Investigator:
Student COVID-19 Psychological Research Study
David Robie
Matthew Gulbin
Gwyneth Zelmanow
Contact Information:
dtrobie@wpi.edu
mjgulbin@wpi.edu
gzelmanow@wpi.edu (Primary Contact)
Title of Research Study:
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Interactive Qualifying Project
Sponsor:
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Introduction:
You are being asked to participate in a research study. Before you agree, however, you must be fully informed about the purpose of the study, the procedures to be followed, and any benefits, risks or discomfort that you may experience as a result of your participation. This form presents information about the study so that you may make a fully informed decision regarding your participation.
Purpose of the study:
The goal of our project is to compile longitudinal diaries of young adults experiencing the COVID-19 crisis during the year 2020.
We will survey the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of college aged people (18-25 year olds) across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic over a period of 4 weeks. This research is aimed to provide future studies with accurate and understandable psychological data and analysis.
Procedures to be followed:
Subjects will complete the daily longitudinal diary via the project team website: https://wp.wpi.edu/covidstudentresearchstudy/retake-the-survey/. Once the subject has entered the website, they will press a red button titled “Click here to enter the daily diary.” The subject will then be redirected to a page that says: “Please sign on to Google.” The subject must enter their Google email account and password. If they do not a have a Google account, they then turn to the “Create an account” button on the page. The subject is now redirected to the Qualtrics daily diary. The subject completes the daily diary, and upon completion, presses Submit. This process is completed every day for 21 to 28 days. The researchers will only have access to the subject’s email address.
Risks to study participants:
There is the risk of unwanted release of private information, as electronic hacking is always a concern with information collected online. Information collected includes a Google email address. All data is secured through WPI Qualtrics Survey Software and will only be reported anonymously by the project team. It is strongly encouraged for users to create an alternate email if they have privacy concerns. After the completion of the study, all confidential data will be destroyed. Read below under Record keeping and confidentiality for further information.
Benefits to research participants and others:
No benefits to participants or others. Data is only being researched and distributed, no profits or compensations are offered.
Record keeping and confidentiality:
Records will be kept by the study investigators for the duration of the research period (seven weeks), after which the data will be destroyed. Records of your participation in this study will be held confidential so far as permitted by law. However, the study investigators, the sponsor or its designee and, under certain circumstances, the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Institutional Review Board (WPI IRB) will be able to inspect and have access to confidential data that identify you by name. Any publication or presentation of the data will not identify you.
Compensation or treatment in the event of injury:
This study is low risk and requires no physical movement or other activities from the participant other than filling out an online survey. You do not give up any of your legal rights by signing this statement.
For more information about this research or about the rights of research participants, or in case of research-related injury, contact:
Investigators:
Matthew Gulbin – mjgulbin@wpi.edu
David Robie – dtrobie@wpi.edu
Gwyneth Zelmanow – gzelmanow@wpi.edu
Advisors:
Professor Thomas J. Balistrieri – tjbalistrieri@wpi.edu
Professor Sarah Jane Wodin-Schwartz – swodinschwartz@wpi.edu
IRB Chair:
Professor Kent Rissmiller – kjr@wpi.edu, Tel. 508-831-5019
Human Protection Administrator:
Gabriel Johnson – gjohnson@wpi.edu, Tel.508-831-4989
Your participation in this research is voluntary.
Your refusal to participate will not result in any penalty to you or any loss of benefits to which you may otherwise be entitled. You may decide to stop participating in the research at any time without penalty or loss of other benefits. The project investigators retain the right to cancel or postpone the experimental procedures at any time they see fit.