IRB Application
IRB Application
Collaborators in Outside Institutions:
1.
UCLA Extension’s American Language Center
10995 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel. (310) 825-9971
2.
This institution will serve as a sampling frame to recruit international students enrolled in an ESL program.
Purpose of the Study:
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among acculturative stress, alcohol consumption, and social support in male international students. The literature search did not reveal previous studies that investigated the relationship among these three variables, and it is considered important to address that gap in the literature to improve international student support and counseling services.
The first objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between acculturative stress and alcohol consumption. That relationship is expected to show a positive trend, meaning that a high level of acculturative stress is associated with increased alcohol consumption. This study will also aim to determine to what extent acculturative stress is associated with alcohol consumption and whether alcohol consumption patterns depend on
The second objective is to determine whether social support moderates the relationship between acculturative stress and alcohol consumption. It is expected that social support decreases risk for excessive alcohol consumption as a potential coping strategy for acculturative stress. Although it is possible that social support could reduce alcohol consumption indirectly by reducing acculturative stress, it is expected that social support is the moderating variable in that relationship.
Expected start and end dates are currently unknown.
Funding Source: N/A
Inclusion/exclusion: Participants from religious backgrounds that strictly prohibit alcohol consumption, such as Jainism and Islam, will be excluded from this study. It is unlikely that people affiliated with those religions will consume alcohol regardless of the circumstances, so excluding them from the study is important to reduce the probability of outliers.
This study will include only male international students because gender differences can affect the choice of coping styles for acculturative stress, so there could be significant differences in alcohol consumptions between the two sexes. This study already aims to determine how alcohol consumption patterns are different among ethnic groups, so it is considered more efficient to focus on members of one sex only.
Archival/Existing Data: If found, leaving empty for now.
Vulnerable and Special Populations: N/A
Recruitment/Screening:
1. No
2. The participants will be recruited using brochures that will be made available at the UCLA Extension’s American Language Center.
3. N/A
Check box: Written Consent
Written Consent Approval: The written consent approval will be collected by the researcher prior to the administration of questionnaires.
Description of the Study
1. The participants will be asked to complete a demographic survey and three validated questionnaires. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) assessment instrument will be used to measure alcohol consumption. The Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) will be used to measure perceived social support. The Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS) will be used to measure acculturative stress. It is expected that 30 minutes will be required to complete all questionnaires and the survey.
2. The participants will not be exposed to deception, manipulation, or any other psychological influences.
Risks of the Research:
The students will be required to complete questionnaires pertinent to their social support network, alcohol consumption habits, and acculturative stress. Therefore, it is possible that some subjects will temporarily experience increased homesickness and reduced life satisfaction. This is not considered a serious risk for the participants, but they will be informed that it is possible to withdraw from the study at any moment if they feel uncomfortable.
Benefits of Participation: International students rarely seek counseling and help on their own, so it is important to investigate how they cope with stress in order to proactively deliver counseling services. Other than improving their knowledge of the self so that they can continue on the path of self-improvement, there will be no direct benefits to the students participating in the research.
Compensation for Participation: Discuss potential incentives with chair.
Confidentiality
1. Check “Academic Information”
2. Personally identifiable information will not be collected, and the data will be released only in aggregate form. Raw scores will not be published.
3. Data will be stored in electronic form and encrypted using TrueCrypt software. Personally identifiable information, if any, will be securely deleted once the data is analyzed.
