Consent Form

Principal Investigator: Alicia McCraw, ABD

Faculty Advisor: Michele Adams, PhD

Study Title: Polyamorous Networks: A Post-Modern Family?

 

The following informed consent is required by Tulane University for any research study conducted by investigators at the University.  This study has been reviewed by the University’s Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects.
Introduction

You are invited to participate in a research study to investigate how polyamorous households divide up divisions of labor. You are being asked to participate because you are or have been in a polyamorous relationship. To participate in the first part of this project you must be in a polyamorous relationship. To participate in the interview portion of the research you must have a partner and or your partner’s partners who are willing to participate in the interview portion as well.

No research activity is to be conducted until you have had an opportunity to review this consent form, ask any questions you may have, and sign this document if applicable.
 
Why is this study being done?

The purpose of this research study is to understand how polyamorous individuals divide up different labors in their relationships. Particularly this research looks at the following types of labor:

-       Childcare (if applicable)
-       Paid Work
-       Emotion Work (for example, who will address conflict?)
-       Feeding Work (for example, who buys groceries? Prepares meals?)
-       Housework 

Please understand that I am deliberately not asking you about any of your partners’ or partners’ partners sexual behaviors or activities. I want to focus on other aspects of household life like childcare, paid work, emotion work, feeding work, and/or housework.
What are the study procedures?  What will I be asked to do?

There are three parts to the research study. The first survey portion of the research asks research participants for demographic information and attitudes toward child rearing. Individuals will be asked questions about their age, what area of the country they live in, and other demographic information. The survey can be found online and completed wherever you feel comfortable using the Internet. It should take around 30 minutes to complete. Once you have signed and returned the consent form, the primary investigator will send you a link to the study.

The second survey asks individuals to describe, briefly, how the five types of labor listed above are divided between you and your partners. This survey can also be found online and should take less than 30 minutes to complete.
 
The interview portion of the research explores your answers to the second survey. The researcher will ask questions to expand upon your answers to the second survey. The interviews will be conducted via Skype and should on average about an hour. Interviews conducted via sky will be audio recorded for future transcription.

In sum, this research hopes to have around 400 people from throughout the United States volunteer to take the survey. This research hopes to then interview around 100 individuals to understand how polyamorous relationships divide up labor in their household.

What are the risks or inconveniences of the study? 

We believe there are no known risks associated with this research study; however, a possible inconvenience may be the time it takes to complete the study.  Also consider a breach of confidentiality.

What are the benefits of the study?

You may not directly benefit from this research; however, your participation in the study may extend the literature on sociology of the family. Particularly, your participation may extend literature that attempts to understand networks of care.

Will I receive payment for participation? 

You will not be paid to be in this study.

Are there costs to participate?

There are no costs to you to participate in this study.

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