Hi everybody,
I am working on a research project concerning mental health among University students. Meanwhile I am working on a social media campaign in order to reaise awareness on the topic.
I would like on one hand give some technical information but on the other hand I am afraid that knowing what I am investigating in details (models, scale score and so on) may influence their answers.
What is your idea about it?
If I tell them directly that I am working on depression for instance, or that I am using a specific model of psychological distress, can this influence their answers in an important way?
What if I publish a first paper and I explain them the results, and then I collect data again using the same scale?
Should I avoid to explain this?
Thanks in advance,
Fabio
Ideally, the research participants/volunteers should be blinded to any and all methodology and theory underlying a research study. The inquisitive research subject and loquacious investigator combination may make it unlikely that this participant will a good research subject in the future because he or she will always be guessing what your after in your study and answering your study with guesses and not the individual's natural response that one would like to have in a study.
Dennis Mazur gives a good account for studies where the goal is to test hypotheses. Alternatively if your study is more qualitative or in general more exploratory, then you might want to set up a framework where your participants can react to the topics you have in mind.
I believe you need to find a balance between 1) providing the necessary information to your prospective informants so they can decide whether to participate or not and 2)methodological choices that will increase the reliability of your work. So, you have to tell them your general subject and whether it entails any sensitive issues. But you should not tell them your hypotheses, models, etc because this info may influence the way they answer. Also your questions should be as neutral as possible so the participants are not “guided” in specific answers.
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