I need your help. I am in the data collection stage of my dissertation and need online survey participants. The focus of my study is Posttraumatic Growth in persons with acquired disability and chronic conditions. Below, you will find the formal invitation to participate. If you have followed this blog, you know that I firmly believe and hopefully model that people can and DO lead successful and impactful lives even after the diagnosis of an acquired disability, chronic condition or mental health illness. Individuals whose lives have been forever changed by a “new normal” can and DO give back to their communities and make a difference in their world. It is my hope this foundational survey research will allow future studies focusing on ability, impact and growth, of individuals like those in our disABILITY community. I hope you will consider participating and sharing the information below in emails, FaceBook, your own blogs, and word-of-mouth referrals. Although the provided instructions suggest the online survey could take up to 20-30 minutes, the participants who have completed this have spent 10 minutes or less. I need your help both as individuals and to pass this opportunity along to others. I require a minimum of 135 responses so every completed survey counts! Thank you!
I would like to invite you and your contacts an opportunity to participate in a study about acquired disability and posttraumatic growth. I am a doctoral candidate at Walden University and this study is part of my final coursework towards a Ph.D. in General Psychology—Teaching Option. The reason for this study is to discover if people now living with an acquired disability experience posttraumatic growth, or positive change after a difficult life event such as the diagnosis of an acquired disability.
Participation in this study is completely voluntary. To participate, you must be at least 18 years of age, able to read and write English, and be able to get to the Internet. You must be at least 12-months past the difficult life event that produced an acquired disability or diagnosis.
There is only a minor risk involved in participation. This may include the emotional process of determining how acquired disability has changed your life as you respond to the questions in the survey. The possible benefits of participation may be the recognition of the positive changes that have become a part of your life since diagnosed with acquired disability.
Should you wish to voluntarily participate in this research study about posttraumatic growth and acquired disability, you may click on the following link and it will direct you to the first page of the study. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFBP2F3
You are encouraged to share this invitation with others who also live with acquired disability. People taking this survey may know me as a disability advocate and Vice-chair of the Anne Arundel County Commission on Disability Issues, a part-time psychology instructor at Anne Arundel Community College, an Online disability blogger at Hearing Elmo, a client/mentor at Fidos For Freedom, Inc., or as a participant of Online disability communities. None of these roles are connected to this study, and the survey information is separate from these roles and used solely as part of a dissertation study.
Thank you for your time and willingness to share this opportunity with others who live with acquired disability.
Denise Portis, M.A.
Doctoral candidate, General Psychology—Teaching Option
Walden University
Hearing Elmo 