Research Opportunity

researchstudentsophie

Hello. My name is Sophie, and I am currently in the class AP Research. The aim of AP Research is to have students enter into an academic conversation that exists about a specific topic or issue. For my research project, I have chosen to evaluate the social stress levels, or sense of belonging, within members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community, due to my personal background with the religion.

The following attachment will help me collect data for my research. If you are willing and able, please complete the background questionnaire and survey. It will only take approximately 10-15 minutes.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

https://goo.gl/forms/OifdSm2OJ2yrFbTO2

john.prestor

Hey Sophie, good luck on your project. You do know that most people who post on this site don't identify as Jehovah's Witnesses or participate in that religious community, right?

gone for good

Sophies research questions exJWs as well, so go for it.

Format is agree/disagree to statements on a scale if 1 to 5 .

Comments pertaining to your responses are invited.

If you were a JW during some or all of your working years you will appreciate the questions asked...

I enjoyed sharing through such a format

jonahstourguide

Hi Sophie.

I endorse your idea. However, I wonder which research you could quote to support the '16 times higher than the general population' claim. I do see a higher rate of mental delusion and other issues among the jws I know compared to non jws but quantified research would be good to view.

All the best with your project.

jtg

smiddy3

Hi Sophie welcome to this site ,would you care to elaborate a bit more about your personal involvement with the religion of JW`s ?

And the questions relating to this survey are they applicable to ex JW`s as most of us here are ?

Or are ex Jehovah`s Witnesses not what you are looking for .

I have chosen to evaluate the social stress levels, or sense of belonging, within members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community,

If you are looking for current practicing / believer`s among JW`s to participate in this survey ,then good luck with that ,it just won`t happen .

I have been away from JW`s for 26 years after being in it for 33 years if I qualify I would consider taking the survey if you provide me with a little bit more info about yourself .

Thank you.

careful

Sophie,
I'm with jtg here. If you make a claim like you do with this:

"Because this sect exhibits mental illness 16 times more than the general population, it is important to find a solution, in order to raise awareness and help people"

and you do not back it up with facts, you will filter out participation, at least to some degree, by those who will doubt your factual basis and your motives.

When putting together your project, you need to steer clear of such unsubstantiated/dubious claims if you want full participation.

Best wishes on your work.

OrphanCrow

I agree with others who have pointed out that a statement like this:

"Because this sect exhibits mental illness 16 times more than the general population..."

needs to be backed up. I challenge you to find a credible source for your claim.

And...what does ethnicity have to do with this survey? or even...what does gender have to do with the questions you ask? How do these markers have anything to do with the "data" you are collecting?

And...how can you say that your survey measures what it is that you say you are measuring (levels of stress?) ?

I think your measurement scale needs some work. For this to be classified as "research data", you have to supply proof that this survey does, indeed, measure what you say it does.

Have you taken a research methodology class as part of your curriculum? If you have, I am sorely disappointed in your instructor.

Good luck in your courses.

gone for good

JW Facts / Mental illness amongst Jehovah's Witnesses

Less than 30 seconds to find a study Sophie possibly cited. Ohio 1972 to 1976

"The mental illness rate of JWs is approximately 10 to 16 times higher than the rate for the general, nonWitness population... From his intensive interviews with Witness patients and others, Montague concluded that persons who had emotional problems were attracted to the Witnesses, but involvement also caused many of the emotional problems that they suffered. This is evident from the fact that many with problems reported they were far happier after they left.

Inquiring minds are eager to know WHY cults contribute to such high figures .

The first child ever raised full/on JW in our family later became our families first and ever suicide.

We KNOW why the rates are so high so get your asses into gear and give Sophie an earful of how religious abuse and hypocrisy affect the lives of working people.

Earnest

OrphanCrow : I challenge you to find a credible source for your claim.

gone for good : The mental illness rate of JWs is approximately 10 to 16 times higher than the rate for the general, nonWitness population. (Ohio 1972 to 1976)

gone for good, your source is far from credible. This figure comes from Jerry Bergman who wrote an article in 1977, The Pessimistic Sect's Influence on the Mental Health of Its Members: The Case of Jehovah's Witnesses, under the pseudonym of Havor Montague (Social Compass, Vol.24, 1977, pp.135-147). On what did "Montague" base his conclusions? He monitored the admissions to state and private mental hospitals, and local mental health clinics in Ohio from 1972 to 1976. He based his conclusions on 102 patients.

So, on the basis of a study of 102 patients in Ohio more than forty years ago you draw conclusions regarding the mental health of millions of Jehovah's Witnesses worlwide. That is not credible.

At the same time I do not doubt the truth of your personal tragedy and the early death of a child is something one never truly recovers from, whatever the cause.

JW_Researcher

I have a PDF of the article Earnest mentions ("The Pessimistic Sect's Influence on the Mental Health of Its Members: The Case of Jehovah's Witnesses") in an e-mail-able size (5.04MB).

If you PM me an e-mail address, I'll e-mail it to you.

If you're afraid I'm a Watchtower spy (no judgment), send me a link to upload it or however you'd like it.

Research Opportunity

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