Research invitation: LGBT sources of support in a heteronormative world

mir2001

Mod approval has been given

Hi, my name is Miriam, and I'm a Cyberpsychology Master's degree student at the Institute of Art, Design, and Technology in Dun Laoghaire (IADT). I'm conducting research that considers whether there are any differences between the social support derived from LGBT forums and Facebook LGBT groups and explores how this support may affect well-being.

I feel this research is important because it may help inform policy decisions concerning the provision of online LGBT support in the future.

I'm hoping you can help me by completing the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KMTTL78
This study has been approved by the Department of Technology and Psychology Ethics Committee (DTPEC) in IADT. And the thread has been approved by a mod.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch via the thread or the contact details below.
I've attached an information document that outlines the study in greater detail.

I would also be really grateful if you would consider forwarding this request to others in the LGBT community.


Thanks for your consideration,
Miriam

Annasopra

Mod

As per the charter this thread was given mod approval

Also contact details removed.

mir2001

Just wanted to say thanks to anyone who has taken the time to contribute.

Right now I'm still quite short of responses from LGBT forum members so I'm making a renewed plea for contributions. The survey only takes around 6 minutes to complete. And if people could forward it to others I would be eternally grateful.

survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KMTTL78

When the research is complete I will be happy to post a summary of the findings.
Thanks a million, Miriam

JupiterKid

OP - I tried to fill in your survey but it seems there was a technical problem. If this problem is not fixed, then you will not get the response rate you are seeking.

As a person who works in academia and supervises undergraduate dissertations, I would advise you to be very careful in designing your questionnaire to eliminate or minimize bias in terms of responses. In particular, there is a section that asks if participants are out in college, school or to parents or siblings. This does not account for people whose parents may be deceased, who have left or completed school or college, and/or do not have siblings.

It is very important to run a “pilot” survey of a small number of people to identify and rectify any potential glitches before launching the main survey. You should discuss this with your supervisor.

Finally, there are many diverse Facebook LGBT groups representing a wide range of interests - some are aimed at young LGBT people, others are more sexual/fetish in nature and still others are geared towards specific interests such as sports, music, arts, culture and geographical location. Your survey questions do not appear to reflect this diversity.

I hope that these suggestions are of assistance to you. I wish you well in your research.

mir2001

Hi,
thanks for letting me know about the technical hitch, it’s hosted on survey monkey so I’m afraid if they are having an issue I have very little control over this, disadvantage of third party hosting I guess. I will post again when I’ve had a chance to check. 

Regarding pilots, yes the survey has been piloted and approved by a supervisor. I appreciate your point about deceased parents but the survey detail has to stop somewhere, otherwise the survey would be unending, all surveys have limitations. The question was designed to give an indication of the extent to which a person is out offline, I still think it does this. 
Thanks again for letting me know about the glitch. I hope this hasn’t put you off participating as I really need a much higher number of forum users. 
 [font=Calibri, sans-serif]Cheers, Miriam [/font]

mir2001

Hi everyone, the survey seems to be up and running, I think Survey Monkey may experience the odd glitch so if you get a strange response, just click again. Thanks Miriam

mir2001

Jupiterkid, can you let me know the point at which you experienced the issue? Thanks

babyrags

Completed. Good Luck to you!

mir2001

Hi babyrags, much appreciated, thanks, Miriam

mir2001

Hi everyone,
my survey will be closing over the next week or so and I'm still quite short on forum users.
So just thought I'd make a final attempt to persuade a few more forum users to help out.

If you've already filled it in then thank you and maybe you would consider forwarding to others.

The survey only takes around 5/6 minutes to complete and may briefly distract you from the sneachta :-).
The research may help inform policy decisions concerning the provision of online LGBT support in the future

survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KMTTL78

mir2001

Hi
Just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone who responded to my recent plea for forum users.

I feel like I'm announcing one of those unending closing down sales :-) but realistically the survey will have to close by the end of the coming week.

Just 10 more forum users would be of enormous help so if there's anyone out there who can spare 5/6 minutes on this bank holiday weekend I would be eternally grateful if you would consider taking the survey.

survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KMTTL78

Thanks a million, and Happy Easter, Miriam

Annasopra

I did the survey.

I think if I had done that survey 5 or 10 years ago my answers would have been very very different. There used to be a very vibrant group of forums here in Ireland; this one, gaire.com, queerid.com, gaycork.com, sapphic ireland, angrypotato

Since the advent of facebook and twitter their usage has plumetted and they are mostly gone now. I dont particularly think many facebook groups have replaced that sense of community that was there 10 years ago.

mir2001

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

I did the survey.

I think if I had done that survey 5 or 10 years ago my answers would have been very very different. There used to be a very vibrant group of forums here in Ireland; this one, gaire.com, queerid.com, gaycork.com, sapphic ireland, angrypotato

Since the advent of facebook and twitter their usage has plumetted and they are mostly gone now. I dont particularly think many facebook groups have replaced that sense of community that was there 10 years ago.

Hi Joeytheparrot,
Thanks for doing my survey, your comments are really interesting and helpful, there is a suggestion that the anonymity of forums fostered a better sense of community. However, it does seem that Facebook is squeezing everything else out. I’m not a member of any closed FB groups do not sure how much community spirit they engender.

Annasopra

mir2001 wrote: »

Hi Joeytheparrot,
Thanks for doing my survey, your comments are really interesting and helpful, there is a suggestion that the anonymity of forums fostered a better sense of community. However, it does seem that Facebook is squeezing everything else out. I’m not a member of any closed FB groups do not sure how much community spirit they engender.

Nothing much at all. And years ago forums like gaire, queerid, here, gaycork regularly had meetings with maybe about 30 attending. So actually it was almost the opposite. People getting to know each other fostered community in some cases.

mir2001

Again, that's very interesting, and maybe the real world sense of community then bolstered that on the forum.

Maybe Facebook mixes up so many contexts that you never feel that community?
I know my account is linked to loads of people I worked with but hardly know so it just feels very diluted.

mir2001

Just wanted to let you know that I'm going to close the survey tonight at 11.00 PM.
Thanks to everyone who has completed the survey to date, I am genuinely grateful for your help with this.

I'll post a brief synopsis of my findings sometime in May/June for anyone who is interested.

Thanks again, Miriam