About the research
[Please note: This study is now closed to new participants]
Pain is a complex experience that is shaped by lots of different things in our bodies, minds and environment. This research project is about our thoughts and beliefs related to pain. It tries to undestand why we think the way we do when we're in pain. In particular it investigates our beliefs (called metacognitions) about our thinking processes.
Pain is a complex experience that is shaped by lots of different things in our bodies, minds and environment. This research project is about our thoughts and beliefs related to pain. It tries to undestand why we think the way we do when we're in pain. In particular it investigates our beliefs (called metacognitions) about our thinking processes.
Participant Information Sheet
Development and Validation of the Pain Metacognitions Questionnaire
We invite you to participate in this research study examining how different thoughts, feelings and states of mind relate to the experience of pain. This is part of one the researchers’ PhD research (Chief Investigator Robert Schütze) and is supported by Fremantle Hospital’s Bellberry Medical Research Scholarship. This study has been approved by the South Metropolitan Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee.
If you decide to take part in this research, it is important that you understand the purpose of the study and the tasks you will be asked to complete. Please read the following information, which will provide you with details about what is involved, including the potential risks and benefits of taking part. We encourage you to also discuss this with friends or family who can support you in deciding whether to participate.
Nature and Purpose of the Study
We have asked you to take part in this study because you might have been bothered by muscle or joint (musculoskeletal) pain recently. This could be for a short period of time just recently (less than 3 months or termed ‘acute’ pain) or might be ongoing pain that has lasted a long time (3 or more months, termed ‘persistent or chronic pain’).
The aim of this study is to explore how different thoughts and feelings relate to the experience of pain because research shows that these thoughts and feelings can affect how well you recover. One of the aims of the study is to develop a new way to measure certain aspects of the pain experience.
What the Study Will Involve
If you choose to participate and you meet the inclusion criteria, you will be asked to complete a range of questionnaires about your experience of pain through the use of an online survey. This should take about 15-40 minutes and mainly involves indicating how much you agree or disagree with different statements about your pain experience. There are no right or wrong answers.
You might notice that some of the questions are quite similar. Part of this research involves analysing the questionnaires to see which questions are most important and which can be left out in future.
If you choose to enter your email address to enter the draw to win an iPad, you will also be asked to repeat just one of the questionnaires 1 week later, which should only take about 5-10 minutes. You will be sent a reminder email linking you back to the survey. Entering your email address is optional.
Benefits
Participating in this study gives you the chance to win an iPad. You will also be contributing to the global scientific effort to improve the treatment of persistent pain, which affects around 1 in 5 people and costs the Australian economy alone $55 billion each year.
Discomforts and Risks
We are not asking you to change your behaviour or health care in any way. However since some of the questionnaires ask about unpleasant experiences (such as pain) there’s a small chance you might find that thinking about it is temporarily uncomfortable. If this feeling lasts, we encourage you to talk to family and friends, contact your doctor, or call a help line such as Lifeline (in Australia: 131114).
Confidentiality
Your responses to the questionnaires will be stored securely on a password-protected electronic database. Your responses will be assigned a unique ID code that separates your answers from your email address, if you choose to enter one. Your email address will only be used to remind you to complete one of the questionnaires again 1 week later. You will not be asked for any other identifying information such as your name or address. Only the research team will have access to the coding key that links your responses to your email address, which will only be used for the purposes of re-administering the questionnaire. When the research results are published there will be no way of identifying you or any individual. All the data we collect will be stored securely for 7 years and then erased.
Results
As mentioned, the results of this research will form part of Robert Schütze’s PhD thesis, which will eventually be available from the Curtin University library (http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au). Results are also likely to be published in scientific journals. If you would like to be informed when results are published you can indicate this in the survey and we will email you the results when they are ready.
Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal from Study
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. If you decide not to participate in this study there will be no negative consequences for you. You may also withdraw from this study at any time, for whatever reason.
Consent
If you choose to go ahead and start filling out the surveys you will first be asked whether you understand this information and agree to take part in the study. Answering ‘Yes’ will indicate your informed consent to participate.
Ethics Approval
This research has received ethical approval from the Human Research Ethics Committees of South Metropolitan Health Service (approval 14/79) and Curtin University (approval 23/2015). If you should have any complaints or concerns about the way in which the study is being conducted, you may contact the SMHS Research Ethics & Governance Unit on (+618) 6151 1180 or email [email protected]. If you have further questions about this study you can contact the principal investigators: Robert Schütze ([email protected], ph: +618 6161 3848), Associate Professor Clare Rees ([email protected], ph: +618 9266 3442), or Associate Professor Helen Slater ([email protected], ph: +618 9266 3099).
Thank you for taking time to consider this research.
We invite you to participate in this research study examining how different thoughts, feelings and states of mind relate to the experience of pain. This is part of one the researchers’ PhD research (Chief Investigator Robert Schütze) and is supported by Fremantle Hospital’s Bellberry Medical Research Scholarship. This study has been approved by the South Metropolitan Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee.
If you decide to take part in this research, it is important that you understand the purpose of the study and the tasks you will be asked to complete. Please read the following information, which will provide you with details about what is involved, including the potential risks and benefits of taking part. We encourage you to also discuss this with friends or family who can support you in deciding whether to participate.
Nature and Purpose of the Study
We have asked you to take part in this study because you might have been bothered by muscle or joint (musculoskeletal) pain recently. This could be for a short period of time just recently (less than 3 months or termed ‘acute’ pain) or might be ongoing pain that has lasted a long time (3 or more months, termed ‘persistent or chronic pain’).
The aim of this study is to explore how different thoughts and feelings relate to the experience of pain because research shows that these thoughts and feelings can affect how well you recover. One of the aims of the study is to develop a new way to measure certain aspects of the pain experience.
What the Study Will Involve
If you choose to participate and you meet the inclusion criteria, you will be asked to complete a range of questionnaires about your experience of pain through the use of an online survey. This should take about 15-40 minutes and mainly involves indicating how much you agree or disagree with different statements about your pain experience. There are no right or wrong answers.
You might notice that some of the questions are quite similar. Part of this research involves analysing the questionnaires to see which questions are most important and which can be left out in future.
If you choose to enter your email address to enter the draw to win an iPad, you will also be asked to repeat just one of the questionnaires 1 week later, which should only take about 5-10 minutes. You will be sent a reminder email linking you back to the survey. Entering your email address is optional.
Benefits
Participating in this study gives you the chance to win an iPad. You will also be contributing to the global scientific effort to improve the treatment of persistent pain, which affects around 1 in 5 people and costs the Australian economy alone $55 billion each year.
Discomforts and Risks
We are not asking you to change your behaviour or health care in any way. However since some of the questionnaires ask about unpleasant experiences (such as pain) there’s a small chance you might find that thinking about it is temporarily uncomfortable. If this feeling lasts, we encourage you to talk to family and friends, contact your doctor, or call a help line such as Lifeline (in Australia: 131114).
Confidentiality
Your responses to the questionnaires will be stored securely on a password-protected electronic database. Your responses will be assigned a unique ID code that separates your answers from your email address, if you choose to enter one. Your email address will only be used to remind you to complete one of the questionnaires again 1 week later. You will not be asked for any other identifying information such as your name or address. Only the research team will have access to the coding key that links your responses to your email address, which will only be used for the purposes of re-administering the questionnaire. When the research results are published there will be no way of identifying you or any individual. All the data we collect will be stored securely for 7 years and then erased.
Results
As mentioned, the results of this research will form part of Robert Schütze’s PhD thesis, which will eventually be available from the Curtin University library (http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au). Results are also likely to be published in scientific journals. If you would like to be informed when results are published you can indicate this in the survey and we will email you the results when they are ready.
Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal from Study
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. If you decide not to participate in this study there will be no negative consequences for you. You may also withdraw from this study at any time, for whatever reason.
Consent
If you choose to go ahead and start filling out the surveys you will first be asked whether you understand this information and agree to take part in the study. Answering ‘Yes’ will indicate your informed consent to participate.
Ethics Approval
This research has received ethical approval from the Human Research Ethics Committees of South Metropolitan Health Service (approval 14/79) and Curtin University (approval 23/2015). If you should have any complaints or concerns about the way in which the study is being conducted, you may contact the SMHS Research Ethics & Governance Unit on (+618) 6151 1180 or email [email protected]. If you have further questions about this study you can contact the principal investigators: Robert Schütze ([email protected], ph: +618 6161 3848), Associate Professor Clare Rees ([email protected], ph: +618 9266 3442), or Associate Professor Helen Slater ([email protected], ph: +618 9266 3099).
Thank you for taking time to consider this research.
If you would like to participate in this online survey for a chance to win an iPad, or if you want to receive information about the results of this study when they become available please visit the PARTICIPATE page.