This information sheet is for you to keep.
Our names are Natasha Odou and Kimberley Seear and we are conducting a research project with Dr Dianne Vella-Brodrick, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology and Psychiatry, towards an Honours Degree in Psychology at Monash University. This means that we will each be writing a thesis which is the equivalent of a short book. Our project is looking at well-being and activities that have the potential to increase happiness.
The purpose of this study is to understand more about the effect of people's mental imagery ability and level of mindfulness on activities designed to increase well-being. This study is important because it will help practitioners in choosing and using activities that successfully increase well-being for specific people.
You have been invited to participate in this research because you are a member of the general public and are aged 18 years or over. You will not be able to participate if you are not fluent in English.
We are seeking participants who are willing to complete some short questionnaires online and possibly to do a brief daily happiness activity. The initial set of questionnaires will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Participants will be allocated to one of three groups: There are two activity groups and one group that will not be required to do an activity. Each day for seven days, participants (in the activity groups only) will be asked to complete a task that will take approximately 15 minutes. After these seven days, another set of questionnaires (taking approximately 20 minutes) will be completed. After a period of two weeks, participants will be asked to complete a follow-up set of questionnaires by logging on to the website again (this should take approximately 15 minutes). The questionnaires will be filled out online. Despite the programs being used in this study being as secure as possible, there is the remote chance that unauthorised persons may gain access to participants' responses.
Participants who complete all three sets of questionnaires (including the two week follow-up) can choose to enter a lucky draw to win one of two double Gold Class movie passes.
While you may not receive any direct benefits from participating in this study, the knowledge gained from the results will help to further our understanding of how to increase well-being.
We do not expect that you will experience any discomfort as a result of participating in this study that is beyond the normal experience of everyday life. However, if you become uncomfortable with your involvement at any time, you can immediately stop participating. If you wish to seek professional assistance you can contact your local community health centre or the Australian Psychological Society for referral to a psychologist.
Participating in this study is voluntary and you are under no obligation to consent to participation. Completion of the questionnaire will imply consent to participate in this study. If you do consent to participate, you may withdraw at any time; however, once you have submitted the first set of questionnaires you will need to contact one of the researchers with your identifying code so that these questionnaires can be excluded from analyses.
Responses to questionnaires will be treated in strict confidence. A coding system will be used only to match the three sets of questionnaires and at no time will personal details of participants be required.
Storage of the data collected will adhere to the University regulations and kept on University premises in a locked cupboard/filing cabinet for five years. A report of the study may be submitted for publication, but individual participants will not be identifiable in such a report. Anonymous data obtained from this study may be used for other purposes. Because it is anonymous data, nobody will be named nor identified in any way.
If you would like to be informed of the aggregate research finding, please contact us on Natasha.Odou@med.monash.edu.au or Kimberley.Seear@med.monash.edu.au. The findings are accessible for six months.
| If you would like to contact the researchers about any aspect of this study, please contact the Chief Investigator: | If you have a complaint concerning the manner in which this research (CF10/0749 - 2010000347) is being conducted, please contact: |
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Dr Dianne Vella-Brodrick Tel: + 61 3 9903 2542 |
Executive Officer, Human Research Ethics Tel: +61 3 9905 2052 |
Thank you.
Natasha Odou & Kimberley Seear