Student Health Adjustment & Relationship Experiences (SHARE) Study

Investigators: Dr. Katie Edwards and Dr. Heather Littleton

Funding: National Science Foundation (NSF)

Project Description: This exciting new study is being conducted on 15 campuses across the United States with students, faculty, staff and campus administrators. As part of this project, researchers are seeking to better understand the role of stigma in partner violence among sexual minority (LGBQ+) individuals. This research project evaluates a new sexual stigma model for intimate partner violence and examines the relation between LGBQ+ students’ experiences of stigma along with social, emotional, psychological, and behavioral factors that may increase risk for intimate partner violence.

Participant Expectations / Eligibility: All student participants must be enrolled as an undergraduate at one of the participating universities and must be between the ages of 18 and 24. Faculty, staff and campus administrators must be employed by a participating university and must be 18 years or older.

If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to complete two confidential online surveys, six months apart (one in the fall semester and one in the spring semester). These surveys will ask you about your attitudes toward yourself and other groups of individuals (including LGBQ+ individuals), your psychological adjustment, social support, and alcohol use. You will also be asked questions about your experiences in romantic and sexual relationships, including whether you experienced unwanted sex or any form of aggressive behavior from a dating or sexual partner.

Compensation: If you participate you will have the chance to enter a raffle to win one of five $50 Amazon gift cards being awarded to students at your campus for completing each survey. In other words, for taking both surveys, you have the chance to win one of 10, $50 Amazon.com gift cards.

Contact Info: SHAREstudy@ecu.edu