'I Got it off my Chest': An Examination of how Research Participation Improved the Mental Health of Women Engaging in Transactional Sex.
Ecologic momentary assessment (EMA) is a form of close-ended diary writing. While it has been shown that participating in a study that incorporates EMA improves mental health of participants, no study to date has examined the pathways through which benefits may occur. For 4-weeks, twice-daily EMAs and weekly interviews captured mood, daily activities and HIV risk behavior of 25 women who engage in transactional sex. Qualitative analysis of exit interviews was performed to examine how participation impacted women's mental health. The majority of participants felt that EMAs heightened awareness of emotions and behavior. Most reported experiencing catharsis from the interviews; specifically, from having a non-judgmental, trusting listener. Participants felt responsible for completing tasks, a sense of accomplishment for completing the study, and altruism. This study demonstrates there are direct benefits associated with participation in an EMA and interview study.
Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3215 Market St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. maf385@drexel.edu.
Marisa
M
Felsher
Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana University, 340 W 10th St. #6200, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Sarah E
SE
Wiehe
Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N Martin Ave., Tucson, AZ, USA.
Jayleen K L
JKL
Gunn
Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3215 Market St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Alexis M
AM
Roth
D000328:Adult; D000078646:Diaries as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008603:Mental Health; D012107:Research Design; D035842:Research Subjects / Q000523:psychology*; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000523:psychology*; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Catharsis; Electronic diaries; Ethics; Mental health; Sex workers