Informed Consent

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!
 
At the end of the survey, you can enter a draw to win one of five Starbucks gift cards!
 
Purpose of the study
 
This study is designed to measure the positive growth experienced after a very stressful event at work. An example of this type of stress could be going through layoffs at work, or conflict between colleagues. Little research currently exists in this area. Creating a new measure will allow us to identify this type of positive growth at work. This could in turn lead to higher levels of success at work. We will also look at the relationship of this concept to key performance indicators. These include employee well-being, positive and negative affect, employee engagement, and resilience. As well as, examine the role of optimism in influencing resilience at work. This information could allow companies to create programs aimed at enhancing employee well-being and organizational performance.

Procedure for the study

As a participant, you will first be asked to read and accept the informed consent form. Next, you will complete the survey which takes about 15 minutes. We will also ask you to describe, in a couple sentences, a stressful event that occurred in your workplace in the last ten years. Once you have finished the survey we will ask you some questions about yourself and your workplace. Some examples include your gender, education, and what year you were born. We will be asking you these questions so that we can describe the group of people who take the survey.
 
If you choose, you can receive an executive summary of the results of the study and enter a draw to win one of five Starbucks gift cards worth $20. If you choose, there will be another website at the end of the survey where you can submit your email address to enter the draw and receive an executive summary of the results. By using a separate website, it makes sure that your email is not linked to your survey responses. You can enter the Starbucks draw even if you do not finish the survey. You will however need to answer all the questions for your answers to be included in the study.

The Study is Voluntary

You can decide if you want to participate in the research. There will be no problem if you say no. You can quit the survey at any point by clicking exit at the bottom of the survey page. Once you have submitted the survey we cannot withdraw your responses because we will not know what data is yours. Your company is not involved in collecting or reviewing the survey responses. You must answer all survey questions in order for your responses to be included in the study. 

The Research is Confidential

Participation in this study will be kept confidential. The collected responses will be removed from the survey website and stored on a secure password protected USB drive. Only ourselves and our supervising researcher will have access to the responses. After five years, all data will be destroyed by erasing the data files from the USB. A report of the results may be sent to your organization representative if your organization has 50 or more employees and if a minimum of 30 employees complete the survey. This report will only include summaries and trends, and no individual level responses or demographic information will be shared at any point. Your company will not have access to individual responses.
Limits to Confidentiality

If you provide your email address requesting the results of the study or entrance into the Starbucks draw, your participation will not be anonymous. Your survey responses will still be anonymous and your name can not be linked to your data.

The Results of the Research

We will publish the results of the research in our Master's thesis, and may re-use the data in our other research studies. We may also write or speak about the research or re-use it in future research studies. The researchers will ensure the anonymity of each participant throughout all uses.

Risks & Benefits:

There is a risk of some distress associated with participating in this study. You might feel some distress when thinking about the stressful event you experienced. If you feel more distress than you want, you can:
1. Take a break from answering questions
2. Exit the survey at any time

You should not feel pressured to participate. You should only do so if you are interested in the study. You will not receive any rewards from your company for participating. Please note that your information will remain anonymous and as such, there will be no repercussions for withdrawal from the study or for answering questions honestly.  You will not be required to provide any personal identifying information and your IP address will not be recorded.

Benefits: It is possible that you may experience a degree of increased awareness of yourself or your work as a result of exploring your thoughts during this study.  Also, if you ask for an executive summary of the results, this will give you the opportunity to learn more about organizational psychology, workplace posttraumatic growth and research in general.  Your organization can also receive a copy of our finalized measure to use within your company.

If you have any concerns about your treatment as a participant, you can contact the Chair of the REB: Debbie Clelland PhD (236) 521 2478 or dclelland@adler.edu

Consent for this Research:
  • I understand that my participation in this study is voluntary.
  • I understand that I may refuse to participate or withdraw from the study at any time.
  • I understand that agreeing to this consent form does not waive my legal rights in any way.
  • I understand that my data may be used by the student researchers in further research 
  • I know that the information I give will be kept confidential.
  • I understand that my data cannot be removed once submitted and if I do not answer one or more of the questions my data will not be used
Please note that your survey responses will remain anonymous and there is no consequence for answering questions honestly.

Question Title

* 1. I have read this consent form. By clicking Agree below, this indicates my consent to participate in this study.

 
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