CIRCLES Study

The enrollment packet can be found on our website under “Resources.” If you would like a paper copy, you can reach out to us via email (circles@psu.edu) or phone (814-865-0839) and we can send another one to your residence.

Surveys can be completed at any time. Interview appointments depend on our interviewers’ availability. However, we try to offer a variety of interview appointments, including morning, evening, and weekend availability to accommodate all types of schedules.

Since this is a study of couples, we need both partners to be willing to at least try participating in the study together.

No. The phone interviews are done separately, and the interview answers are confidential to each participant (meaning, we do not share information from one partner to another). If couples decide to share information amongst themselves, that is their decision.

After a study team member determines that you and your partner are eligible to participate in the study, they will schedule what is called a consent call. The purpose of this call is to read through the Informed Consent Form with you and your partner and allow you to ask questions, gain clarification of any details, and decide if you wish to participate. The call should last about 20 minutes and is the only call that both partners should conduct together for the duration of the study. We can also complete these calls separately with each participant if that works better for you.

An Informed Consent Form is a part of every research study that involves human participants. It covers specific study details that tell you what you can expect from participating in the study (for example, what you will be asked, anticipated time commitment, your rights as a research participant, etc.) so you can make an informed decision about whether you would like to participate or not. A study team member is required to read the Informed Consent Form to each potential study participant before they can begin participation in the study.

Payments are sent via USPS mail after each portion of the study (that is, after completion of each survey and after each interview). If you are concerned about receiving your payments through the mail, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure you receive them.

Your payment will arrive within 7-10 days upon completion of your online survey or telephone interview.

Please be sure to let us know of any changes to your contact information as soon as possible, including a change of phone number, email, or mailing address. We need to have a way to reach you to schedule your next appointment and we want to be sure any study materials or payments are being sent to the correct place. Be sure to let the Project Manager (Angie) know of any changes by calling (814-865-0839) or emailing (circles@psu.edu).

We will do our best to accommodate anyone willing to participate who is met with a challenge in doing so (for example, we can meet you at a public place with wifi to complete the online surveys using a study computer). To complete the interviews, it is recommended that you complete them over the phone to ensure your identity remains unknown for the interview. If you do not have access to a phone, arrangements can be discussed with our Project Manager, Angie (for example, you can borrow a trusted friend or family member’s phone for an interview if needed).

You can both still participate. Please be sure to continue answering the security questions the same way you did when you enrolled in the study (meaning, the answers you provide should be about the partner you were with when you started the study, even if you are no longer together and even if you obtain a new partner). If you obtain a new partner, during the interviews, you can tell us about conflicts with both your ex and your current partner.

If you know in advance that you need to reschedule your interview, please reach out to the Project Manager (Angie) to reschedule (814-865-0839 or circles@psu.edu). However, if something comes up last minute, you can also reschedule with the interviewer when they call at the originally scheduled time. Please refrain from contacting us on Facebook about rescheduling a phone interview because it is not a secure method for scheduling a confidential interview.

Telephone interviews occur every 4-6 weeks. Your first telephone interview will be scheduled as soon as you and your partner complete the two initial online surveys.  Your second telephone interview (and every interview thereafter) will be scheduled for 4-6 weeks after the last one was completed.

You will be contacted by the Project Manager (Angie) a week or two before your next interview needs to occur. You may also reach out to us (814-865-0839 or circles@psu.edu) to schedule your next interview. If your contact information changes, please let us know.

Yes! Please contact Angie at 814-865-0839 or email circles@psu.edu.  

Please contact Angie to discuss ways in which we can accommodate to your schedule and make your participation in the study as easy as possible.

The “target child” is the oldest child who is in the age range of 3-5 years old. For example, if you have one child who is 3 years old and another child who is 5 years old, the 5 year old child would be considered the “target child.” Even if this child turns 6 during the study, they would still be considered the “target child.”

The oldest child in the age range of 3-5 years old when you begin the study is assigned as the “target child” for the duration of your participation, so whichever twin was born first would be the “target child.”

Surveys can be accessed by clicking the hyperlink provided in your email. If you prefer not to click into an email link, you may also type the link into your web browser.  If you are unable to access the survey, please let the Project Manager (Angie) know by calling 814-865-0839 or emailing (circles@psu.edu). 

Please complete the surveys in order beginning with survey 1. You may take a break from the survey if you need to.  The survey link will bookmark your spot for a short time so that you can return to the place where you left off.  However, you must return to the survey promptly and on the same device you started the survey on.  You may not switch from an iPad to a mobile device in the middle of a survey; if you do, you will need to restart the survey from the beginning.  If you and your partner are sharing a device, you will need to complete the entire survey before your partner begins.

Survey payment IDs are used to alert us that you have completed your survey so your payment can be mailed without attaching identifying information (such as your name) to your survey answers.

At the end of the survey, you will be directed to what appears to be another survey. This is where you will enter your survey payment ID.  Your survey payment ID will be included in your enrollment packet and will be embedded in the email that contains the link to the surveys.  The Project Manager (Angie) can also provide you with your survey payment ID if needed.  You will be issued a new survey payment ID for the final online survey 3.

The link to the final online survey (aka baseline questionaire set 3) will be emailed to you about 4 weeks after you complete your last telephone interview (#6) along with a newly issued survey payment ID number.  If you do not use email, please contact Angie and she will help you locate the link and get started.

The final survey takes about 45 minutes to an hour.  You will be asked to enter your security answers at the beginning of the survey as you did when you first started the study.

One or both of you may withdraw from the study at any time without any penalties. Please let us know (call or email) so we can remove you from the contact list and provide a reason for withdrawing, if you are willing (this is helpful feedback for us).  If you change your mind and would like to re-enroll, please feel free to reach back out to us.