About the study

Participant information and consent form (2021)

This study is interested in examining the relationship between exposure to adverse experiences in childhood and wellbeing in adulthood. It is an important study because it will be the first to find out how many people were exposed to any form of maltreatment and will provide important information on how to protect children in the future.

We are interested in the responses of all Australians not just those who experienced difficulties in childhood. The study is being led by Professor Ben Mathews at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and has been approved by the QUT Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number 190000477).

Participation involves a single telephone interview that takes about 25 minutes. The interview will ask about your childhood, including if you were exposed to any maltreatment, and about your current health. The interview will be recorded for quality assurance. Most people even those with difficult childhoods do not find answering the questions difficult, and some participants find it helpful or empowering, but if you experience any distress support will be provided to you.You will not receive any money or compensation for participation. All responses you give will be confidential as far as the law allows.

Your answers are not stored with your phone number and we will not ask your name or address details. Confidentiality can only be broken in order to ensure safety if you or someone else is at risk of imminent risk of serious harm. For example, if you report you are currently being abused we may be obligated to report this for your own safety.

You are free to refuse to answer any questions or to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. If you withdraw from the study any answers you had given will be deleted.

You can change your answers, withdraw from the study or request a copy of your answers at any time while the survey is still open by talking to your interviewer or calling the project hotline on 1800 023 040. The survey will be open for one year and will remain open for 2 months after the last interview to allow people to change or withdraw their answers. All audio recordings will be deleted when the project is completed. Once the study is finished
your anonymous answers will be combined with those of other participants and can be used in other studies.

You will be asked if you are willing to be contacted about future studies and are free to decline. No data personally linked with you will be used in other studies without your express consent. If you later choose to participate in follow up study you can provide consent for data collected in this study to be used in that study and your data may be shared.

You do not need to decide if you wish to participate now. I can call you back after you have had time to think about it. You can read more about the study at www.AustralianChildMaltreatmentStudy.org or I can send you information if you like.
If you provide your email it will be stored separately from any responses you may subsequently provide.

You can also talk to the project manager if you wish by calling 07 3138 7124.

If you have concerns about the ethical conduct of the research project you can contact the QUT Research Ethics Advisory Team on 07 3138 5123 or email humanethics@qut.edu.au.

Consent Information

The next part requires you to confirm you wish to participate.

By saying you consent at the end you are indicating that:

• You have been read and understand the details of the project as just outlined to you.
• You have had any questions answered satisfactorily.
• You understand that if you have any additional questions you can contact the research team
• You understand you are free to withdraw without comment or penalty
• Understand your responses are confidential as far as the law allows. If you indicate that you or someone else is in imminent danger your privacy may be broken in order to ensure safety.
• Your interview will be recorded and retained during the data collection process after
  which it will be deleted.
• Understand that if you have concerns about the ethical conduct of the research project you can contact the QUT Research Ethics Advisory Team on 07 3138 5123 or email
  humanethics@qut.edu.au.
• Knowing all of the above do you agree to participate in the research project?

Your interviewer will ask you to say “I understand and consent” if you agree to participate under these conditions please say “I understand and consent”.