So what's involved in this survey?
About the Survey
Study Research Questions
The research questions to be addressed in this study include:
● Does a person’s kink identity have 7 dimensions?
● Can a person’s kink identity be measured reliably?
● Do people’s kink identities vary by demographics (age, class, race/ethnicity, geography, gender, sexual orientation)?
Background
There is a wide range of meanings when someone says "I'm kinky" or uses identities such as kinkster, Dom/Domme, submissive, BDSM practitioner, etc. People are so different in their kink identities, it can feel like there is little in common. And there is a kaleidoscope of particular kink identities that people claim.
Yet careful listening and analysis indicate that there are common themes. This project is about exploring more deeply these common themes, and finding a way to make sense of the kaleidoscope of kink identities.
About the Survey
The survey has 158 items.
Participants will take approximately 45-60 minutes to review and complete the screening questionnaire, informed consent document, and answer the questions on the Qualtrics online survey.
Secondary Survey - Reliability Test: To test for reliability of the measure, a subset of 100 participants, randomly chosen from the sample, will participate in a second survey two weeks later. This second survey will take approximately 30 minutes.
Potential Risks
A breach of confidentiality is theoretically possible, as the study will require researchers to collect identifying data to allow for follow-up data collection. To mitigate the possibility of data breach, the data will be collected using Qualtrics, which maintains high levels of data security (HIPAA compliant, Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) certified, FedRAMP authorized). Downloaded data files from the Qualtrics system will be stored on the zero-access cloud system Sync.com, which encrypts the data both in storage and in transmission. In addition, all research assistants and associates will sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), using the template recommended by CARAS, before gaining any access to identified data.
The survey may ask sensitive questions, and there is a low risk of emotional distress due to participation in the study. You may skip any question that is too sensitive or uncomfortable to answer.
This study is being conducted by the lab of Dr. Richard Sprott, who is a research affiliate of CARAS. Anyone with questions may contact Dr. Sprott and his team at kink.identity.sexuality@gmail.com
If anyone has questions about the ethics review of this study, you may contact the Institutional Review Board of CARAS at irb@carasresearch.org