Dear Participant,

      The following materials are part of a study that I am currently conducting as a graduate student in clinical psychology at the Wright Institute, Berkeley, California, regarding the emotions and experience of former foster youth. Your participation would assist in the completion of the study. If you choose to participate, your participation would involve completing the following measures that ask you to respond to a series of questions regarding your experience in foster care and your current feelings and attitudes. Completion of the materials should take about forty-five minutes of your time. Your completed materials can be returned anonymously to me via the internet. In thinking about whether you would like to participate, please consider the following:

1. If you are between the ages of 18 and 30 and lived in foster care for at least two years, you are eligible to participate in the study.
2. Participation involves minimal risk to you beyond the possibility of some mild anxiety in considering and responding to the topic, questions and/or materials.
3. Participation results in no direct benefits to you beyond what might be gained by the experience of participating in a research study, and contributing to a better understanding of the topic.
4. Confidentiality will be protected to the full extent of the law. No identifying information is required to participate in the study, and no personal names will be used in the results. Materials are returned anonymously via the internet. No one, including the researcher, will be able to identify from the materials that individuals participated or responded in any particular way.
5. If you have any questions or problems as a result of participating in the study you may contact the researcher, Rebecca Murray, at 415-596-6948 or fosteryouthstudy@aol.com
6. Your participation is completely voluntary. Refusal to participate involves no penalty, and you may discontinue participation at any time without penalty.
7. You may receive further information regarding the purpose and/or results of the study following participation by contacting Rebecca Murray at 415-596-6948 or fosteryouthstudy@aol.com

      I appreciate your considering participation in the study and welcome any questions, comments or suggestions that you may have concerning your participation in the study. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Murray, M.A.
The Wright Institute