Information Sheet for Caregivers of Participants

Thank you for the interest in our project
“Screentime in Young People”.

Thanks to a big interest in the project and many sign-ups we have reached our
maximum of participants and are not taking any new sign-ups.

Thank you for your interest in this study. Please read the following information about the study so that you can decide whether your child would like to take part in this study. If you agree for your child to participate in the study after reading this information sheet, you will be able to tick “yes” for your consent online. Your decision whether your child takes part or not will not affect your relationship with The University of Queensland or the research team.

What is this study about?

We are interested in use of screens and social media and aim to investigate how young teenagers in Australia perceive their habits of using screens. We further aim to find out about the supports and co- regulation young Australians need and want to achieve healthy and effective screen use. Young people face many challenges with today’s screen and social media availability, including long screen times, managing the different functions of different apps and purposes of screens across school and learning as well as home and leisure time. However, managing screen use for children can be difficult without appropriate guidance and support. Little is known about the current experiences and needs with respect to screen use by young Australians. With this research project we are hoping to gain an insight on the regulations and support young people wish for, to manage their screen time effectively. Therefore, this interview study invites participants aged 10 to 13 years, to have a say and share their views and thoughts on the topic. The study is being conducted by a team of researchers from The University of Queensland.

Who is eligible to participate?

For the current study, we are hoping to hear from young people aged 10 – 13 years or currently studying in Grade 5- 8.

What will I as a parent need to do?

If your child is participating in the study, we will ask you to fill out a short online questionnaire (5 minutes) which includes:

• A few questions on screen use and rules in your family.
• A consent section in which you are asked give consent for your child’s participation (your child will separately also be informed and asked for consent).

What will my child need to do?

If your child is participating in the study:

• We will ask them to fill out a short online survey to determine their eligibility to participate in the study and a few questions about their screen use.
• Your child will participate in a short online interview with our investigator.
• A 20- minute online interview which the child is asked to attend without a parent.
• Your child will be given a $20 gift voucher as a token of appreciation for their participation.
• The online interview will be recorded and transcribed for the purpose of data analysis.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

There will be no direct benefit for your child by participating in this study. However, the findings of this data will shed light on the children’s perspective of needs and regulations to efficiently manage their screen use and might help development interventions and regulations to support and empower children to develop healthy screen habits.

What are the possible risks and disadvantages of taking part?

Your child might experience slight discomfort or boredom from participating in the online interview by being asked questions about their screen use by a stranger. If your child experiences any sort of discomfort, they are free to communicate this to their parent or the interviewer and withdraw at any time, without giving a reason.

What will happen to the information about my child?

All information collected about your child will remain confidential. Your child’s responses will be de-identified (e.g., coded with a pseudonym) in the data set so that they will not be able to be identified. The data will be stored in accord with UQ’s management of research data policy and only accessible by the research team. It is anticipated that the results of this study will be presented in a research thesis and further published in a variety of forms. In any publication and/or presentation, information will be provided in a way that your child cannot be identified. The collected data might get used in related future research projects.

What will happen if my child decides to withdraw from the study?

Your child’s participation in this study is voluntary and they are free to withdraw at any time without needing to provide any explanation. There is no penalty or bias resulting from withdrawal. Should your child decide to withdraw, all the information collected about them will be destroyed and will not be used in the study.

Can I hear about the results of this study?

A summary of the findings will be provided to you and your child at the conclusion of the study.

Who can I contact if I have any concerns about the study?

If you have questions, just get in touch with the research team by emailing at v.fuss@uq.edu.au.

Furthermore, this study adheres to the Guidelines of the ethical review process of The University of Queensland and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Whilst you are free to discuss your participation in this study with the researcher contactable on v.fuss@uq.edu.au, if you would like to speak to an officer of the University not involved in the study, you may contact the Ethics Coordinator on 617 3365 3924 / 617 3443 1656 or email humanethics@research.uq.edu.au.

Thank you for the interest in our project
“Screentime in Young People”.

Thanks to a big interest in the project and many sign-ups we have reached our
maximum of participants and are not taking any new sign-ups.