You are invited to participate in a study on anxiety and depression in children and young people. This study is interested in testing effective ways to measure anxiety and related issues. The study is being led by Professor Jennie Hudson (9850 8668; jennie.hudson@mq.edu.au) and a team of researchers including Professor Genevieve McArthur, Dr Deanna Francis, Alana Jones, Natalie Parsa, Maddison O’Gradey-Lee and Esther Gandhi.
We will be asking you and your child to complete questions about feelings of anxiety and depression and related emotional health problems. Parental responses are integral to the success of the project. You and your child’s identity will be protected in all publications. We will link parent and child data by using a special identification number. The data will only include this identification number and no other identifying information (e.g., name). All responses are confidential. The researchers named above as well as research assistants involved in the project will have access to the de-identified data. In the future, other researchers with projects that have obtained approval from a Human Research Ethics Committee may be granted access to the de-identified data. We will not provide you with a report on the outcome of your child’s responses but if you are interested you can request a copy of the publication emerging from the research by emailing the Chief Investigator: jennie.hudson@mq.edu.au.
The questions and procedures are unlikely to cause you or your child distress but in the unlikely event that this does occur, please contact the Chief Investigator by email jennie.hudson@mq.edu.au or phone 98508668.
If you need immediate assistance, you can contact the following helplines: Kids helpline: https://kidshelpline.com.au/ 1300551800; or
Lifeline: 131114 www.lifeline.org.au. If you or your child are interested in seeking help for anxiety or depression then please contact the Centre for Emotional Health Clinic at Macquarie University 98508711 or www.mq.edu.au/ceh
Participation in this study is entirely voluntary: you are not obliged to participate and if you decide to participate, you are free to withdraw at any time without having to give a reason and without consequence.
Participating parents and children will go into a drawn to win an IPad valued at $529. You and your child will have the option at the end of the questionnaire to enter your contact details. This information will be recorded separately to your questionnaire responses to ensure confidentiality.
The ethical aspects of this study have been approved by the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee. If you have any complaints or reservations about any ethical aspect of your participation in this research, you may contact the Committee through the Director, Research Ethics (telephone (02) 9850 7854; email ethics@mq.edu.au). Any complaint you make will be treated in confidence and investigated, and you will be informed of the outcome.
