DEBRIEFING STATEMENT
Title of the Project: The Interplay of Locus of Control and Religiosity in Buffering Death
Anxiety: A Terror Management Perspective
Principal Investigator: Cheryl A Edwards, Doctoral Candidate, School of Behavioral Science, Department of Psychology, Liberty University
Thank you for being part of a research study.
You recently participated in a research study. You were selected as a participant because you met
the following criteria
• An adults aged 18-80 years of age
• Were fluent in English
• Were able to read and comprehend English at a minimum 6th grade level
• Had access to an internet enabled device for online participation in study
• Identified as a member of the Christian faith
• Resided within the United States of America or one of it's territories
• Had NOT experienced a recent bereavement or significant negative event (within the last six months)
• Did NOT have a current diagnosis of a severe mental illness or suicidal ideation or be unable to complete the study due to cognitive or physical limitations
• Participation in this research project was voluntary.
Please take time to read this entire form and ask any questions you may have.
What was the study about and why was it being done?
The purpose of the study was to explore the complex relationships between locus of control (internal vs. external) and religiosity/spirituality (intrinsic/extrinsic) to mitigate death anxiety in adults, after a mortality salient event (experimental priming) occurs, as framed by the terror management theory.
Why am I receiving a debriefing statement?
The purpose of this debriefing statement is to inform you that the true nature of the study or an aspect of the study was not previously disclosed to you.You were originally told the purpose of the study was to better understand aspects of the human lifecycle, how they contribute to an individual’s views, and how individuals process events in the moment.
You were not told that the study was specifically focused on how one’s locus of control and religiosity affect an individual after a mortality salient event (being made aware of the potentiality of one’s own death). Specifically, the level of one’s anxiety was being examined to determine what combination of locus of control and religiosity would buffer the potential death anxiety providing a buffer to the anxiety symptoms.
Why was deception necessary?
Deception was necessary because disclosing that we were looking at death anxiety or were going to introduce the thought of one’s death, would have the introduced these thoughts could affect every participant. To determine if the introduction death thoughts affected one’s level of anxiety, we needed to prevent introduction of these thoughts during the onset of the study.
How will personal information be protected?
The records of this study will be kept private. Published reports will not include any information that will make it possible to identify a subject. Research records will be stored securely, and only the researcher and faculty chair will have access to the records.
• Participant responses will be kept confidential by replacing names with a unique participant ID number.
• Data will be stored on a password-locked computer which is supported by a private VPN network and on a removable hard drive kept in a locked desk drawer. The researcher and faculty advisor will have access to the data. After three years, all electronic records will be deleted (hard copies of the data will not be produced).
What should you do if you decide to withdraw from the study?
If you choose to withdraw from the study, please contact the researcher at the email address/phone number included in the next paragraph. Should you withdraw, data collected from you will be destroyed immediately and not included in this study.
Whom do you contact if you have questions or concerns about the study?
The researcher conducting this study is Cheryl A Edwards. You may ask any questions you have now through the contact button at the top of the webpage. If you have questions later, you are encouraged to contact her at edwardsdoctoralstudy@gmail.com. You may also contact the researcher’s faculty sponsor, Dr. M. Williams at, mpaster@liberty.edu.
Whom do you contact if you have questions about your rights as a research participant?
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this study and would like to talk to someone other than the researcher, you are encouraged to contact the Institutional Review Board, 1971 University Blvd, Green Hall Ste. 2845, Lynchburg, VA 24515 or email at irb@liberty.edu.
Disclaimer: The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is tasked with ensuring that human subjects research will be conducted ethically as defined and required by federal regulations. The topics covered and viewpoints expressed or alluded to by student and faculty researchers are those of the researchers and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of Liberty University.