Before you begin ...

About this survey

Faculty of Health & Life Sciences

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION 

The purpose of this information sheet is to provide you with sufficient information so that you can then give your informed consent. It is thus very important that you read this document carefully and raise any issues that you do not understand with the investigator.  

Name of Researcher: Chloe Lowes 

Name of Supervisor: Tamlyn Watermeyer 

Project Title: The effects of Early Life Stress on later life outcomes 

The study has been reviewed and given ethical approval through the Northumbria University Ethical Approval system, reference number 26810

 

1. What is the purpose of the project?

Early life is thought to be one of the most critical, important periods of one’s development since this period might have implications for health and wellbeing in later life. This research project is interested in the effects of early life stress on later life outcomes, in particular mood and memory processing.

 

2. Why have I been selected to take part and what are the exclusion criteria?

You have been invited to take part in this study because you are an adult aged 18 or over, it is important to assess both young and older individuals to assess a range of ages. You are not able to participate in this study if you are below the age of 18. This study must only be completed on a computer or laptop, therefore if you are unable to access a computer or laptop, you are unable to do this study.

 

3. What will I have to do?

You will be directed to an online study on PsyToolkit. After signing a consent form, you will be asked to create a memorable, unique word which could be used to identify you if you wish to withdraw your data, you will then be asked to input demographic information (age, preferred gender, family history of mental disorders). We will not ask that you provide a name, and we will not record your browser’s IP information. As this study involves sensitive topics of depression, anxiety, stress and childhood trauma, you can omit answers you do not wish to answer. You will be asked to complete two short questionnaires. Whilst completing these questionnaires, you can omit any answers you do not feel comfortable answering or can withdraw from the study at any time. You will then be directed to the cognitive task. Once completed, you will receive a debrief sheet explaining the nature of the study, how you can withdraw your data if you wish to do so and how you can find the results. Following the debrief sheet, you will be shown support websites and helplines if you need them. This study will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

 

4. Will my participation involve any physical discomfort?

This study should cause no physical pain or discomfort. A risk assessment has been performed and this study has been deemed as low risk in that regard.

 

5. Will my participation involve any psychological discomfort or embarrassment?

This study involves sensitive and possibly distressing topics. Support websites and helpline links have been provided. If any discomfort has occurred due to participation, please contact the researcher using the details below. The correct procedures have been followed and has been risk-assessed. This study has received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee in the School of Health & Life Sciences, University of Northumbria.

Principal investigator: Chloe Lowes, chloe.m.l.lowes@northumbria.ac.uk

Research supervisor: Tamlyn Watermeyer, tamlyn.watermeyer@northumbria.ac.uk

 

6. How will confidentiality be assured and who will have access to the information that I provide?

Several procedures have been followed to ensure all data will remain confidential at all times, these include:

This study does not require names to identify participants. Instead, you will be asked to provide a unique, memorable code word that will be used to identify any data you provide. It is important to remember the memorable word as it will be used to identify your data if you wish to withdraw.

Your data will be downloaded from the PsyToolkit platform and stored on a password-protected system and will be treated in compliance with the Data Protection Act and GDPR regulations.

This database can only be accessed by the research team identified in the information sheet. Storage of the database will allow the research team to write up the results of the study, should this be warranted. You will never, under any circumstances, be identified in any publications of the results of the study.

 

7. How can I withdraw from the project?

During the participation of the study, if you decide to withdraw before completion, you can close the browser. If for any reason, you wish to withdraw your data after completion, please contact the research team within one month of your participation, contact details can be found in the box below. Please state your memorable word to identify your data. After one month, it may not be possible to withdraw your individual data as results may have already been published. As all data is anonymised, individual data will not be identifiable.

 

8. If I require further information who should I contact and how?

If you have any further questions, or you wish to withdraw your data, you can contact the following researchers:

Principal investigator: Chloe Lowes, chloe.m.l.lowes@northumbria.ac.uk

Research supervisor: Tamlyn Watermeyer, tamlyn.watermeyer@northumbria.ac.uk

If you may be affected by the Childhood Trauma questionnaire or the Depression and Anxiety questionnaire, support and help is available.  

The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) 

NAPAC provides a national freephone support line for adults who have suffered any type of abuse in childhood. 

Phone: 0808 801 0331 

Website: www.napac.org.uk        

SurvivorsUK Helpline Web Chat 

National Web Chat for adult male survivors of rape or sexual abuse. 

Text: 020 3322 1860 

Whatsapp: 07491 816 064 

Website: www.survivorsuk.org 

Victim Support 

Confidential, free helpline available to victims of rape or sexually assault, whether now or in the past. 

Phone: 0845 30 30 900 

Website: www.victimsupport.org.uk 

Samaritans 

Charity providing support for those in emotional distress, depression or suicidal thoughts. 

Phone: 116 123 

Website: https://www.samaritans.org/ 

 Anxiety UK 

Charity providing support for anxiety. 

Phone: 03444 775 774 

Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk  

 

If you have any concerns or worries concerning this research or if you wish to register a complaint, please direct it to the Department of Psychology Ethics Chair (Undergraduate) at jenny.paterson@northumbria.ac.uk 

  

The data collected in this study will be used for an Undergraduate Psychology Thesis. It may also be published in scientific journals or presented at conferences. Information and data gathered during this research study will only be available to the research team named above, the Undergraduate Ethics Chair (Jenny Paterson), and Project Tutor (Andrew McNeill). Should the research be presented or published in any form, all data will be anonymous (i.e. your personal information or data will not be identifiable). This anonymous data may be held indefinitely to ensure research integrity. 

  

Any personally identifiable information and data gathered during this research is subject to and will be stored in line with EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK Data Protection Act (2018). Any personally identifiable information will be destroyed as soon as it is no longer needed (e.g. email addresses used to keep in contact with you will be destroyed as soon as they are no longer required). Consent forms with personal details will be destroyed within six months of the conclusion of the project. Any IP addresses collected via online survey systems will be deleted as soon as data collection is complete. 

  

If personal data has been collected during this study, the legal basis for the study’s personal data processing is that the research is being conducted in the public interest, and/or is necessary for scientific and historical research purposes. You have the right to access your data upon request. Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office for further information, and/or complaints about the University’s processing of personal data: https://ico.org.uk/. The Data Protection Officer at Northumbria University (the Data Controller) is Duncan James (dp.officer@northumbria.ac.uk) 

  

This study and its protocol have received full ethical approval from the Department of Psychology Ethics Committee (Undergraduate) in accordance with the School of Health and Life Sciences Ethics Committee. If you require confirmation of this please contact the Chair of this Committee (Jenny Paterson), stating the title of the research project and the name of the researcher. 

 

Please note that Northumbria staff who participate in this study are expected to do so in their own time. 

If you wish to view, download or print this information sheet please follow the link below:

https://livenorthumbriaac-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/w18003158_northumbria_ac_uk/EQxmEFrxN-NCjE7j0uC4ZfoBLq1JItHTBsv8ypD8CzXsAg?e=v1WEMg

Contact information

Information about this study:

Principal investigator: Chloe Lowes, chloe.m.l.lowes@northumbria.ac.uk 

Research supervisor: Tamlyn Watermeyer, tamlyn.watermeyer@northumbria.ac.uk 


Contact email: chloe.m.l.lowes@northumbria.ac.uk

Important technical requirements for your computer

You seem to use the following browser (version number in brackets): unknown browser ( n/a )
You need to use a different browser for this study
Please use another browser. Use Chrome or Firefox

For this study, you need to have a real keyboard.

Confirm you want to do this survey

Faculty of Health & Life Sciences

 

CONSENT FOR TAKING PART IN A STUDY WHICH MAY CAUSE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS

Project Title: The Effects of Early Life Stress on later life outcomes

Principle Investigator: Chloe Lowes

  1. I have carefully read and understood the Participant Information Sheet. 
  2. .I understand that, should I wish, I may contact the research team before consenting to participate to ask questions about the research.
  3. I understand I am free to withdraw from the study at any time, without having to give a reason for withdrawing.
  4. I agree to take part in this study.
  5. I understand that by taking part in this study I may be exposed to situations that may generate some psychological distress that may become apparent during and/or after the study has finished. I accept the small risk of  experiencing psychological distress as part of this research.
  6. I also confirm that I am above the age of 18.
  7. I understand that if I want to withdraw my data from study following participation, I must contact the researcher within one-month of participation and use my memorable code-word.
  8. I agree to provide information to the investigator and understand that my contribution will remain confidential.

 

I agree to the University of Northumbria at Newcastle recording and processing this information about me.  I understand that this information will be used only for the purpose(s) set out in the information sheet supplied to me, and my consent is conditional upon the University complying with its duties and obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 which incorporates General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). You can find out more about how we use your information here - Privacy Notices







Important data protection information

When you start, this survey will store your answers and browser information on the PsyToolkit server.The responsibility for this survey rests entirely with the researcher(s) listed above. Click here if you do not want to participate now.