What is the relationship between adverse childhood events and depression? Is self-compassion effective in treating anxiety? How does socioeconomic status impact education level?
All of these questions can be answered through research. Often, when people think of research, they picture scientists in lab coats and goggles looking into microscopes and mixing chemicals. This is one example of how research may be conducted, but it can also consist of many other processes, such as looking for themes across interviews or running statistical analyses on the results of a survey.
The purpose of research is to answer questions and learn new information about why we think, feel, and behave in the ways that we do1. It is guided by gaps in our current knowledge or questions that haven’t yet been answered. Once these gaps have been identified, researchers can develop a guiding research question, a hypothesis, and a study design2. Then, researchers recruit participants, collect data, and analyze the data2. Finally, the research team shares their results, often through journal articles or presentations. Research can also be used to test treatments and interventions – these studies are often referred to as “clinical trials” or “randomized controlled trials”.
People choose to participate in research for a number of reasons, the primary one being the improvement of society1. There may be no direct benefit to the individual, but participation can help researchers learn new things that may help the greater population. Some studies may offer financial compensation for participating. Studies can also have risks; the researchers should disclose any potential risks and benefits before individuals decide to participate in the study. This process is known as informed consent2. Because all studies can have risks, every institution that conducts research with humans has an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that is responsible for reviewing the research to protect participants and ensure that research is being conducted ethically.
Participating in research can take on many forms. For example, some studies may use biological measurements such as height, weight, blood pressure, or a blood sample2. In other studies, participants may complete a survey or participate in an interview or focus group. Before you enroll in a research study, the research team will let you know what will occur during the study, and you are welcome to ask as many questions as you want throughout the study.
The Living F.R.E.E. Lab is currently recruiting for the HONOR study, a research study where participants will learn how to improve their eating behaviors and self-management of their type 2 diabetes. If you are an African American adult with type 2 diabetes and you feel out of control around food, HONOR may interest you. Visit https://uncnri/org/honor/ to explore your eligibility.
References
- Information for research subjects. Office for Human Subject Protection. (2024, February 12). https://www.rochester.edu/ohsp/research-subjects/#:~:text=Research%20studies%20are%20done%20to,participating%20in%20a%20group%20discussion
- Research basics: What is research?. Duke University School of Nursing. (n.d.). https://nursing.duke.edu/pfr/research
By Katherine Matthes
Katherine Matthes is a research associate at the Living F.R.E.E. Lab.
