Addressing Harm from Adverse Religious/Spiritual Experiences: Individual and Therapist Perspectives

KEY INFORMATION
- This project is studying individuals who have been harmed by adverse religious/spiritual experiences and therapists who have experience helping this population in therapy.
- Your participation in this research project is completely voluntary.
- Your participation will take 15 to 30 minutes for the survey; you will have the optional opportunity to provide your email to be contacted for a Zoom interview.
- You will be asked to do the following procedures: Respond to the questions/statements included in this survey. More detailed information on the procedures can be found below.
- There are no anticipated risks or discomforts related to taking this survey.
- There are no anticipated benefits of taking this survey.
- Your alternative to participating in this research study is not to participate. You may stop taking this survey at any time.

INTRODUCTION
The Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Kansas supports the practice of protection for human subjects participating in research. The following information is provided for you to decide whether you wish to participate in the present study. You should be aware that even if you agree to participate, you are free to withdraw at any time without penalty.

The purpose of this study is to help us gain a better understanding of how individuals heal after being harmed by adverse religious/spiritual experiences, as well as the resources or barriers that may have affected the healing process. We are also interested in learning about the ways therapists are addressing harm from adverse religious/spiritual experiences in therapy, so as to develop resources to inform the therapeutic process. Your participation is expected to take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete. The content of the survey should cause no more discomfort than you would experience in your everyday life.

In the survey, you will have the opportunity to provide your email to be contacted for a 45 minute to one hour Zoom interview; providing your email for this interview does not guarantee you will be contacted but informs the primary investigator of your interest. Not all participants will be selected for an interview.

Although participation may not benefit you directly, we believe that the information obtained from this study will help us gain a better understanding of how adverse religious/spiritual experiences may impact a person’s functioning in school or work, their interpersonal relationships, and their mental health. The interview will also inform how therapists understand the healing process after adverse religious/spiritual experiences, including what helps and what hurts the process. Your participation is solicited, although strictly voluntary. Your name will not be associated in any way with the research findings. Your identifiable information will not be shared unless (a) it is required by law or university policy, or (b) you give written permission. You will be asked to provide demographic information, but no other identifying information, unless you voluntarily provide your email to be contacted for an interview. The information collected will be maintained on a password-protected cloud server with two-factor authentication and a password-protected device at all times to ensure confidentiality. Participants who will not be contacted for interviews will have their emails deleted immediately from the dataset. For those who participate in interviews, their emails will be kept separate from the dataset until after the interviews are completed, after which the emails will be deleted. It is possible, however, with internet communications, that through intent or accident someone other than the intended recipient may see your response.

If you would like additional information concerning this study before or after it is completed, please feel free to contact us by email or mail.

Continuing to and/or completion of the survey indicates your willingness to take part in this study and that you are at least 18 years old, can read English, and are either (1) an individual who identifies as being harmed by a past or current adverse religious/spiritual experience, or (2) a licensed mental health professional who has experience providing therapy for concerns related to adverse religious/spiritual experiences. If you have any additional questions about your rights as a research participant, you may call (785) 864-7429 or write the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), University of Kansas, 2385 Irving Hill Road, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7563, email irb@ku.edu.

Sincerely,

Lauren Zaeske, M.S.
Principal Investigator
Department of Educational Psychology
Joseph R. Pearson Hall
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
lauren_zaeske@ku.edu

Brian Cole, Ph.D.
Faculty Advisor; Dissertation Chair
Department of Educational Psychology  
Joseph R. Pearson Hall
University of Kansas  
Lawrence, KS 66045
bricole@ku.edu