Welcome to the CPA’s Recruit Research Participants Portal!
This CPA-member-only portal has been developed to allow CPA members to post requests for other CPA members to serve as participants in their research studies.
Posting requires you to provide a brief description of your project, stating who you are looking to recruit, participant obligation, and duration of data collection.
For more information, see the Submission Process to the R2P2 page.
Description: Do you ever wonder why a friend’s good mood can be contagious, or why comforting someone who is sad can make us feel upset? Research shows that everyday emotions like fear, anger, disgust, sadness, joy, and even surprise can be contagious and easily transfer from one individual to another. While there’s some research examining how this might apply to psychological conditions like depression and anxiety (e.g., watching a socially anxious presenter makes us feel more anxious than watching a non-anxious presenter), how and why obsessions might spread in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has never fully been explored. Thus, the main purpose of the current study is to investigate a potential “obsession contagion”, in which a person with OCD might “catch” an obsession after being exposed to it. We hope that this research may help us better understand the potential for contagion in situations in which sharing obsessions occurs (e.g., online blogs, peer support groups, educational campaigns). As appreciation and compensation for your time completing the survey, you can choose to be entered into a raffle for the chance to win one of 20, $100 e-gift cards. Your participation is greatly appreciated, as it helps us better understand the mechanisms of symptom spread in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Specifics: Study Population:
Specifically, we are recruiting participants who have been diagnosed with OCD, are age 18 or above, and who are living in Canada or the U.S. Participant Obligation
Participate in an approximately 20–25-minute online survey about your experiences with how obsessions spread.
If you are interested in participating in this study and meet the eligibility criteria noted above, you may access the survey below.
Location: Online - St. John's. Approval for Canada and the U.S.
Project lead: Brooke Hiscock, Supervisor: Dr. Emily Fawcett
Description: This study aims to gain insights into the challenges healthcare providers across Canada encounter in assessing and managing female sexual dysfunction and genito-pelvic pain. The goal is to identify provider needs and preferences for resources and training, and to develop supportive tools that enhance care for both patients and providers in managing these conditions.
Specifics: Study Population:
To be eligible to participate in the online survey, a participant must:
be a healthcare provider in any field practicing in Canada
Participant Obligation:
Participants will be asked to complete a brief online questionnaire, estimated to take 15-20 minutes. At the end of the survey, they will have the option to sign up for a focus group session to further discuss their insights and experiences.
Description: Prior research on women in sports has primarily focused on women’s experiences of pressure to conform to body image-related norms (e.g., pressure to be more feminine/less masculine; Krane et al., 2001; Russell, 2004), particularly pressure to look a certain way in various sports (e.g., muscular in rugby, lean in cross country; Kong & Harris, 2014; Loland, 1999). Little research has been conducted on women's experiences of pressure to be more masculine/less feminine (i.e., femmephobic gender policing) within the domain of sports specifically. The goal of this study is to understand more about women’s experiences of pressure to be less/more feminine/masculine within the context of sports. We want to look at who, where (within sports, such as at practice or competitions/games), why women experience gender pressure within sports, the differences in gender pressure across different sports, and views on their body image within sports.
Specifics: Study Population:
Participants must identify as a woman (including transgender, cisgender, and nonbinary), be 16 years or older, and have played any sport for a minimum of 1 year. Participant Obligation:
Participants will have to complete an online survey which will take 15 - 30 minutes.
Once completed, participants will have the option to enter into a prize draw for a $50(CAD) gift card.
Location: Online - Peterborough, ON
Project lead: Melanie Gunn, Supervisor: Dr. Karen L. Blair
Description: The goal of this study is to better understand the sexual attitudes of second-generation immigrants with non-Western origins, as well as how culture and various personal identities shape second-generation immigrants' sexual attitudes.
Specifics: Study Population:
To be eligible to participate in the online survey, a participant must:
be 18 + years old;
be born and reside in Canada;
have at least one parent born in a non-Western country;
and read English well or very well.
Participant Obligation:
Participants will be asked to complete a brief online questionnaire that will take no more than 20-29 minutes.
Description: Previous research has shown that the process of identity change in addiction recovery (Best et al., 2016) is an important component of a successful recovery. Through social network changes from those who accept substance use to those who do not, individuals experiencing addiction are better able to recover when they identify with a group supportive of their recovery. Certain identities (i.e. addict in recovery) are highly stigmatized and can influence the type of social support one receives. Previous research has shown that the more specific the support the better the predictor of overall well-being (Blair & Holmberg, 2008). The proposed study aims to investigate if identity specific social support is a better predictor of mental health and well-being than general social support.
Specifics: Study Population:
Participants must be at least 18 years of age and must know someone who is in recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction.
Participant Obligation:
Participation involves completing an online study which takes approximately 15-20 minutes.
Participants will be entered into a monthly prize draw for a $50 gift card (CAD) and a $150 (CAD) grand prize gift card prize draw.
Description: We are recruiting participants to test a remote psychoeducation mHealth app for promoting cognitive health in later life. An mHealth app is a mobile application that stores health information, provides health recommendations, and allows individuals to access health related educational tools. The mHealth app used in this study will teach participants about modifiable lifestyle factors (e.g., diet, exercise, social connection, etc.) that promote cognitive health into later life. Our aim is to test our intervention with adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (i.e., subtle declines in cognition that a person has noticed in themselves) and gain meaningful feedback about the intervention process from participants after it has been completed. We hope to use this feedback to improve the useability of the app and feasibility of the intervention. The intervention is 6-weeks long and involves completing one module per week in the mHealth app as well as three quick cognitive activities and a survey; per week, this will only take about 30 minutes. The study also involves two online neuropsychological assessments that can be completed on any computer or tablet, and an onboarding session via Zoom with one of our research assistants. If you have clients who are eligible to and interested in participating, please refer them to coghealthstudy@uvic.ca for more information.
Specifics: Study Population
Age 55+, report subjective cognitive decline (SCD) or have been diagnosed with SCD, own an iPhone, live in Canada, have no diagnosis of dementia or MCI, and no history of another known neurological condition that could impact cognition.
Participant Obligation:
Participants will complete a phone screening, two 45-minute online neuropsychological assessments, a Zoom onboarding, the six-week intervention with weekly surveys (~30 mins/week), a one-month follow-up survey, and a feedback interview.
Description: We are studying experiences of discrimination and stigma when accessing mental health care among young adults diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD).
Specifics: Study Population:
Young adults ages 18-26 who reside in Alberta and self-identify as having a borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnosis.
Participant Obligation:
Participants are not obligated to complete all survey questions.
Participants who complete the survey will have the chance to enter a draw for a $25 gift card of their choice.
Location: Online, Edmonton
Project lead: Jenny Le, Supervisor: Jamie Dyce
Study Dates: September 2, 2024 to September 1, 2025
Description: The revised definition of Criterion A in the DSM-5 (2018) diagnosis of PTSD for the first time included exposure to others' traumatic experiences--particularly in the context of one's work--as a form of trauma, termed secondary traumatic stress (STS). Accordingly, there has been increasing interest in understanding the factors that account for risk and resilience in professionals involved in delivering services to trauma-impacted individuals as well as those who have contact with trauma-related information in the context of their work. Mental health professionals, including health service psychologists, comprise one such group. The purpose of the present study is to examine characteristics and practices that are associated with increased risk of STS as well as those that are protective. Specific hypotheses will be tested derived from the R-TIP (Kerig, 2019) model, which focuses on the six dimensions of appraisals, self-efficacy, emotional awareness, affect regulation, resilience, and prevention. In one branch of this IRB-approved study, participants are being invited to attend a training focused on prevention of STS, and the effectiveness of their use of the skills imparted in the training will be assessed at pre, post, and follow-up. In the branch of the study for which we are currently recruiting participants, data from a non-workshop comparison group will be gathered.
Specifics: Study Population:
All mental health professionals in all regions are eligible for participation in this study.
Participant Obligation:
Participants will complete an online survey that will take approximately 40 minutes. At the end of the survey, participants will be invited to participate in repeat surveys 3 and 6 months following.
This study is being conducted in the context of an international research consortium team, including Dr. Julie Goldenson of the Univ. of Toronto and Dr. Patricia Kerig of the University of Utah. The survey was created in Dr. Kerig's lab and was IRB-approved at that site.
Description: Many interventions designed to optimize the development and quality of life of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) and their families are psychosocial in nature, yet little is known about how these interventions are moved from the research setting into practice. This study seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice by exploring the processes used by scientists and decision-makers in health, education, and social services in the development, testing, scaling up, and adoption of psychosocial interventions for children with NDD and their caregivers. We will use online surveys and semi-structured interviews guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Science (CFIR) 2.0 (Damschroder et al, 2022) to explore areas of alignment and difference between what decision-makers are doing and consider influential, and what scientists are doing and consider influential in their work. We aim to describe the current situation and help bridge the gap between these two groups to facilitate the development of psychosocial interventions that have a high likelihood of being implemented. This will ensure the availability of safe, effective supports for families, and value for research dollars.
Specifics: Study Population:
Study participants must be:
Working in Canada
Decision-makers in health, education, and social care service sectors responsible for choosing psychosocial programs for those with NDD and their caregivers.
Scientists developing such programs.
Participant Obligation:
Participation involves completing a 10–15-minute survey, followed by an optional 30–60-minute interview. The study is being conducted in English and in French.
Description: Our quantitative research study examines the approach that Canadian psychologists and psychological associates undertake when conducting psychoeducational assessments. We will be investigating whether there are relationships between clinician characteristics and their approach to assessment. There are several studies that focus on psychological report writing and propose recommendations for psychologists with the goal of increasing positive long-term client outcomes. However, minimal research has addressed identifying the approaches psychologists are undertaking in their assessment work, and any factors that may influence these approaches (e.g., personal beliefs and motivations). Current research has investigated the importance of taking on particular approaches to psychoeducational assessment within schools, but what is really being done by psychologists in Canadian school contexts? This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Board.
Specifics: Study Population:
Psychologists and psychological associates who are registered to practice within a provincial and/or territorial regulatory body within Canada and who provide psychoeducational assessments to students in Canadian schools (full-, part-time, contract).
Participant Obligation:
Participants will complete a 15-minute online questionnaire assessing their beliefs about different parts of psychoeducational assessment, personal assessment practices, motivation for undertaking a particular approach, and demographic questions.
Description: This research focuses on a critical reason for the shortage of Black Canadian school psychologists: their experiences of and how they navigate anti-Black racism at work (for details, see Banks & Callahan, 2022; Cooper, 2021; Proctor et al., 2016; Smith, 2021; Truscott et al., 2014). Only a handful of researchers in the United States (Cooper, 2021; Banks & Callahan, 2022; Proctor et al., 2013; Smith, 2021; Truscott et al., 2014) have completed closely related research about African American school psychologists’ work or internship experiences. While the researchers above did not set out specifically to explore African American school psychologists' experiences of anti-Black racism at work, their findings revealed that this was a significant issue frequently experienced by them. Since there appears to be no research on Black Canadian school psychologists’ experiences of anti-Black racism and how they navigate it in their professional lives, it is essential to complete research that examines this issue in Canada. Therefore, the question for this research is - How do Black school psychologists navigate anti-Black racism in the workplace?
Specifics: Study Population:
Black Canadian school psychology practitioners (registered or in process of registration), including psychological associates, psychoeducational consultants, psychologists, etc., employed, retired, or resigned from a school board in past two years.
Participant Obligation:
They are willing to discuss how they navigate anti-Black racism at work and can commit to a 90-minute audio-recorded Zoom or in-person interview at OISE/UT. All participant data, including name and place of work, will be confidential.
Location: Online (Virtual Zoom interview) - Toronto, Ontario or in person at OISE/UT.
Project lead: Deanne Edwards, Supervisor: Dr. Roy Moodley
Description: The purpose of the study is to understand suicide risk among adolescents. The study involves three parts. The first part involves completing questionnaires, an interview, and a computer task. During the computer tasks, participants will view and rate a series of images. Part two of the study involves completing 4 surveys a day for 21 days on a smartphone. The final part of the study involves completing two online follow-up questionnaires. These questionnaires would be administered 1 and 2 months after the first session of the study. We hope that our findings improve the detection of youth at imminent risk for suicide and guide the identification of viable targets for interventions that hold the promise of de-escalating moments of acute crisis.
Specifics: Study Population:
We are recruiting 13-19 year olds in Canada who had suicidal thoughts in the past 3 months. Participants must provide an emergency contact. For participants below 15, they must also have a parent/guardian willing to provide informed consent.
Participant Obligation:
-Attend a baseline session involving an interview, a computer task, and questionnaires (1.5-2 hours)
-Completing 4 prompts a day for 21 days on their Smartphone
-Complete follow up survey 1 and 2 month after baseline session (20 minutes)
How to participate:
Please contact Ashley Filion at querby@queensu.ca with the subject line “PRISM” to indicate your interest. Email is the preferred method of contact. However, you can also contact the lab at 613-533-2592 and ask for Ashley Filion. If no one picks up when you call, please leave a message mentioning the “PRISM” study and let us know how we can reach you to follow up.
Location: Online-Kingston -There is also an option to participate in person in Kingston, Ontario
Description: This research seeks to understand how identity-related experiences shape relations with the body, eating, and physical activity across intersections with sexual and gender minority (SGM) adult populations using a multi-method approach. Through a strengths-based approach, this research seeks to shift the narrative from risk to resilience with SGM members by uncovering the complexity of experiences (i.e., stigmatizing and affirmative) involving the body and weight-related behavior, whilst illustrating unique strengths at the individual and community level across social identities. Study findings will provide a roadmap for a national strength-based strategy to address negative body attitude and weight-related behavior disparities in SGM young adults by highlighting areas of support (resilience) and actional areas for improvement (risk) at various sociocultural levels (education, family, government). This will have downstream effects on local practices, such as informing intersectional programs for healthy active living and anti-stigma policies in physical activity spaces and sport.
Specifics: Study Population:
1. Identify as a sexual and/or gender minority (2SLGBTQQIA+ umbrella)
2. Aged 18-29 years old
3. Reside in Canada
4. Speak English
5. Have access to a technological device and internet to use Zoom
Participant Obligation:
Participation in a virtual 90 minute interview on Zoom and a brief survey before (5-10 minutes) and after this session (5 minutes). A $20 Amazon gift card is offered as compensation for completion of the interview.
To participate in this study, please email the lead researcher, Kheana Barbeau-Julien, at kheana.barbeaujulien@ucalgary.ca and put “R2R study participation” as the subject line.
Description: This study is a randomized control trial that seeks to test the efficacy of a novel form of online psychotherapy to treat social anxiety in HIV-negative men who have sex with men. Participants who are eligible will receive 12 online psychotherapy sessions to better manage their social anxiety, substance use, and sexual HIV risk behaviour. We hypothesize that participants will experience reduced sexual risk behaviour, reductions in social anxiety symptoms, and will reduce substance use in sexual situations. Participants will complete a baseline assessment consisting of 1) an online questionnaire about mental health, substance use, and sexual health, 2) an online interview with a clinician about mental health and substance use, and 3) in-person HIV and STI testing with a research nurse. If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to attend in-person STI testing appointments up to 4 times throughout the study at our laboratory located at Toronto Metropolitan University. Participants may be eligible to receive up to $380 in compensation for their time. For more information and/or if you wish to participate, please contact us over email at sexual.confidence@torontomu.ca or call 416-979-5000 ext. 552179.
Specifics: Study Population:
We are recruiting HIV-negative men who are actively having sex with other men, are not currently using PrEP, and who experience anxiety in social situations.
Participant Obligation:
Participants will complete 4 assessments and 12 psychotherapy sessions via Zoom for Healthcare, and in-person STI testing at the baseline, post-intervention, 3- and 6-month follow ups.
Participants complete the study over the course of 10-12 months.
Location: Online via Zoom for Healthcare and the HIV Prevention Lab (TMU) 105 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B1Y3
Description: This qualitative case study explores how clinician perspectives of gay men has evolved since the mid-twentieth century when homosexuality was pathologised by psychiatry and psychologists as a mental disorder. While there are a number of studies focusing on adult gay men and hegemonic masculinity, there are very few studies focusing on adolescent gay men and what role hegemonic masculinity plays in their development. Clinicians are uniquely positioned in their work with adolescent gay men to provide ongoing, evidence-based treatment while simultaneously providing a rare space for them to open up about their experiences. The primary research question focuses on the how clinicians experience and interpret how cis-gendered adolescent gay men aged 13-18 relate to hegemonic masculinity in Canada. Secondary questions include, (1) How has this interpretation influenced your case conceptualisation of cis-gendered adolescent gay men aged 13-18? and (2) How has the construct of hegemonic masculinity influenced your view of cis-gendered adolescent gay men aged 13-18?
Specifics: Study Population:
Licensed clinicians (psychologist, psychological associate, psychotherapist) living and working in Canada. Clinicians must have worked with adolescent gay men for 2+ years, but do not need to identify as LGBTQ2S+ themselves.
Participant Obligation:
Screening interview to determine eligibility. Eligible participants will be invited to a one-time 60-90 minute individual interview on Microsoft Teams to discuss their experiences, which will be audio recorded.
All participants who complete interviews will be provided with a $20 giftcard to Starbucks as a token of appreciation.
Description: The purpose of the research study is to better understand (1) factors that affect alcohol use among transgender adults who drink, and (2) harms associated with this alcohol use. If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to complete an online Baseline Session over a video call, which will include completing a survey with the platform Qualtrics. This Baseline Session and Qualtrics survey will mostly focus on brief demographic information, hormone therapy, stage in transition (social, physical, and/or legal), as well as more detailed measures of mental health and alcohol and other substance use (nicotine, cannabis, other drugs). Afterwards, over 21 days, you will be asked to complete surveys on a smartphone at various times each day. These surveys will mostly assess your alcohol and other substance use, and any related outcomes/experiences. Finally, you will be asked to complete an Exit Survey using Qualtrics. This survey will mostly ask for feedback about your experiences in the study.
Specifics: Study Population:
Adults who live in Canada, are of legal drinking age in the province/territory they reside (i.e. 18-19+), who identify as trans and/or under the trans umbrella (e.g., non-binary, genderfluid, agender, etc.), and drink alcohol regularly are welcome.
Participant Obligation:
Screening survey to determine eligibility. Eligible participants will be invited to a 2-hr Baseline appointment over Google Meets. Following this, 3 weeks of daily surveys (up to 10 mins/day) and an optional Exit Survey.
Location: Online-Toronto.
Project lead: Dr. Sarah Dermody
Study Dates: September 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025
Description: We are exploring the impact of experiencing sexual victimization by a supervisor at practicums on professional psychology graduate students’ professional life and identity. To participate in this study, you must meet the following criteria: (1) 18 years old or older; (2) attended or currently attend a Canadian post-secondary institution; (3) completed, enrolled in (but did not necessarily complete), or currently enrolled in a clinical, counselling, school, or neuro- psychology graduate program; (4) completed at least one placement (i.e., practicum, clerkship, internship) in the program; (5) have experienced sexual victimization by a (clinical) supervisor. You will be invited to participate in a 90-minute interview, with questions related to the sexual victimization experience, disclosure and/or reporting, and the impact of the experience on your professional life, identity, clinical work, and future as a psychologist. To reimburse you for your time, you will receive a gift card for your participation. Please note that participation is completely confidential, voluntary, and will not affect your placement, academic standing, or employment in any way. If you wish to participate, please contact Alisia Palermo (Clinical Psychology Graduate Student) at alisia.palermo@usask.ca.
Specifics: Study Population:
See eligibility criteria in Description of Study section.
Participant Obligation:
Participants will be invited to participate in a 90-minute interview. See further information in Description of Study section.
Location: Online - Saskatoon, SK.
Project lead: Alisia Palermo, Supervisor: Dr. Jorden Cummings
For more information about this study, please contact Alisia Palermo at alisia.palermo@usask.ca, or Dr. Jorden Cummings (Principal Investigator) at jorden.cummings@usask.ca. This study has been approved by the University of Saskatchewan Human Behavioural Research Ethics Board (#3753) on September 14, 2023.
Study Dates: February 12, 2024 to February 14, 2025