[evansk9]

Dear ASCA Members:

My name is Kristen Evans and I am a third year undergraduate psychology student at Coventry University. I am currently conducting my third year dissertation by researching the effects of self esteem, learned helplessness, and locus of control between adult victims of childhood abuse comparing this sample with a sample of non-abused adults. Currently I am hoping to recruit participants from this forum to take part in my third year dissertation.

This study will take place between December and March from which I will be asking participants to complete three questionnaires which is posted through the link below. If you do decide to take part, you will first be asked to read the participant information sheet and consent form. Then, you will be asked to tick which form of abuse you may or may not have suffered. Next, you will complete Rotters’s locus of control scale, Quinless and Mcdermott-Nelson’s (1988) learned helplessness scale and Rosenbergs Self Esteem scale. Taking part in this research is entirely voluntary and you have the right to withdraw at any point. You may also request to withdraw information up to one month after completion. If you do decide to withdraw information provided, at any point, it will be immediately destroyed.

Once the scales are completed you will read a debriefing form which explains the whole research project. The chances of causing any harm are very small. If however, any distress is caused, details of further support will be given at the end of the debriefing form. The information participants provide will be analysed for research purposes and the findings may be published in an academic journal. No personal information will be gathered and participants will only be linked to their data via a personal participant number. Once the dissertation is completed and handed in, all of the information provided will be destroyed. The dissertation will be reviewed by the psychology department research ethics committee and the research will not be undertaken unless ethical approval has been gained. All of the data provided will be kept highly secure and confidential from others will be treated according to the British Psychological Society Code of Ethics. Once the dissertation is completed and handed in, all information will be destroyed.

Please click the following link if you do have a history of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse after the definitions.

Childhood sexual abuse-“the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violate the laws or social taboos of society. Child sexual abuse is evidenced by an activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power, the activity being intended to gratify or satisfy the needs of the other person” (In Care Survivors Service Scotland, 2011),

Childhood physical abuse-“results in actual or potential physical harm from an interaction or lack of interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power, or trust. There may be single or repeated incidents”(In Care Survivors Service Scotland, 2011).

hllp*://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/coventry/rseslhslc1/

Please click the link below if you DO NOT have a history of childhood abuse.

hllp*://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/coventry/rseslhslc2/

Thank you very much for your time, it is greatly appreciated.
Kristen Evans

[Victorious]

First of all I appreciate that more studies are being done, but really how much more studying of this human condition can you do ..."to make changes in how we deal with abused human beings"

What I would like to see is a more subjective survey. I can see from the responses that were available, some would have been more appropriate at an earlier time in my life than others. For instance, I can see that my self-esteem has really improved, however I still have some self confidence issues, that I still need to work on.