Trauma and the Menstrual Cycle: Race-Based and Posttraumatic Stress as Correlates of Premenstrual Symptom Severity in Adult People of Color

You are being asked to participate in an online survey for a dissertation research project being carried out by Amelia Larsen, M.A. doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at National Louis University as part of her dissertation study. This study is called “Trauma and the Menstrual Cycle: Race-Based and Posttraumatic Stress as Correlates of Premenstrual Symptom Severity in Adult People of Color” and is occurring from 05-2026 to 05-2027 (IRB: ER01796). The purpose of this study is to deepen the understanding on the etiology of premenstrual symptoms within people of color. The study aims to identify risk factors and contributing variables toward the development and severity of premenstrual symptoms. Please understand that the purpose of this study is not to evaluate your health.

Participation in this study will include completing an online survey, which is expected to take approximately 20 minutes. Participation is completely voluntary, and you may withdraw at any time without penalty or bias.

The results of this study may be published or otherwise reported at conferences and employed to inform future treatment or research, but participants’ identities will in no way be revealed (data will be reported anonymously and bear no identifiers that could connect data to individual participants). To ensure confidentiality, the data file of compiled results will be kept in a password-protected flash drive and kept in a locked safe in the primary researcher’s apartment, while in the seven-year period of data storage in accordance with the APA Ethics Code (2017a), and destroyed at the end of that seven-year period (August 2033). Only Dr. Misty Mann (the dissertation chair) will have access to data.

There are no anticipated risks or benefits, no greater than those encountered in daily life. The questions may elicit mild distress as you reflect on topics such as racism, trauma, and premenstrual symptoms. If at any point you experience distress, you are encouraged to contact an of the following confidential resources. These resources are available 24/7 and can be accessed regardless of whether you participate in or complete the study.

1. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline- Call or text 988: https://988lifeline.org
2. Crisis Text Line- Text HOME to 741741: https://www.crisistextline.org
3. SAMHSA Helpline- 1-800-662-4357: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
4. National Center for PTSD- 1-802-296-6300: https://www.ptsd.va.gov
5. RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) - 1-800-656-HOPE (4673): https://www.rainn.org
6. Mental Health American – Racial Trauma Resource Website: https://mhanational.org/resources/racial-trauma/
7. International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) Website: https://www.iapmd.org

You may choose to enter a raffle for one of four $10 Amazon gift cards after completing the study. To enter the raffle, you will follow an additional link to a Google Form to enter your email. Your email will not be associated with your survey responses in any way to protect confidentiality. All information from the raffle will be deleted after the raffle has taken place. Further, the information gained from this study could be useful to the mental and reproductive health field, especially in treating people of color.

Upon request, you may receive summary results from this study and copies of any publications that may occur. Please email the researcher, Amelia Larsen, at alarsen2@my.nl.edu to request results from this study.

In the event that you have questions or require additional information, please contact the researcher or the dissertation chair, you may contact the co-chairs of NLU's Institutional Research Board: Dr. Shaunti Knauth; email: Shaunti.Knauth@nl.edu; phone: 312-261-3526; Dr. Carla L. Sparks; email: CSparks3@nl.edu; phone: 813-928-6889; Max Shawlee; email: IRBMailbox@nl.edu; phone: 630-874-4117. Co-chairs are located at National Louis University, 122 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL.

Thank you for your consideration.

Consent: I understand that by checking “Agree” in the following statements below, I am agreeing to participate in the study Trauma and the Menstrual Cycle: Race-Based and Posttraumatic Stress as Correlates of Premenstrual Symptom Severity in Adult People of Color. My participation will consist of the activities below completed between 05/2026 and 05/2027. Completion of an online survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. I acknowledge that participation is voluntary, and I can withdraw from this study at any time without penalty or bias.

Below there will be statements regarding eligibility, ability to consent, and your affirmation of consent to continue with the survey. Please read through them carefully.