BDD Treatment Survey - Participant Informed Consent Form

What is the survey about?
This survey examines the perceptions of adults experiencing symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), regarding their attitudes and opinions of available treatment options. We are aiming to collect answers from people living in Australia who have or are currently experiencing symptoms of BDD to understand how we can help to generate improved services and treatments for BDD nation-wide.

What do you need to do?
We want you to answer some brief questions about your treatment journey relating to your BDD. You don’t need to have a formal diagnosis of BDD to take part nor do you have to have received treatment for your symptoms. Additionally, to help us understand which groups have responded, we will ask some questions about you, such as your age and employment status. It is important that you are currently living in Australia when you complete this survey.
The survey will take around ~7 minutes to complete, although some individuals may take a bit longer.

Possible benefits and risks:
• A potential benefit of participating in this research includes the experience of contributing to scientific research which aims to help generate improved services and treatment options for people experiencing BDD.
• There are minimal risks of fatigue.
• Some questions will touch on sensitive information, such as how you feel about your treatment journey. There is thus a slight risk of participant discomfort or distress. If you have any concerns, or are bothered by how you have responded to any questions, a list of helpline numbers is provided at the end of this explanatory statement, and at the end of the survey.
• At the end of survey, you will be asked if you would like to be notified of research findings. If you would like to be notified you will be asked to provide your email address. This will be separate and anonymised from your survey responses.
• Lastly, if you think would like to see a mental health professional about body image concerns we have provided information at the end of the survey.

Privacy and confidentiality:
It is up to you if you want to take part in this survey. You can leave the survey at any stage by closing the browser.
Should you leave the survey halfway, the researchers will retain the information you have already contributed, which may or may not form part of their analysis.
• All of your answers will be kept completely anonymous. You do not have to give us any personal information or answer any questions that you do not wish to.
• All collected data will be stored securely. Data collected in this project will be used for the PhD of Gemma Virgili and may be presented at conferences or be used in the future to answer related or different research questions.
• By completing this survey, you are consenting that this data may be used for these purposes in the future.

Contacts for information or complaints:
This project has been approved by or on behalf of Swinburne’s Human Research Ethics Committee (SUHREC) in line with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Whom you need to contact will depend on the nature of your query.
• If you want further information about this project, or have medical problems related to your involvement, please contact: Chief Investigator, Prof Susan Rossell, Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia; telephone: +613 9214 8173; or email: gvirgili@swin.edu.au.
• If you have concerns or complaints about any aspect of this project, the way it is conducted, or general questions about being a research participant, please contact: Research Ethics Officer, Swinburne Research (H68), Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia; telephone: +(613) 9214 3845; or email: resethics@swin.edu.au.

Research Team:
The student investigator for this research is PhD Candidate Miss Gemma Virgili. The PhD candidate will be responsible for recruitment, data collection and analysis.
The conduct of this research will be overseen by Professor Susan Rossell and Dr. Erica Neill.

Support services:
If you experience distress from taking part in this survey and would like to speak to someone for support or information, please contact one of the organisations below:
Lifeline Australia – immediate mental health and crisis support, and suicide prevention – open 24/7 (phone); 7pm-midnight AEST, 7 days a week (online chat) www.lifeline.org.au 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service – support if you or someone you know is feeling suicidal – open 24/7 (phone & online chat) https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/ 1300 659 467
Beyondblue – mental health support – open 24/7 (phone); 3pm-midnight AEST, 7 days a week (online chat) www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 224 636
Mensline Australia – confidential information and support for Australian men – open 24/7 (phone & online chat) www.mensline.org.au 1300 789 978
Butterfly Foundation – confidential information and support for people with eating disorders or body image and related issues – open 8am-midnight AEST, 7 days a week (phone & online chat) www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au 1800 334 673 1800
Respect – confidential information and support for people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse – open 24/7 (phone & online chat) www.1800respect.org.au 1800 737 732

By clicking the arrow to proceed, I am indicating my consent to participate in this study, acknowledging that:
• I am at least 18 years of age;
• I am proficient in English;
• I understand what I have read, including potential risks of participation, and agree to take part in the processes described;
• My participation is voluntary, and I consent to the use of my personal and health information, as stated.