A STUDY OF THE COPE • CARE • CONNECT PLEDGE SYSTEM

Researchers from Brock University are studying whether CopeCareConnect pledges can benefit the Brock community. You can be a part of this important study by agreeing to share your registration information and your post-pledge thoughts. It will take 5-10 minutes all together and make Brock a better place for everyone.

Here’s how the study works:

Everyone who makes a pledge completes a very short registration form that asks what pledge they’re making, who they are (age, gender, year of study, etc.), and whether they use alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, or other recreational/prescription drugs.

Two weeks after registering their pledge, everyone completes a short follow-up survey that’s automatically emailed to them using the address they provide. This survey asks whether their pledge made them and/or other people feel good about themselves and positively connected to others.

If you choose to join the study, your answers to the registration form and follow-up survey—but never your email address—are securely downloaded into an aggregated database the researcher will use to study the CopeCareConnect project. This database is maintained by the researcher under password protection, and all your information is always held confidentially. Your email address is used to generate an automated email that provides a link to the follow-up survey and an automated email reminder. All data transmission is encrypted, and firewall securities are in place to protect all of your data. The researcher’s database will be permanently deleted on or before December 31, 2030.

Participation in the study is completely voluntary, and you can leave the study at any time for any reason with no negative impact of any sort. Your pledge still counts and you still have access to any service you seek! At registration, you can decline to be in the study by selecting: “I’m making a pledge; DON’T use my info for the study.” At follow-up, you can stop being in the study by saying NO when asked if your follow-up answers can be used. (Please note though, once your answers are submitted, they are totally anonymous. This means they can’t be withdrawn after submission.)

If any part of your pledge or the study makes you uncomfortable, you can get support from:

- Brock Mental Health & Wellness | brocku.ca/mental-health | 1 833-276-2533 for appt or crisis
- Brock Student Health Services | brocku.ca/health-services | 905-688-5550 x3243
- Brock Personal Counselling Services | brocku.ca/sdc/counselling | 1 833-276-2533 for appt or crisis
- Distress Center (St. Catharines) | distresscentreniagara.com | 905-688-3711 – 24/7 phone line
- Good 2 Talk | 1 866-925-5454 | text good2talkon to 686868 (help for university students)
- Mental Health & Addictions Access Line | 1-866-550-5205 for appt or crisis

The study itself has no immediate benefits for participants. On the other hand, you might feel good about helping researchers determine whether CopeCareConnect pledges benefit the Brock community.

Results of this study will be posted on CopeCareConnect.ca about 4 months from now, and shared with researchers, health professionals and administrators at conferences, in print reports, and on the web. You and your answers will never be identified. Only group answers will be reported.

This study has been reviewed and received clearance from the Brock University Research Ethics Board (file #19-318). If you have any questions about this study, the investigators, or about your rights as a participant in the study, you can contact Brock University Research Ethics Board, 905.688.5550 x3035, reb@brocku.ca. The lead researcher for the study is Kelli-an Lawrance, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Sciences Dept, Brock University, klawrance@ brocku.ca

CONSENT STATEMENT

By consenting to participate in the study described here, you are agreeing it has been satisfactorily explained to you, and you have received contact information you can use any time during or after the survey period to get information and/or support. You understand you are free to stop participating in the study at any time, for any reason with no penalty or loss of benefits to you.

PLEASE PRINT/SAVE THIS INFORMATION FOR YOUR RECORDS