University of Southern California Department of Psychology & Annenberg School for Communication INFORMATION SHEET FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH Future Possible Selves of Men Who Have Sex With Men You are asked to participate in a research study conducted by Paul Robert Appleby, PhD and doctoral students John Christensen and Carlos Godoy, from the Annenberg School for Communication and Department of Psychology at the University of Southern California. If you are selected as a participant in this study it is because you 1) have engaged in certain sexual behavior and 2) are of the appropriate age group. A total of 250 subjects will be selected. Your participation is voluntary. Electronic completion and submission of the questionnaire will constitute consent to participate in this research project. WHY IS THIS STUDY BEING DONE? We are asking you to take part in a research study that examines sexual behavior and the future possible selves of men who have sex with men. Future possible selves represent what you imagine your life could be like in the future. Future possible selves can be negative images (i.e. what you fear your life will become) or they can be positive images (i.e. what you hope your life will become). Your responses will be used in the development of HIV-prevention programs designed for men who have sex with men. WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE STUDY? The study consists of an online survey that will focus upon your attitudes, opinions, and beliefs about the future possible selves of men who have sex with men. Once you have read this Information Sheet, you will decide if you wish to participate. If you choose to participate, you will proceed to the online survey. You will be asked to write about your positive and negative future possible selves. You will then answer some questions about these possible selves. Additionally, you will be asked questions about your sexual behavior so that we can examine how it relates to future possible selves. Finally, you will be asked some demographic questions. The survey will last up to 30 minutes. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS? Risks include the personal nature (e.g. sexuality) of the questions being asked. Some of these questions may make you feel awkward or embarrassed. If you are uncomfortable with frank discussions of sex you are encouraged not to participate. To ensure the confidentiality of your responses, please do not use your real name. If any question causes discomfort, you can choose not to respond to it. WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO ME AND/OR TO SOCIETY? Although you may not directly benefit from your participation in this research study, the information you and others provide will help us develop HIV-prevention programs for men who have sex with men. Such information is crucial in the fight to stop the spread of HIV. ARE THERE ANY PAYMENTS/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION? You will receive one entry into a lottery for a single $250 cash prize. One randomly selected participant will receive the $250 cash prize. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. You may only enter the lottery once, though it is not necessary to participate in the study to do so. In order to be entered into the lottery, you need to supply your email address. Your email address will not be attached to any data collected in the study. You must be at least 18 years old and have a U.S. mailing address to be eligible to win the prize. If you volunteer for this study, you can skip any questions that you do not wish to answer. You do not have to complete the research study in order to be eligible for entry into the lottery. WILL MY INFORMATION BE KEPT PRIVATE? There will be no information obtained in connection with this study that can be used to identify you. Your name, address or other information that may identify you will not be collected during this research study. Your email address will be requested in order to be eligible for the cash prize; however, your email address will be stored separately from any data collected in the study. Your data will not be attached to your email address. Your email address will be deleted after data collection and the drawing for the prize are completed. The data set itself will be kept indefinitely. Only the investigators will have access to the data associated with this study. All data and other research materials will be kept within a secure work area. Specifically, data will be kept on computer(s) to which only the investigators have access. If any portable data storage units are used, no one will have access to them other than the investigators, and these units will be secured at all times. Any hard copy research materials generated during the research process, along with any portable data storage units, will be in locked storage in the investigators’ care. When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no information will be included that would reveal your identity. WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS AS A PARTICIPANT AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I DECIDE NOT TO PARTICIPATE? You can choose whether to be in this study or not. If you volunteer to be in this study, you may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind. You may also refuse to answer any questions you don’t want to answer and still remain in the study. The investigator may withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise which warrant doing so. You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without penalty. WHAT ARE MY ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION? Your alternative to participation in this study is to choose to not participate in the study. WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS AS A RESEARCH SUBJECT? You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights as a research subject, contact the University Park IRB, Office of the Vice Provost for Research Advancement, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, Room 306, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1695, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu. WHO DO I CALL IF I HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact Paul Robert Appleby, PhD, Principal Investigator, at Appleby@usc.edu. mailto:upirb@usc.edumailto:Appleby@usc.edushapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1
 
Do you want to participate?
NOhttp://www.usc.edushapeimage_4_link_0
YEShttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=86873071709shapeimage_5_link_0