“Close Relationship Study”
This research study has been approved by William C. Holmes, M.D., M.S.C.E., Chair, MaleSurvivor Research Committee

Daniel R. Altman, M.S., and David M. Lawson, Ph.D., are looking for volunteers to participate in a study on male childhood sexual abuse. If you or someone you know have experienced childhood sexual abuse, please email us below or call 817-540-0231 for more information. If you are calling, ask about the "Close Relationship Study." All participants must be males over 21 years of age. Participation is voluntary. Participants will have an opportunity to receive $50 for their time and effort.

If you would like to participate in this study, please contact:

Daniel R. Altman
Texas A&M University
Department of Educational Psychology
Harrington Tower
College Station, Texas 77843
(817) 540-0231
danielaltman@hotmail.com

Dr. David M. Lawson
Texas A&M University
Department of Educational Psychology
Harrington Tower
College Station, Texas 77843
(979) 845-9250
dlawson@tamu.edu

"Participants will have an opportunity to win $50"

I don't think you intended to make it sound like your advertising an abuse survivor contest, but that is what it sounds like.

I concur with what Brian says. I don't think you need to make anyone feel like you have something they need, let alone want.
I have been looking since 97' for a T who would be truly interested in working with me about SA on an ongoing basis, without spending each weekly session worrying about how they are going to get paid, and not want a hug and to pat me on the ass when we are through.
Instead of waving a $50 bill, how about trading some counseling time for your study.
What are you really after?
Tom S.

I contacted Dan about his study and had a really decent conversation with him. He's a compassionate guy who knows survivors and is aware of the real lack of research concerning male survivors. The $50 opportunity I read as more of token way of saying "thanks guys for taking the trouble for filling out the survey." I know from having conducted surveys myself that it's difficult to get people to participate. (Of course, you can opt not to put your hat in the ring for the $).

I completed the survey. It was put together well, asked some probing questions. It's all anonymous. It was a good experience for me because some of the questions are rather pointed and it really made me think about my abuse in a different way. It was healing insofar as I knew that I was doing something in yet another context to help my brother survivors.

Please think about helping out by participating in this survey.

JM

I made the mistake of first trying to contact Lawson who saw fit to never reply. I then tried Altman (cc'ing Lawson) and got a decent reply and even a follow up from Lawson. I never got back to him.

Seems he would only postal mail the survey, and not allow it to be done via email (or better yet a secure web site). ah well, no thanks. anonmitity? hmmmm. A bit too pushy for my taste.

jer

When I first read this post and the "opportunity" to "win" a whole $50 I thought, gee, now even the good doctors who are supposed to be helping us are taking advantage of us. I live in Baltimore and Johns Hopkins University does a lot of medical research with local residents. Most ads looking for subjects offer ALL participants some compensation for their time.

I think that researchers dealing with victims of abuse should be much more sensitive and seek funding to enable them to compensate ALL of their "subjects" - and $50 seems to trivialize our "condition".

I would suggest that a fundraiser approach Michael Jackson for some money - if he is so innocent and "cares about children" so much, let him pay for this sort of research.

If only the world were that just.

I have to respectfully say that I didn't see the same thing about the $50. Often times research projects are done, and a small dollar amount is given for people's time and effort or a way of saying thank you. That is what I saw here. I've participated in some research studies in the past and never been paid. I personally do it so that maybe it can help others.

Opps, now that I reread the posting, I see the statement about "opportunity to win". Ok, that I don't agree with and I don't know if this is just a poor choice of words or there is more to it than that. So now I see what everyone is saying.

Don

I filled out the survey a month ago and didn't see anything threatening or strange or anything.

I emailed about it and heard back from Dan Altman. He needed my snail mail address to send me the forms, and I sent it in a reply last night.

I also asked about seeing the published results. Before I got any dead tree books about SA, I found David Lisak's article from "Journal of Traumatic Stress" through a link at jimhopper.com and reading that really opened my eyes. I remember realizing that some of the autobiographical comments in there could have been from me. So I'd like to see what comes from this study, to see how much I identify with other survivors in regards to, uh, "Close Relationships," I guess.

I have a hunch a lot of what showed up in the thread on intimacy is going to show up in their study, but I haven't seen the questionaire, so I'm just babbling. Forgive me, it's past my bed time.

Thanks,

Joe

He never said you would win 50 dollars, it was for your time. If he finds ways of helping other men because of input frome men like us, who are we to judge. Remember it is optional. Too much energy if you ask me. Let's hope more and more men find help. OK that's my 2 cents worth!