Efficient methods of recruiting gay, college-aged participants

[GoPokes]

Hi all,

As I'm preparing for data collection for my dissertation (a study which targets gay men currently in college aged 18-25) I'm running into some difficulty with the recruitment process. I've been going through and adding e-mail addresses of directors of GSA's, University Counseling Centers, and Student Affairs offices at various universities across the country to send my survey to in hopes they'll distribute it. As you can imagine, it's a fairly overwhelming and slow process. I was wondering if anyone else had experience and/or suggestions on how to make the process more efficient or knew of some national directory I'm not aware of. Any help is appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[psych844]

Grindr.

 

[GoPokes]

Grindr.

Good point. I'm not sure how they'd feel about me randomly messaging users about my survey. I asked them about advertising on the app for it, and they told me "they don't do that kind of advertising." I pressed them a bit because I was sure I had seen research conducted on the app before, and they quoted me a price of a few thousand dollars.

 

[psych844]

I was actually joking about that specific site..but maybe try other sites like pof? You could set up a profile and just put in to your profile that you're doing this research, and who knows maybe you'll get interest. You don't have to message people, necessarily.

 

[PsyDr]

Look up various lgbtq student associations, email an association officer and ask if you can present at their next meeting. Explain why the research is needed and helpful at the presentation. Boom. Participants.

 

[LETSGONYR]

Hi all,

As I'm preparing for data collection for my dissertation (a study which targets gay men currently in college aged 18-25) I'm running into some difficulty with the recruitment process. I've been going through and adding e-mail addresses of directors of GSA's, University Counseling Centers, and Student Affairs offices at various universities across the country to send my survey to in hopes they'll distribute it. As you can imagine, it's a fairly overwhelming and slow process. I was wondering if anyone else had experience and/or suggestions on how to make the process more efficient or knew of some national directory I'm not aware of. Any help is appreciated.

APAGS has a subcommittee focused on LGBT. I'm sure several members have done research with this population- have you tried contacting them (or the officers)? http://www.apa.org/apags/governance/subcommittees/csogd.aspx

 

[GoPokes]

APAGS has a subcommittee focused on LGBT. I'm sure several members have done research with this population- have you tried contacting them (or the officers)? http://www.apa.org/apags/governance/subcommittees/csogd.aspx

I don't know why I didn't think of this before. Thank you! I'll do that now.

 

[MCParent]

I've been going through and adding e-mail addresses of directors of GSA's, University Counseling Centers, and Student Affairs offices at various universities across the country to send my survey to in hopes they'll distribute it.

This is just what you have to do, if you want lgbt college students (I have before wanted such samples when I was specifically looking at a college-related research question). Grindr and other things cast much wider nets; since the age/setting is actually relevant to you it might be even less efficient.

In my experience, having the research be about something positive that is clearly not pathologizing (and explained in layperson terms for the person you are emailing) and explaining your prior involvement in lgbt-positive advocacy makes it much much more likely to be sent out (they do get a lot of asks).