Participant Information Sheet

Date Information Sheet Produced:
 24 May 2024

 Project Title
 Mapayapa: The influence of cultural values on mental health and coping strategies among Filipinos in New Zealand and the Philippines.

An Invitation:
Kamusta mga kababayan!  I’m Ella Mejia. This year, I am embarking on my final year of completing my Master of Arts in Psychology degree at Auckland University of Technology. I would like to formally invite you to participate in my research project.

What is the purpose of this research?
This study seeks to understand how cultural values shape the mental health perspectives, experiences and coping strategies of Filipinos in the Philippines and Aotearoa New Zealand. We will examine the impact of traditional values such as Kapwa (shared identity), Hiya (sense of propriety), Pakikisama (interpersonal relationships), and Utang na Loob (debt of gratitude) on mental health perceptions and behaviours. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of family support and community, the reluctance to seek professional help, and the influence of religious faith on coping mechanisms. However, there is limited research on how these cultural values can impact how we view and experience mental health. This study aims to bridge that gap and uncover patterns that persist across different environments, offering insights that could lead to more effective, culturally relevant mental health interventions for Filipinos both in the Philippines and abroad. The findings of this research may be used for academic publications and presentations. This research contributes to the completion of my Master of Arts in Psychology at Auckland University of Technology.

How was I identified and why am I being invited to participate in this research?
You are invited to participate in this research as you have expressed interest in taking part in this research by using the URL or QR code on advertisement posters around Auckland University of Technology campuses or posted on social media platforms.You may have also been provided this link by someone you know.
To participate in this research, you must meet the following requirements for each respective group:

 Group 1:
- Philippines-based Minimum age of 18 years old (youngest participants born in 2006)
- Filipinos currently living in the Philippines
- Previous Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) returned to the Philippines to permanently settle.
- Proficient in speaking/understanding English and/or Tagalog

 Group 2:
- New Zealand-based Minimum age of 18 years old (youngest participants born in 2006)
- Filipinos permanently living in Aotearoa New Zealand for at least the last 2 years.
- Proficient in speaking/understanding English and/or Tagalog

 How do I agree to participate in this research?
 If you meet the conditions and you agree to participate in this study, you may proceed to the survey after reading this information sheet. Your participation in this research is voluntary (it is your choice) and whether or not you choose to participate will neither advantage nor disadvantage you. Consent will be assumed when you complete the survey. You can withdraw from the study at any time by exiting the browser window. However, as the study is anonymous, it is not possible for us to remove your data if you choose to withdraw from the study partway through.

What will happen in this research?
This study involves a series of questionnaires which should take approximately 15-25 minutes to complete. The questionnaires will first ask general questions about you (e.g. your gender, employment, location etc.). After you’ve completed the general questions, we will ask you questions about your views on mental health, Filipino values, and ways that you cope with distress.

At the end of the questionnaires, you will have the option to click a link taking you to a separate survey where you can choose to enter to win $50 NZD, or 1 of 5 $100 NZD cash vouchers. This is an optional step. This survey can be done at any time of day and is completely online and anonymous, so it can be done from anywhere with an internet-connected device.

What are the discomforts and risks?
The surveys are low risk and we do not expect it to be extremely distressing for participants. However, the surveys involve questions about mental health, and personal life experiences which might lead to some discomfort for some participants. You have the right to withdraw from the survey at any time if it makes you uncomfortable.


How will these discomforts and risks be alleviated?
For Auckland University of Technology Students: AUT Student Counselling and Mental Health is able to offer three free sessions of confidential counselling support for adult participants in an AUT research project. These sessions are only available for issues that have arisen directly as a result of participation in the research and are not for other general counselling needs.
To access these services, you will need to: drop into our centre at WB203 City Campus, email counselling@aut.ac.nz or call 921 9292. let the receptionist know that you are a research participant and provide the title of my research and my name and contact details as given in this Information Sheet. You can find out more information about AUT counsellors and counselling on https://www.aut.ac.nz/student-life/student-support/counselling-and-mental-health

For participants based in the Philippines: Silakbo PH http://www.silakbo.ph/help/
For participants based in New Zealand: Mental Health Foundation NZ https://mentalhealth.org.nz/

What are the benefits?
As a token of gratitude for your time, you will be given an option to participate in a prize raffle for one of the following Prezzy gift cards.

 1 of 5 $100 NZD cash vouchers
 1 of 10 $50 NZD cash vouchers

For participants based in the Philippines, this cash voucher will be converted directly to Philippine Peso and will be given in the form of GCash eGift card.

How will my privacy be protected?
This research study is anonymous. We will not be collecting any information that could identify you apart from the optional entry to the raffle. We will also not conduct any form of follow-up with participants. The data will only be used for understanding personal experiences and perceptions of mental health and ways of coping of Filipinos in the Philippines and in New Zealand. If you choose to enter the raffle draw, you will need to provide your name and email address where we can contact you, if you ever get drawn as a prize winner. This will be entered in a separate form presented at the end of survey. This is a separate link from the survey, which will keep your survey responses completely anonymous. To protect the privacy of participants, while the questionnaire is ongoing, the anonymous electronic data will be stored on Qualtrics. During post analysis, electronic data will be stored on secure AUT network drives. The data from Qualtrics are numbers on a spreadsheet which cannot be used to identify any participants and is not linked to any other data we have. We will not sell the data. Non-identifiable data will be kept indefinitely and made available for future research, such as to scientific journals in the field for the purposes of ensuring the rigour of research. This is a norm in psychology research. Anyone uncomfortable with the data policy for the project should not proceed with the survey.

What are the costs of participating in this research?
This research should only cost you as a participant approximately 15 minutes of your time to complete the survey.
 
What opportunity do I have to consider this invitation?
The surveys will be open until 15 November 2024 11:59pm NZT

Will I receive feedback on the results of this research?
As the nature of the study is anonymous, we will not be able to give you direct feedback about your individual data and responses. However, you can opt-in to receive updates regarding the study using the secondary link presented upon completing the surveys. A summary of our findings can also be made available upon request by contacting us via email at info@themapayapaproject.com

What do I do if I have concerns about this research?
Any concerns regarding the nature of this project should be notified in the first instance to the Project Supervisors:

 Dr. Hilda Port, hilda.port@aut.ac.nz
 Dr. Liesje Donkin, liesje.donkin@aut.ac.nz

Concerns regarding the conduct of the research should be notified to the Executive Secretary of AUTEC, ethics@aut.ac.nz, (+649) 921 9999 ext 6038.

Whom do I contact for further information about this research?
 Please keep this Information Sheet and a copy of the Consent Form for your future reference. You are also able to contact the research team as follows:

 Researcher Contact Details:
 Ella Mejia nkt9234@autuni.ac.nz
 info@themapayapaproject.com

 Project Supervisor Contact Details:
 Dr. Hilda Port, hilda.port@aut.ac.nz
 Dr. Liesje Donkin, liesje.donkin@aut.ac.nz

 Approved by the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee on 16 October 2024, AUTEC Reference number 24/297.