Want to be part of this research project?

Recruitment for this project has now closed. If you are still very interested in taking part, and are a girl aged 14-17 living in Scotland, feel free to email me at the address below, as new rounds of recruitment might happen at a later stage:

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What is this research project about?

This research project is interested in what girls have to say about sexual health, sexuality and sex more generally. A lot is said in the media and by people in charge about teenage girls and sex, but for this project I want to hear what you have to say. Particularly for this research I am interested in the ways in which girls exchange knowledge about sex and sexuality. I am focusing on what you know, and not necessarily personal experience of sex, sexuality or sexual health.

What methods does this project use?

This project uses two methods. First you will be asked to take part in an interview. Secondly you will be asked to keep a video diary for six weeks. The interviews and the video diaries will be recorded and transcribed, and this will be the data used for analysis.

What will taking part in an interview involve?

Before taking part in an interview you can ask me any questions you might have about the project. If you agree to take part, you will need to fill in a consent form. After I receive the consent form you will be interviewed by me over the telephone or via a video call at a time convenient to you. The focus of the interview will be to get to know you and your thoughts and opinions on sex and sexuality. It is expected that the interview will last for approximately an hour, although in some cases this may be longer. The interview will be recorded and transcribed by me.

What will taking part in video diary recording involve?

You will be asked to download the app Signal to your phone. Signal is a secure and encrypted messaging service like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. You can record and send videos immediately in this app. You will receive instructions on how to do this securely before you start the video diary process. Every week I will send you an email with some questions for you to reflect on, and I will ask you to record a video of no more than 2 minutes in which you reflect on the questions I sent, or to reflect on things in your life which you find important to discuss for this research. The video can take any form you like, but please do not include any other people in your videos, as they have not agreed to be part of the research!

Will my involvement be confidential?

All personal information will be kept strictly confidential. In some cases you might tell me something that makes me worried you or someone else are being hurt. In that case, I may have to discuss this with a social worker, who will be able to help you. I will inform you when I think this has happened and I will discuss with you why and how we will speak to someone else about this. I will never report anything you tell me before first talking to you about it.

The information obtained from the interview and the diaries will be transcribed and anonymised. I will give you a different name when I reference your interview and diary material. The procedures for handling, processing, storing and destruction of the data comply with GDPR regulations. After the study has finished, any identifiable information you provide will be kept for a year, after which they will be destroyed. You can read more about my data security process here.

Will I need to tell my parents/guardians about this research?

No, you do not have to inform your parents. Of course, you are allowed to and if your parents/guardians have any questions about this research, feel free to give them my contact details, or direct them to this page. But if you do not feel comfortable informing other people that you are taking part in this research, you do not have to. It is entirely up to you to decide if you want to take part.

What if I change my mind about participating?

­Things might change in your life and you no longer want to participate, that is ok! You can stop your participation at any time. If for any reason you don’t want to participate anymore after starting the project, please let me know and we will stop the participation process. I will ask you if you are comfortable with me using any interview and diary data that you provided so far, but if you prefer not to be a part of the study at all, I will make sure your data is destroyed and I will not contact you anymore.

If your reason for not wanting to participate anymore is due to something about the project that makes you uncomfortable, it would be very useful if you could make sure you let me or my supervisors know. This way we can make sure that no other participants are affected by whatever has made you uncomfortable.

What will happen to the results of the research?

The research will hopefully be presented at academic conferences, published in journals and books, and shared through other channels, including through organisations, researchers and policy-makers. You can follow the results of the research on this website.

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