Dear participants,
Thank you very much for your interest in this study as part of my bachelor's thesis!
Please read this information carefully. On the next page, you will be asked to provide your consent to participate in the study.
The aim of this study is to investigate whether young adults with interpersonal trauma experience a higher level of emotional numbness when experiencing positive and negative emotions compared to those without trauma.
Description of the study
Emotional numbness describes a reduced ability to perceive, express, or experience emotions and is considered a protective and coping mechanism following interpersonal trauma, such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.
The study will be conducted as an anonymous online survey to enable simple, flexible, and location-independent participation.
The study aims to contribute to a better understanding of emotional adjustment processes following interpersonal trauma and to expand the scientific understanding of emotional responses to stressful interpersonal experiences.
Study procedures
If you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete an anonymous online questionnaire.
The questionnaire includes questions about:
• general demographic information (e.g., age, gender)
• emotional experiences and feelings
• possible stressful or difficult life experiences
The questionnaire takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Voluntary participation
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary and you may withdraw from the study at any time.
You will not face any disadvantages if you choose not to participate or if you withdraw from the study.
Possible risks of participation:
Some questions relate to emotional experiences or stressful life events. This may cause unpleasant feelings or emotional distress in some individuals.
If you feel uncomfortable or emotionally distressed during or after participation, it is recommended that you seek support from a trusted person or a psychological counseling service. Contact details for support services will be provided at the end of the questionnaire.
If you are currently experiencing an acute mental health crisis, it is recommended that you refrain from participating in this study.
Data collection and processing
Participation is completely anonymous. No personal data (e.g., name, address, or email address) will be collected. All data collected will be recorded anonymously, stored securely, and used exclusively for scientific purposes.
If you would like to be informed about the study results, you can optionally provide your email address separately. This will be stored separately from the survey data and cannot be linked to your responses.
The online survey is conducted via the SoSci Survey platform, a GDPR-compliant platform that ensures secure and anonymous data processing.
All necessary organizational and technical measures are taken to ensure the confidentiality and security of your data.
Purpose of data collection
The data collected as part of this study will be used exclusively for scientific purposes in connection with a bachelor's thesis. The data will be stored anonymously and under secure conditions so that only authorized persons involved in this research project will have access to it.
In accordance with the guidelines of the University of Luxembourg, the anonymized data will be archived for a period of up to ten years for scientific research purposes. The results of the study may be used in scientific papers, publications, or presentations, but only in summarized form so that no conclusions can be drawn about individual persons.
Your rights as a participant
You have the right to:
• Contact the responsible researchers at any time
• Receive information about the use and analysis of your data
• Withdraw from the study at any time without providing a reason
Further information about your rights can be found on the University of Luxembourg data protection page:
https://www.uni.lu/en/about/organisation/administration/data-protection/
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the study, please contact:
• Anesa Tursic: anesa.tursic.001@student.uni.lu
• Assoc. Prof. Philip Santangelo: philip.santangelo@uni.lu
Thank you for your time and participation!
