We have been contacted by Charlotte Andrews of Anglia Ruskin University.  She is  conducting a study which investigates how autism is represented within the media.

Ms Andrews writes “I am conducting this study to investigate different ways in which autism has been displayed in the media and make suggestions for how the condition should be displayed in the future.

There are numerous media campaigns, at any one time, about most medical conditions or learning developmental issues. However, I am keen to discover how we, the public, respond to them.

 Data recorded during this study will be analysed statistically with the aim of writing my undergraduate dissertation. If you wish to contact me for further information about the study, please do so via ca545@student.anglia.ac.uk. This research is not funded.
Your Participation in the Research Project

You have been invited to take part in this research because we all come in to contact with those who may have a diagnosis of autism in our daily lives. However, there is no obligation to take part in this study. Should you choose not to take part in this study, there will be no penalty involved. If you decide to take part in this study and wish to withdraw, you are free to do so without prejudice, within one week. If you choose to withdraw from the study, you can do so by closing the browser or contacting the researcher via email noting your withdrawal.

 If you agree to take part in the study you will be asked to fill out two questionnaires which will take no more than 20 minutes.

 There will be no risk involved in participating in this study, beyond that experienced in day-to-day life. All standard health and safety regulations will be adhered to, and a risk assessment will be completed prior to testing. There are no special precautions that you need to take before, during or after taking part in the study. Agreement to participate in this research does not compromise your legal rights should something go wrong.

 Individual participants’ results from this research will remain completely confidential, accessed only by me and my supervisor. You will be asked to enter a memorable code at the start of the study. Data collected from your participation will be stored securely for three years. After this period, all data will be securely disposed of. If, following your participation, you would like to withdraw from the study, please email me within one week with your memorable code to have your data removed from the study.”

Please go here to take part in the study.