Study title: What are the characteristics of people who self-identify as black sheep or marginalized members of their families?

Principal Investigator: Kathleen Hennessey LICSW

You are invited to take part in a research study.  This form contains information that will help you decide whether to join the study.

 1.1  Key Information

·      The purpose of this study is to gather information about people who self-identify as black sheep or marginalized members of their families.

·      Taking part in this research project is voluntary.

·      If you choose to participate in this research study, you will be asked to complete a survey about being the black sheep or marginalized member of your family. You may also be asked to participate in an interview for more in-depth information about your life and perspective.

·      You do not have to participate and you can stop at any time and/or choose to not answer any question that makes you feel uncomfortable.

·      By participating in this research study, you may feel discomfort in recalling information about your past.

·      There are no direct benefits to you by participating in this research study, however, by recalling events in your past you may be able to see them from a new perspective.

1.2  The researcher

Kathleen Hennessey LICSW is a licensed independent clinical social worker. She has a background in research and has been providing psychotherapy for 12 years. She has a private practice in Massachusetts. She is licensed to practice in MA, RI, and FL.

Please take time to read this entire form and ask questions before deciding whether to take part in this research project.

2. PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY

This research is studying the characteristics of adults who self-identify as black sheep or marginalized members of their families. The information gained from this study will be used to write a book about how the marginalized or black sheep of the family are created and maintained in families. The research will also examine how these adults have adapted and embraced their uniqueness.

3. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY

3.1 Who can take part in this study?

You are eligible to participate in this study if you meet the following criteria:

• You are aged 18 years old or older.

• You are able to speak and read English.

• You are mentally competent to provide consent.

• You are not excluded based on your gender, race or ethnicity, or health conditions.

4.  INFORMATION ABOUT STUDY PARTICIPATION

4.1 What will happen to me in this study?

 This study has 2 phases. The first phase will be conducted online through a questionnaire and the second phase will be conducted via a video conferencing interview.

Phase I:

            Participants will answer questions about being the black sheep or marginalized member of their family and how that has helped or hindered them in their lives. Many of these questions are open-ended questions that the participant can provide as much or as little detail as they are comfortable providing.

Phase 2:

            Participants will be interviewed to obtain more information regarding their feelings about being the black sheep or marginalized family member and how that has helped or hindered them across their lifespan.

4.2 How much of my time will be needed to take part in this study?

By participating in this study, participants are volunteering to take part in 1 or 2 phases.

Phase 1 could take most participants 30 -60 minutes depending upon how many details you provide.

Phase 2 is a face-to-face interview conducted via video conferencing and could take 1-2 hours.

4.2.1 When will my participation in the study be over?

Your participation in the study will be considered completed once you have completed phase 2 of the study, however, you may end your participation in this study at any time.

 4.3 If I decide not to take part in this study, what other options do I have?

You may choose to take part in any or all phases of the study. If you choose not to participate in the study there may be other ways of addressing your feelings about being the black sheep or marginalized member of your family. Check with your health care provider to discuss finding a psychotherapist. 

5.  INFORMATION ABOUT STUDY RISKS AND BENEFITS

5.1 What risks will I face by taking part in the study?  What will the researchers do to protect me against these risks?

By participating in this research study, you may feel discomfort in remembering unpleasant events, and becoming aware of feelings attached to those events can bring on strong feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, etc. The researcher will try to minimize these risks by being available for a brief counseling session or referrals to local therapists. You do not have to answer any questions that you do not want to answer. Because this study collects information about you, one of the risks of this research is the loss of confidentiality. See section 8 of this document for more information on how the researcher will protect your confidentiality and privacy.

5.2 How could I benefit if I take part in this study?  How could others benefit? 

You may not receive any personal benefits from being in this study. However, it might be beneficial for you to have a platform for sharing your history of being the black sheep or marginalized member of your family. Others may benefit from the knowledge gained from this study in that it could validate their experiences and not feel alone in their feelings.

6.  ENDING THE STUDY

6.1 If I want to stop participating in the study, what should I do?

You are free to leave the study at any time.  If you leave the study before it is finished, there will be no penalty to you. If you decide to leave the study before it is finished, please tell the person listed in Section 9. “Contact Information”. If you choose to tell the researcher why you are leaving the study, your reasons may be kept as part of the study record. The researchers will keep the information collected about you for the research unless you ask us to delete it from the records. If the researcher has already used your information in a research analysis it will not be possible to remove your information.

7.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION

7.1 Will I be paid or given anything for taking part in this study?

You will not receive any compensation for your participation in the study.

7.1.1 Will I need to pay anything to be part of the study?

No.

 7.2 Who could profit or financially benefit from the study results?

This research study is supported by the primary researcher Kathleen Hennessey, LICSW. This study was designed by the primary researcher. The primary researcher may financially benefit from the outcome of the study if a book is published and sold. No other organization is funding, supporting, or benefiting from this research.

8. PROTECTING AND SHARING RESEARCH INFORMATION

8.1 How will the researchers protect my information?

Due to the online nature of this research study, complete confidentiality is not possible. However, when you consent to the study, you will be assigned a participant number that you will use to complete the survey. By using a number, your identifying information will be kept separate from your survey responses. All protected health information (PHI) is kept secure and confidential in password-protected files only accessible by the researcher. Any identifying information will be kept separate from the rest of the data. All other data will be stored in a separate password-protected file accessed only by the researcher.

 8.2 Who will have access to my research records?

The primary researcher will be the only person with access to your research record.

 8.3 What will happen to the information collected in this study?

We will keep the information we collect about you during the research study for 5 years after the study's conclusion. All data will be stored in password-protected files. Your name and other information that can directly identify you will be stored securely and separately from the research information we collected from you. The results of this study could be published in an article, book, or presentation, but would not include any information that would let others know who you are without your permission.

 8.4 Will my information be used for future research or shared with others?

We may use or share your research information for future research studies. If we share your information with other researchers it will be de-identified, which means that it will not contain your name or other information that can directly identify you. This research may be similar to this study or completely different. We will not ask for your additional informed consent for these studies.

9. CONTACT INFORMATION

9.1 Who can I contact about this study?

Please contact the researchers listed below to:

·      Obtain more information about the study

·      Ask a question about the study procedures

·      Report an illness, injury, or other problem (you may also need to tell your regular doctors)

·      Leave the study before it is finished

·      Express concern about the study

·      Process feelings that arose from participating in the study.

Principal Investigator: Kathleen Hennessey, LICSW

Email: beingtheblacksheep2021@gmail.com

Phone: 508-784-1025 

10. YOUR CONSENT

10.1 Consent/Assent to Participate in the Research Study

By signing this document, you are agreeing to be in this study. Make sure you understand what the study is about before you sign. You can obtain a copy of this document for your records and a copy will be kept with the study records.  If you have any questions about the study after you sign this document, you can contact the researcher using the information in Section 9 provided above.

I understand what the study is about and my questions so far have been answered. I agree to take part in this study.