Media and Mental Health Study
 

Informed Consent


INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE: 
My name is Dr. Aleksandria Perez Grabow and I am a professor in the Psychology Department at California State University San Marcos. You are invited to participate in a research study of media violence exposure and mental health outcomes. You were selected as a possible participant through reading about this study on one of the Trauma and Healing Lab’s social media accounts (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and following directions to this survey. Please read this form carefully and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to be in the study. You must be 18 or older to participate in the study.

KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RESEARCH STUDY:
The following is a short summary of this study to help you decide whether to be a part of this study. Information that is more detailed is listed later on in this form.
 
The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of media coverage, particularly social media posting, of issues related to the 2020 Presidential Election on mental health outcomes. These issues include sensitive topics on various forms of violence exposure (e.g., discrimination, sexual assault). You will be asked to complete one survey online, 9 brief surveys administered through a smartphone app, and a follow-up online survey to participate in a drawing for one of twenty $25 Amazon gift cards. We expect that you will be participating in this research study over the course of 5 weeks prior to the election. The primary risk of participation is feeling discomfort or triggered by survey questions; specifically, you will be asked questions about race-based violence, sexual assault (including rape), and mental health (including self-harm). Although there are no direct benefits to you from participating in this study, your participation in this study will contribute to furthering knowledge about how media content influences our mental health on these important issues.

STUDY PURPOSE: 
The purpose of this study is to understand how media content that we are exposed to on issues that will be discussed during the 2020 Presidential Election may influence the development or exacerbation of various mental health outcomes, including but not limited to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress.  

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:
If you agree to participate, you will be one of up to 500 participants who will be participating in this research.   

PROCEDURES FOR THE STUDY:
If you agree to be in the study, you will do the following: Continue to use media (e.g., television) and your social media account(s) (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, etc.) as you normally would. Complete a survey online that will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. After completing the survey, you will be directed to download an app on your smartphone and given instructions on how to record your responses when prompted over the next 3 weeks. Complete a series of three-minute mini surveys when prompted by the smartphone app. You will have 24 hours to complete a mini survey via the mobile app once you receive the notification on your smartphone. When completing the surveys, ensure that you are in a safe and appropriate location, and that your attention does not distract from other important tasks. Do not complete mini surveys when driving. There will be 9 mini surveys total over the course of 3 weeks. At the end of the 3 weeks, you will be asked to complete a follow-up survey that will take approximately 45 minutes online. You will have one week to complete the follow-up survey.

RISKS AND INCONVENIENCES:
There are risks and inconveniences to participating in this study. These include: Participants may experience discomfort answering some of the survey questions, including those about race-based violence, sexual assault (including rape), and mental health (including self-harm). Participants may feel inconvenienced by the time spent participating in the study.

SAFEGUARDS:
To minimize these risks and inconveniences, the following measures will be taken: Participants may decline to participate in the study at any time. Participants can skip any questions that they feel uncomfortable answering while taking any of the surveys. Additionally, participants who feel inconvenienced by the time spent participating in the study may skip any questions or mini surveys, or decline to participate in the study at any time. Participants will be offered a list of resources related to social support services and resource guides for survivors of sexual violence and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) should they experience discomfort from any of the survey items.

CONFIDENTIALITY:
Your responses and information will be confidential. During the first online survey, you will be asked for the following personal information: email address. At this time, you will be assigned a unique study ID number that you will be asked to input when you first download the smartphone app, and again when you complete the follow-up online survey. This is to ensure that we are able to connect your information from the first survey to the information you provide in follow-up surveys without you having to provide any other identifying information via the mobile app or online survey. The personal information (i.e., email address) from the first survey will be kept confidential and kept separate from any other information using two different password-protected databases. Your information as collected as part of this study will not be used for future research studies.

The results of this study may be used in reports, presentations, or publications but your name or other personal information will not be used. Data with these results will be stored on a password-protected computer accessible to the research team and will be kept for up to 3 years after the project is completed. After this time, digital files with these data will be erased.
 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION:
Taking part in this study is voluntary.  You may choose not to take part or may leave the study at any time.  Leaving the study will not result in any penalty. Your decision whether or not to participate in this study will not affect your current or future relations with the Psychology Department or CSUSM.

BENEFITS OF TAKING PART IN THE STUDY:
Although there are no direct benefits to you from participating in this study, your participation in this study will contribute to furthering knowledge about how media coverage of important, sensitive topics affects our short-term mental health outcomes to inform prevention efforts and media policy.

PAYMENT OR INCENTIVE:
You will not receive payment for taking part in this study. For each component of the study you complete, you will also have a chance to win an Amazon gift card through gaining a lottery ticket. A detailed breakdown of these incentives can be found below:
Completed Task HPP Credits
Pre-Survey (online) 1 lottery ticket
1 – 5 Mini Surveys (mobile app) 1 lottery ticket
6 – 9 Mini Surveys (mobile app) 1 lottery ticket
Post-Survey (online) 1 lottery ticket

SUPPORT SERVICES
You will be provided with an online copy of resources for nationwide support as well as resource guides for survivors of sexual violence and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the event that you experience discomfort during the course of this study and would like to seek additional support.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
If you have questions about the study, please e-mail me at agrabow@csusm.edu.You will be given a copy of this form for your records. If you have any questions about your rights as a participant in this research or if you feel you have been placed at risk, you can contact the IRB Office at irb@csusm.edu or (760) 750-4029.
 
 
PARTICIPANT’S CONSENT:
Do you consent to participate in this research study?