Approaching People about Participating in Study

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Haha, you can thank my mom for that. If my little brother had been a girl, she was planning to give him four names as well. His name would have been "Kate Elaine Rose" which I would have preferred myself.

I've always thought your fully-spelled middle name was the epitome of a practical, yet feminine woman.

Thanks for the link.

Virginia is a very scenic state. Interstate 81 can have phenomenal scenery at times.

Thank you! Yes it can. Have you ever tried travelling on Route 11 instead? It parallels 81 for quite aways but is slower and has interesting little things to look at. There's also a 50s style drive-in theater! When we go up North we usually switch back and forth between 81 and 11 for variety.

Fortunately, I'm retiring in about seven years.

Then, I'll have even more time to travel along such roads as US Route 11, and experience Americana.

There's one in Vermont, called Route 7, which is also very scenic.

My mom's family lived in Vermont for awhile. They're from Rhode Island. I would love to drive around up there myself.

I am not approaching individual people about my survey. Thanks all for gently explaining that it was a weird thing to do.

I've instead been asking businesses if they would consider putting my fliers in their break room for their employees. Even if they don't have auties or aspies there, maybe they have friends or family, you know?

I went up into a Magic the Gathering mass tabletop playing deal yesterday. Everyone looked like they came from Middle Earth except in black t-shirts, and you couldn't raise an elbow without running into someone on the autism spectrum. I used to play D&D in the ancient days of the early 90s, but this was something else entirely. I was taken aback and in awe of the organized and large scale tabletop gaming. It's impressive to see people who have never been shamed into stopping.

The manager looked like he was about to battle me for coming up in there and saying "autism." I hope he goes to the wordpress and checks out my research and gives me a chance. I mean, I'm glad he's protective of his friends and customers, but it was a little frightening from where I stood, like trying to get my points across.

I fully understand the manager's position. I wouldn't allow you to do that either, if I were in his position.

Get it put in the break room? What's wrong with that? Customers wouldn't even see it.

What is the "message" the manager is "sending" to his/her employees by agreeing to put this particular flier in the break room? It would be one thing if there was a general bulletin board for employees to post fliers about general areas of interest or services (sort of like what you see in the Student Union of a college campus). But, this seems different. I fully understand the manager's reticence.

Oh, yeah, I see what you mean. If they don't have any fliers or free reading material back there, you're right, it would be weird. Every place I've ever worked, though, has had a break room with tons of stuff laying around on the tables.

I do not think it would be appropriate to give someone a flier for a study of a mental disorder because of unqualified suspicions. I probably would not react favorably in such circumstances.

I am a sociologist, so in my view, autistic people are a social minority, similar to non-males, non-whites, and non-heterosexuals. I don't see autism as a mental disorder any more than being female is a mental disorder. However, one can pretty reliably attribute things like "female characteristics" to oneself and others, and go to places that female people might be. Which is exactly how I approach autism.

I'm going to any place where large numbers of people work because autistic people are likely to work there and people will have friends and family who are on the autism spectrum. If people don't want to check out my research, which in simple terms is pro-autism and pro-worker, they don't have to.

You should not expect people to assume you have that view of autism when you are conducting your research. Even if someone shares your world view of autism, you have the uphill battle of convincing them of the case. Autism Spectrum Disorder is listed in the DSM as a mental disorder, so unless someone has proven otherwise, the logical assumption is that is where they are coming from. Too many researchers have done so much harm that there is significant distrust. Just something to consider when you are making your pitch.

I'm also curious to know if your flyers have generated any traffic. For myself, a flyer in the break room would not have elicited a response.
Good luck and stay safe.

You're absolutely right. When I chance to speak with anyone as I'm putting up or handing out fliers for break rooms, I do tell them about my view of autism and yada yada, but usually their eyes glaze over, even if they seem to be an aspie or in the social sciences themselves.

So far I've put up maybe...100-120 fliers? I'm planning to put up that many again and I'll probably repeat the fliers in September before I end data collection. I'm overdoing it because I expect for every 100 I put up, maybe 10 people will reply. I have to have 40-50 people for my study, but I would love to have more. Right now I have something like 12 responses, which is as much or more than most of the autism studies you read about.

I believe in the past 3 days, I have had one response from the fliers. But if that person doesn't contact me and send in an informed consent I won't be able to use her survey.

...Side point ~ Assuming this is within America and refferrs to " Mexican " as ethnicity/" race " and not citizenship status: Well , it's of interest !


te="SocOfAutism"]I've been having a bit of a problem recruiting participants for my study (Autism Disclosure in the Workplace) when I don't know them very well and I come upon them in person at their jobs. For example, there's a cashier at a store I frequent who has great ideas and I would LOVE to get his input. It's hard for me to talk to him alone because the store is busy, and besides that, I'm a stranger so there's no reason for him to feel at ease with me. I'm certain that he's an aspie but I cannot ask him that. It would be like asking someone if they're Mexican. It's none of my business.

I've started several conversations with him about my study and asked him what he thinks I should do about this or that. The first time I asked if I could put fliers up in his store. I knew I couldn't but I wanted an excuse to talk to him. I couldn't say "I see that you are displaying characteristics associated with the autism spectrum, so I would like to talk to you about it." He offered some suggestions that were thoughtful and useful. Today I brought it up again and then told him I would have some fliers printed out soon in case he knows anyone who might be interested, then they could look up the website and all. He was quiet, which I have noticed seems to mean he's thinking. He doesn't remember to say goodbye so I just said goodbye and left.

My plans are to hand him a few fliers when I get the go ahead from my university (hopefully this week) and to say, "You can tell anyone you give these to that it is completely anonymous, and they can read as much about it as they want before they answer anything." Then he could look it up if he wants and if he knows anyone else that would like to participate he might tell them about it too.

My question: Is this appropriate on my part? There are a few more people that I know on an acquaintance level, like this guy, who I would like to hand fliers to. Some I would like to talk to in the same manner as him, but there are others who I think dislike abrupt social interactions so I was just going to hand them a flier. If there is a better way to go about all this, I would love to hear suggestions. And if I'm being manipulative instead of considerate of people's privacy, just tell me.

Thanks in advance.[/quote]

"Mexican" would be a national origin and also a culture. I assumed Mexican people born in the US would put "latino/a" or "hispanic" down for race and "US" for national origin...

The questions are there because there might be trends that I wasn't expecting and could investigate later. Just standard sociology stuff.