Colorado and Americus, Georgia.



This online survey consists of:



· Basic questions about you, such as your age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and your highest level of education.



· Questions about the number of times you have been the victim of different kinds of verbal and physical violence from a sibling or a parent.



· Questions about the number of times you have been verbally and physically violent towards a sibling or a parent.



· A final open-ended question which allows you to provide information about your experience with sibling violence in your own words.



The survey is intended to be anonymous, so the researchers or others cannot identify you by your responses. Please do NOT put your name or the names of others in your responses.



You may choose to skip any question. Completing the whole online survey, without skipping questions, may take up to 30 minutes. It is recommended that you complete the survey in a private room, on a private computer, so that others will not be able to see your responses.



Because we are studying sibling-to-sibling violence, there is a risk that you may feel uncomfortable while answering some of the questions. The survey may bring up negative, painful memories or feelings of guilt, shame, anger or embarrassment. At the end of the survey, you will be provided with a list of agencies and services that can help you address any discomfort or stress that may result. Some of these resources are free, some are low-cost, and some may be covered by insurance. We cannot compensate you or pay for any counseling or treatment you may seek as a result of participation in this study.