Researchers Study Newlyweds

[JCJD]

These researchers are doing several surveys to study what makes a marriage successful in the first few years. They have some short surveys and a long-term study. The long-term study consists of an initial interview/survey, and a short follow-up survey once a year for 4 years. To participate in the long-term study, you must have been married less than 6 months or have a wedding date set within a year. Here''s the news article: From Yahoo News

I''m having problems with the researcher''s website today, so here''s their email address in case you are too: [email protected]. The lead graduate student doing the project is named Janette.

 

[MelissaSue]

I actually got one of thier post cards because I went to a bridal show in Rochester (they're from University of Rochester) I keep meaning to sign up.

try this website

www.couples-research.com

edit.. hmm.. I wonder why you have to email them your phone number if the survery can be completed online?

 

[njc]

Why they want your phone number is mentioned in the note below..

Since i couldn''t get on the website, i emailed them and this was the response:

Hello Katie!
At your request, here is more information concerning the survey. If you have
any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are interested
in participating or would like to speak with a research assistant, please
provide us with your home phone number (which will be held in confidence)
and a best time to call (participation requires a short phone conversation
with one of you so that we may give you informed consent and assure that you
are eligible).
Thank you very much,
Soonhee Lee (Graduate Research Assistant)
=====================
The study is under the direction of Ronald D. Rogge, who is a professor in
the department of clinical and social psychology at the University of
Rochester. We are interested in understanding the challenges that newlywed
couples face as they navigate the early years of marriage.
We will collect information from couples once around the time of marriage
and then four more times over the next four years. This will allow us to
understand how different couples find their way through the early stages of
marriage. That is the overall purpose of the project. Couples will be paid
$10 for the first assessment and then $5 for each of the yearly follow-up
assessments. In addition, for each wave of assessment you participate in,
you will be entered into drawings for $100 as an added bonus for helping us
with this research.
So here is what would happen if you were to participate. You and your
partner will be asked to complete separate written surveys within the next
month and then once a year for the next four years.
The first survey will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and you
will be paid $10 as a couple for participating. You will be able to choose
to either have the surveys mailed to you with pre-paid return envelopes or
to complete the surveys on a secure website. The survey contains some
personal questions about you, your household, your income and your close
relationships. We would like you to complete the whole survey, but you may
skip any questions that you don''t feel comfortable answering.
The yearly follow-up surveys will be significantly shorter in length, taking
approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Couples will be paid $5 for
participating in these follow ups and will have the choice of being paid by
check or in gift certificates to businesses like Blockbuster, Starbucks,
Abbott''s Frozen Custards or Dunkin Doughnuts. Once again you will be offered
the choice of completing the surveys by mail or online.
Finally, for all couples that call into the lab, we would like to ask a
small set of demographic questions in this phone call to help determine how
well our recruitment is going. If you agree to share that information with
us but ultimately do not participate in the main study for what ever reason,
we will then de-identify that data by removing your name and any contact
information that we have so that information could not be linked to your
identity in the future.

Participation in the study is completely voluntary. Everyone who
participates has the right to stop participating at any time without any
penalty.

In order to protect the confidentiality of the information that you provide
as a participant in this study, all surveys you complete and any video tapes
will be marked with a code number instead of your name. Those completed
materials will be stored in a locked room in Dr. Rogge''s research laboratory
at the University of Rochester, and access to those forms will be restricted
to research staff.
The personal information you provide (name, address, contact information and
your assigned code number) will be stored in a separate locked room in Dr.
Rogge''s research laboratory.
While we make every effort to maintain confidentiality, it cannot be
absolutely guaranteed. Records which identify you and the consent form
signed by you, may be inspected by the University of Rochester. The results
of this research study may be presented at meetings or in publications,
however, your name will be kept private and only the aggregate data
(findings across all couples) will be presented.

RISKS

If you participate, there is a risk that you might experience some
discomfort from answering questions about your relationship. Some of the
questions will be sensitive in nature and involve things like alcohol
use/abuse, relationship conflict, recollection of childhood experiences, and
your current mental health. However, in general, couples tend to find that
taking time out to answer questions about their marriages can be mildly
beneficial to the relationships.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For more information concerning this research, please contact Dr. Ronald D.
Rogge at (585) 273-1799.