The study will compensate all participants and is in two parts, the first of which is open to all first-year students at TU.
LIBR, the Laureate Institute for Brain Research, recently partnered up with the University of Tulsa to conduct research on first-year students to study the effect of psychological toughness training on a student’s mental wellness. This study is called The TU Tough Study.
According to the LIBR website, this particular study is a joint effort to help improve TU and other college students’ performance in school.
TU students are invited to participate in the TU Tough Study and will be compensated for their time. Even though the research studies mental health, students do not have to experience symptoms of stress or anxiety to participate in the study.
According to the LIBR website, the study is open to freshmen who are:
·18 years and older,
·Can understand enough English to complete the interviews and answer questions,
·Have access to a computer,
·NOT an international student visa (this is due to restrictions on international students’ research
compensation)
·and are NOT currently experiencing severe/unstable health issues that need immediate medical attention.
The first step in the TU Tough Study is completing a five-to-ten-minute online survey about participants’ current levels of stress. Participants receive a $10 gift card to a store that the survey randomly chooses (GameStop, Amazon, QuikTrip, ect.) and a TU Tough t-shirt.
Students can visit www.laureateinstitute.org/tutough to take the survey. After completing the survey, participants will receive an email confirming their submission and will then receive their shirt and gift card in the mail shortly after.
Once part one of the study is complete, up to 300 students will be invited to participate in the second part of the research. According to the LIBR website, part two of the TU Tough Study includes an “in-person session at The University of Tulsa, [where participants] provide an optional saliva sample for genetic analysis” and complete “mental toughness training” while attending college.
While doing this, participants will also be asked to complete online surveys similar to that in part one, answering questions about their experiences and mental health repeatedly over the next five years to record accurate data. According to the LIBR website, participants will be compensated for all the requirements and will earn a total of $275 upon total completion of part two.
By participating in the studies, LIBR claims, students will help researchers to better understand sources of stress and resilience in college students. Information gathered through the study will assist in developing ways to improve students’ success in school and life.
If you experience a significant amount of stress, anxiety, depression or mood swings that affect your everyday life, seek help TU students are eligible for ten free counseling sessions at the Counseling and Psychological Services Center in the Alexander Health Center.
Emergency Hotlines
Local Crisis Line: 918-293-2100
National 24/7 Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-2433
True Blue Neighbors Behavioral Health Clinic: 918-631-3342
Alexander Health Center: 918-631-2241
Campus Security: 918-631-5555
Domestic Violence Intervention Service: 918-585-3163
Correction: The Laureate Institute for Brain Research informed us that the online survey detailed in an article published last week is no longer being used, stating specifically, “We have changed up our recruitment process and are no longer utilizing the online survey… to enroll new students in our study. For those that have already completed, we will definitely honor the incentives offered. However, we actually thought that this link had been deactivated.”
