You have been invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide whether or not to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully.What is this research for?I am a Masters student at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston. I am conducting an online questionnaire examining the experiences and impacts of online sexual behaviour of adolescents aged under 17. I am looking for participants aged 18+ to answer questions about their experiences when they were younger. This will help school and other organisations to help towards the safeguarding of their students. What do I have to do to take part and what does it consist of?If you agree to participate, you will be required to complete a questionnaire that will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Some of the questions are sensitive (e.g., asking about emotions and online sexual approaches), and may cause some participants emotional distress. If you feel that this might be a problem, please do not take part. If you do experience any distress as a result of participating in the study, sources of help and support will be provided on the debrief page at the end of the questionnaire.
Participation in this study is voluntary. All information and data collected will remain completely anonymous and confidential. Data will be stored in a secure, password-protected file on the researcher’s computer / university network.
You can withdraw from this study until the point of submitting the completed questionnaire by closing the browser window or not clicking ‘submit’. However, once you have submitted your responses, you will not be able to withdraw as all data is anonymous and individual responses cannot be identified. If you decide to withdraw whilst completing the questionnaire, clicking on the ‘I wish to withdraw’ link at the bottom of page will direct you to the debrief sheet As the questionnaire collects sensitive information, please complete it on your own in a private area. To protect your privacy, please also refresh the website page and delete your history (through internet options) after you have submitted the questionnaire. If you are not sure how to find the internet options tab, please search ‘history’ on your computer.
By completing the questionnaire and submitting your data, you are giving consent to taking part in the study
If you need any more information, please contact myself or my supervisor and we will be happy to answer your questions.
Researcher contact details:
Sarah Cleary
School of Psychology
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
Email: Scleary@uclan.ac.uk
Supervisor Contact Details:
Dr. Joanne Bryce
School of Psychology
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
Tel:
01772 893879
Email: JBryce@uclan.ac.uk
If you have any concerns about the way in which the study has been conducted, you should contact University Officer for Ethics (email: OfficerforEthics@uclan.ac.uk).
Thank you for taking the time to read this information sheet.