PROJECT TITLE: Revealing the Hidden COVID-19 Curve: Stress in a Pandemic, Part I (Survey)
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: K. Ann Horsburgh
Overview
We are conducting a research study to learn more about the stressors faced by Asian Americans of East and Southeast Asian descent throughout and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Your participation in this study is voluntary. If you agree to take part and later change your mind, you can withdraw for any reason. There are no penalties if you withdraw, decline to participate or skip any questions in the study.
If you agree to participate you will answer questions about your age, sex, ancestry and nationality, followed by 36 multichoice questions and a freeform question. You will be asked whether you would like to leave your email address to be sent the results of the study, whether you are interested in being contacted to be interviewed at a later date, whether you are interested in being contacted about providing a hair sample at a later date so we can measure stress hormones in your hair. If you are interested in participating in an interview and/or providing a hair sample, but change your mind later, there is no penalty.
Your participation in the survey should take no more than 15-20 minutes. If you choose to participate in the later interview, that should take no more than one hour. If you choose to participate in the later hair sampling, that should take no more than 30 minutes.
The risks to you of participating in this study are minimal. You may feel uncomfortable at being asked to recall unpleasant incidents during the survey or the interview; if so, you may stop participating at any time.
There are no direct benefits to you as a research participant in this study. Society at large, however, will benefit by understanding the real nature of the stressors of living as an Asian American in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Introduction
Before you agree to take part in this research study you need to read this form. It is important for you to understand all the information in this form because it will tell you what the study is about and how it will be conducted. It will tell you about some problems that might arise during the study, as well as potential benefits that might come about during the study. When you read a paper like this to learn about a research study, it is called “informed consent.” When you give your consent for something, it is the same thing as giving your permission. If you do not understand something in this form, please speak with one of the staff to answer your questions. Do not sign this consent form unless all your questions have been answered and you feel comfortable with the information you have read.
Purpose
The purpose of this research study is to learn more about the stress experienced by Asian Americans in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic. You are being asking to take part in the study because you are over the age of 18, of East or Southeast Asian descent and living in the US. We anticipate that 500 people will participate in this study, but it is possible that as many as 4000 people will participate.
Your Rights
Your participation in this study is voluntary. You do not have to take part in this study. If you agree to take part and then change your mind, you can withdraw for any reason. Deciding not to be in the study, choosing not to complete a part of the study, or leaving the study early will not result in any penalty or loss of benefits that you would otherwise receive from Southern Methodist University or any other organizations. If you change your mind and later want to withdraw your permission, you may do so by notifying K. Ann Horsburgh by phone (214-768-2724) or by email (horsburgh@smu.edu). If you decide to do this, all of your information will be destroyed if you provided your email address. If you did not provide your email address, we will have no way to identify your answers, so will not be able to remove your information from the study.
Procedures
If you agree to participate you will answer questions about your age, sex, ancestry and nationality, plus 34 multichoice questions and a freeform question. You will be asked whether you would like to leave your email address to be sent the results of the study, whether you are interested in being contacted to be interviewed at a later date, and whether you are interested in being contacted about providing a hair sample at a later date so we can measure stress hormones in your hair. If you are interested in participating in an interview and/or providing a hair sample, but change your mind later, there is no penalty.
Duration
Your participating in the survey should take no more than 15-20 minutes. If you choose to participate in the later interview, that should take no more than one hour. If you choose to participate in the later hair sampling, that should take no more than 30 minutes.
Risks
The risks to you of participating in this study are minimal. You may feel uncomfortable at being asked to recall unpleasant incidents during the survey or the interview, and you may stop participating at any time.
Benefits
There are no direct benefits to you as a research participant in this study. Society at large, however, will benefit by understanding the real nature of the stressors of living as an Asian American in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Costs and Compensation
There is no cost to you for taking part in this study. You will not be offered payment for being in this study.
Confidentiality
You have a full right to privacy. This means that only the researchers who are part of this study will see the information about you from this study. The results of this study may be published in a scientific book or journal or presented to other people. If this is done, your name will not be used so no one will know who you are. All information about you from this research project will be kept in the locked office of Dr. Horsburgh. Information that is stored on computers will be kept safe from access by people who should not see it, through password-protection. The researchers who are part of this study may want to use the information collected about you during this study in future research. If this happens, any information linking you to the information will be completely removed first.
Research Results
If you provide us with your email address and indicate that you’d like to be sent the results of this study we will do so as soon as the work is complete.
Whom Do I Call If I have Questions or Problems?
If you have concerns or questions about the study or have a research-related injury, contact any of the following:
K. Ann Horsburgh
horsburgh@smu.edu
214-768-2724
If you have questions about your rights as a participant or feel you have been placed at risk, you may contact:
Tom Mayo, JD, IRB Chair
researchcompliance@smu.edu
214-768-2033
If you understand the information provide here and agree to participate in this study, please indicate your agreement by clicking the appropriate response below.