INFORMATION SHEET FOR PARTICIPANTS
Ethical Clearance Reference Number: PsyREC-RB-032-23/24
A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Women’s Experiences of Traumatic Birth with Particular Interest in Ethnic Minorities.
I would like to invite you to participate in this research project which forms part of my MSc Health Psychology research. Before you decide whether you want to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what your participation will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. If there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information, please contact me using the details below to discuss this before taking part in this survey.
What is the purpose of the project?
The purpose of the project is to understand how women experience traumatic births especially those from a minority ethnic background, and their perspective on this. This study aims to identify common aspects of these experiences, as well as understanding the details of the experience that led to this perception of trauma.
Why have I been invited to take part?
You are being invited to participate in this project because you have identified yourself as having had a traumatic birth experience since 2016. You may also self-identified as being from a minority ethnic-background. To complete this study, you must be able to write freely and fluently in English, and be over the age of 18 years.
What will happen if I take part?
If you choose to take part in the project, you will be asked to complete an online survey in which you will describe your experiences of the subject matter. These questions will be left open for you to write freely about this, and some key obstetric and demographic data will also be collected. Should you wish to be contacted for a follow-up interview, participation will take place online using a video-conferencing software, with the interview lasting approximately an hour. As part of your participation, you will be asked to further discuss the answers you provided regarding your experiences of traumatic births, and the impact that this has had on you. Interviews will be audio-recorded with your consent.
Do I have to take part?
Participation is completely voluntary. You should only take part if you want to and choosing not to take part will not disadvantage you in any way. Once you have read the information sheet, please contact us if you have any questions that will help you make a decision about taking part. If you decide to take part, we will ask you to sign a consent form and you will be given a copy of this consent form to keep.
What are the possible risks of taking part?
Due to the nature of the question topics, it is possible that this may raise feelings of upset or distress. Details of relevant support services will be provided following completion of the surveys, and also after the interview should you wish to take part. If so, you are able to pause or stop the interview at any time, with no consequences.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
There are no intended benefits to taking part in this research, but some people find taking part in this kind of research a cathartic process.
Data handling and confidentiality
Your data will be processed under the terms of UK data protection law (including the UK General Data Protection Regulation [UK GDPR] and the Data Protection Act 2018). Your information and data obtained through the interview will be anonymised throughout transcription. Any names, places or other identifiable data will be removed, and you will be identified via a pseudonym during the analysis. Following transcription, you will be asked to confirm that you feel as though you are not idenitifiable within the transcript. Disclosure of illegal activities (actual or risk of) may limit confidentiality and there are some instances (e.g. disclosure of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting [FGM/C]; current child abuse) where the researcher might be obliged to break confidentiality due to the nature of the disclosure being made or concern of risk of harm to themselves or others. Data will only be shared within the research team, and not with any third parties. Data will not be shared outside the EU. Liverpool John Moores University has a responsibility to keep information collected about you safe and secure, and to ensure the integrity of research data. Specialist teams within Liverpool John Moores University continually assess and ensure that data is held in the most appropriate and secure way. If you would like more information about how your data will be processed under the terms of UK data protection laws please visit the link below: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/data-protection/data-protection-policy
What if I change my mind about taking part?
You are free withdraw at any point of the project, without having to give a reason. Withdrawing from the project will not affect you in any way. You are able to withdraw your data from the project up to 2 weeks after the interview, after which withdrawal of your data will no longer be possible due to the data having been anonymised, analysed and committed to the report. If you choose to withdraw from the project we will not retain the information you have given thus far. Survey data will be automatically anonymised and so is unable to be withdrawn once submitted.
What will happen to the results of the project?
The results of the project will be summarised in a thesis completed in partial fulfilment of an MSc in Health Psychology. This research will be potentially published in academic journals. Should you wish to obtain a final copy of the manuscript, please contact the researcher after 26/07/2024. The anonymised data set will not be made publicly available, but excerpts of answers and interviews will be included in the manuscript.
Who should I contact for further information?
If you have any questions or require more information about this project, please contact me using the following contact details: Emma Bailey – E.C.Bailey@2023.ljmu.ac.uk
What if I have further questions, or if something goes wrong?
If this project has harmed you in any way or if you wish to make a complaint about the conduct of the project you can contact Liverpool John Moores University using the details below for further advice and information:
Sergio A. Silverio – S.A.Silverio@ljmu.ac.uk
Dr Kayleigh Sheen – Kayleigh.Sheen@uwe.ac.uk
Supervisors
Thank you for reading this information sheet and for considering taking part in this research.
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