Consent to Share Your Stories

At communication researchers, we follow a number of guidelines at our universities for ensuring all research is ethical, fair, and does not cause harm. As such, the process we have followed for gathering stories for books in the What Happy Couples Do series has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of St. Thomas (where Carol is a full-time faculty member; where Anna serves as an adjunct faculty member part-time). Below is a consent form which explains, to all individuals who submit stories to our website, exactly how their information will be used and handled. Because there is not a great way to link to this form from our home-page, we are including it here. Please contact us with questions. As always, thanks for participating!

CONSENT FORM
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS

What Happy Couples, Families, and Friends Do: A Study of Rituals
IRB log number: A-07-032-1X


We are conducting a study about the way married couples, families, and adult friends use rituals to enhance, maintain, or simply manage their relationships. We invite you to participate in this research. You were selected as a possible participant because you have been identified as a person who has either a marriage, family, or friendship in which rituals are likely created. Please read this form and call with any questions you may have before agreeing to be in the study.

This study is being conducted by: Carol Bruess, Ph.D., University of St. Thomas and Anna Kudak, M.A, North Dakota State University. Please contact Carol Bruess (651-962-5820 or cjbruess@stthomas.edu) with any questions about this study.

Background Information:

The purpose of this study is to explore the types of rituals people create and use in their many significant relationships. Rituals are defined as those repeated interactions or events that have meaning or significance to members of that relationship. Rituals have been shown to make many important contributions to healthy relationships. Our study hopes to extend that knowledge, understanding the many diverse ways that people ritualize in their relationships.

Procedures:

If you agree to be in this study, I will ask you to do the following things: Log onto our website (www.whathappycouplesdo.com) and submit examples of rituals in any of the relevant categories (rituals in marriage, rituals with family members, and/or rituals with friends). It should take no longer than 5-20 minutes to submit your examples, depending on how many you choose to share. You can submit as many ritual examples as you choose. You can visit the website and submit ritual examples at any time, as many times as you wish. You are free to skip any questions you choose not to answer.

Risks and Benefits of Being in the Study:

Although all submissions are anonymous and any names or identifying information included will be removed, the risk of participating in this study is observing and sharing something that is personal to you.

If you are asked to encourage others to participate in this study by encouraging them to submit their ritual stories on the website, you might be eligible for class extra credit points as detailed by your instructor.

Confidentiality:

The records of this study will be kept private. In any sort of report we publish, we will not include information that will make it possible to identify you in any way. Research records will be kept in a locked file; we are the only people who will have access to the records. When submitting information via the website, no identifying information of the sender is sent without their knowledge (if you wish to submit your e-mail address so that you can be notified when the studies are published, you have the option, but are not required, to do so).

Voluntary Nature of the Study:

Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. Your decision whether or not to participate will not affect your current or future relations with the University of St. Thomas or any other institution with which you might be affiliated. If you decide to participate, you are free to withdraw at any time without penalty.

Contacts and Questions

The primary researcher is Carol Bruess, Associate Professor Communication Studies at the University of St. Thomas. As stated above, you may ask any questions you have at anytime (office phone: 651-962-5820). You may also contact the University of St. Thomas Institutional Review Board at 651-962-5341 with any questions or concerns.

Statement of Consent:

I have read the above information and all questions have been answered to my satisfaction (either in this statement or by contacting the primary researchers). By submitting information at www.whathappycouplesdo.com, I am consenting to participate in the study.