Dear Study Participant,
My name is Stephanie Procter, and I am a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology Program at Carlow University. The following survey will be utilized to gather data for my dissertation. The purpose of my dissertation study is to examine the impact of social support, self-efficacy, and demographic factors on caregiver distress among parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disabilities (IDD). Your participation will help psychologists close the critical gap in literature regarding how demographic factors, social support, and self-efficacy impact caregiver distress, in hopes of determining which factors predict lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The results of this study aim to guide professionals on the most impactful interventions for caregivers of children with NDDs. There are 60 questions that you will be asked to complete. These questions vary from multiple choice, short-answer, and Likert scale. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
Participation Criteria
You are eligible to participant in this study if you are an individual (aged 25 years and older) who is a parent or caregiver of children (3-18 years old) who are formally diagnosed with ASD, ADHD/ADD, or IDD. Additional inclusion criteria require participants to be English-speaking and able to complete an online survey.
Participation Procedure and Confidentiality
Your participation in this study will include the completion of the demographic questionnaire, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC). While completing the demographic questionnaire, you will not be asked to provide any personally identifiable information, ensuring that your responses remain completely anonymous. Any information collected from this research will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. All records related to your participation will be securely stored in a locked file cabinet, while electronic files will be password-protected and accessible only to authorized members of the research team. Additionally, all digital data will be destroyed in accordance with organizational policy.
Your completion of the survey is your informed consent to your participation in this study. However, you are not required to participate. If you decide not to participate, your decision will not affect your current or future relations with Carlow University.
Risks and Benefits
There are no anticipated risks associated with participation in this study, nor are there any direct benefits to you. However, if you ever require mental health support, regardless of your participation, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 988, available 24/7, 365 days a year. Carlow affiliated individuals can utilize the Carlow Counseling Center. The phone number for the counseling center at Carlow University is (412) 578-6474. You can also email the counseling center at hcs@carlow.edu. Contact Resolve Crisis Services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to speak with a trained counselor at 1-888-YOU CAN (1-888-796-8226).
Costs and Compensation
There is no cost to participate in this study. Participants will be anonymously entered into a raffle to win one of three $25 Amazon gift cards.
Questions or Problems
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about the study, please contact Stephanie Procter at snprocter@live.carlow.edu, Dr. Madeline Nassida at mmnassida@carlow.edu, Dr. Mary Burke at mcburke@carlow.edu, Dr. Chistina Esposito at christina.esposito@sru.edu, Dr. Joe Roberts at jmroberts@carlow.edu, or Ann Spence at jaspence@carlow.edu.