Gaining Access to Socially Stigmatized Samples

African American women with an incarcerated mate have been identified as a hard-to-reach population because of the possible social stigma, shame, and social withdrawal associated with their mate's status (Hart-Johnson, 2014). Recruitment of marginalized and stigmatized populations continues to challenge researchers. Barriers to recruitment can include ethnic minorities' hesitancy to participate in research because of their ambivalence to share personal information with outsiders (Sydor, 2013; University of Virginia, 2012-2017). In essence, participants recruited for this study are prone to embarrassment about their social status and even may have mistrust toward investigators. While there is a growing body of literature on qualitative recruitment and sampling strategies (e.g., Ashing-Giwa & Rosales, 2013; Odierna & Schmidt, 2009; Sydor, 2013), there is less discussion on how to manage the sensitivities of stigmatized research participants, specifically, African American females with incarcerated mates. The inclusion of the voices of African American women in research about the collateral impacts of a mate's incarceration is critical to the advancement of knowledge in this domain. Moreover, this underreported group stands to have less exposure to preventative treatments and interventions if they are not properly represented in the literature (Symonds, Lord, & Mitchell, 2012). Acquiring in-depth information during qualitative data collection is largely dependent upon participants' willingness to relate their personal stories with full disclosure to the researcher (Birks & Mills, 2011). While this research area is important to raise awareness, and drive effective social change, the research base is consistent in confirming that women of color may be reluctant to engage in studies, disclose their relationship status to researchers, and, further, hesitant to trust these outsiders with intimate details concerning their lives (Freimuth, Quinn, Thomas, Cole, Zook, & Duncan, 2001).According to Remedios and Snyder (2015), this subgroup of the African American population is not only at risk of stigma based on race, these women face multiple possibilities of being treated as an excluded group because of issues concerning their gender, image, and class. Forms of social exclusion may influence women of color to put up protective barriers and maintain guarded self-disclosure about family matters and personal relationships to researchers (Wallace & Bartlett, 2012). Therefore, understanding best practices that can be applied to encourage research participation is paramount. However, even if researchers are able to recruit from this population, it may be questionable whether the data collection reveals the most robust disclosure because of the threat of social acceptance or social desirability bias [e.g. the act of providing inaccurate answers to researchers in effort to present oneself in the best possible light] (Birks & Mills, 2011; Yancey, 2006). Therefore, based on my experiences, I recommend that investigators establish a climate of trust whereby social acceptance bias is reduced through building a rapport with participants, thereby creating a safe space for the respondent to share information in a manner where the power differential is neutralized.Researchers hold a position of power. To neutralize the power differential, Rubin & Rubin (2012) recommend treating the interviewee as a conversation partner and subject experts. The informed consent process can facilitate this critical relationship and partnership where the interviewees learn about the importance of the study. Further, they may realize the important role as a co-creator of the research paradigm for the study (Charmaz, 2006). Rubin & Rubin (2012) further posited that individuals who are suffering issues of grief, misfortune, or unique status, want to share their stories as a form of release through their discussion. In my study, two participants indicated that providing input to the study was a means of sharing their whole story without being cut-off or having someone change the subject (Hart-Johnson, 2014). …