PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET

Title: The Impact of Functionality-Appreciation on Cancer Survivors Body Image

Researcher
Miss Elizabeta Brkic
College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University
Email: brki0003@flinders.edu.au

Supervisors
Associate Professor Lisa Beatty
College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University
Email: lisa.beatty@flinders.edu.au

Associate Professor Ivanka Prichard
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University
Email: ivanka.prichard@flinders.edu.au
 
Description of the study
This study is part of the project titled, ‘The Impact of Functionality-Appreciation on Cancer Survivors Body Image’. This project will investigate the relationship between functionality appreciation, body appreciation, and distress. Participants in this study must be female cancer survivors aged 18+ years. This project is supported by the College of Education, Psychology & Social Work, and the College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Flinders University.

Purpose of the study
This project aims to investigate the impact of a writing intervention on the relationship between functionality appreciation, body appreciation, and distress among female cancer survivors.

Benefits of the study
Participants may experience an increase in functionality appreciation, which also may lead to a decrease in distress. These effects would result in an increase in overall wellbeing for the participant. It will also fill a current gap in research regarding the impact of a functionality- appreciation based writing intervention on a female cancer survivor population. If successful, this research would provide a method of increasing functionality-appreciation and overall wellbeing in female cancer survivors and could be a basis for future research of the intervention in a different cancer population.

Participant involvement and potential risks
If you agree to participate in the research study, you will be asked to complete some questionnaires and answer writing prompts. You will first be asked to complete a baseline questionnaire. The questionnaire items will ask for some personal information regarding your cancer, body image and distress. Example questions include “I couldn't seem to experience any positive feeling at all” and “I am comfortable in my body”. You will then be asked to complete one 15-minute writing session. To allow for the easy completion of the writing task, it is recommended that a laptop or PC device are used. The content of the writing task will not be analysed, as it is for therapeutic purposes. Therapeutic writing exercises have shown to benefit wellbeing in other populations. Immediately after you finish writing, you’ll be asked to complete a very brief questionnaire (8 items), then one week later you will be asked to complete a short follow-up survey, which includes similar items to the original questionnaire. Participation is entirely voluntary. The study will take approximately 30-40 minutes in total to complete (including the writing session).  

The researchers anticipate few risks from your involvement in this study. There is no obligation to take part in this research. You are entirely free to discontinue your participation at any time or to decline to answer particular questions.  Participants will be asked to reflect on their feelings, which could raise some concerns. While we think it is unlikely, if any of the items raise any issues that you would like to discuss please contact Cancer Council SA Information and Support Line (13 11 20) or Lifeline Australia (13 11 14) for support and counselling that may be accessed free of charge by all participants.