Consent for Research Participation

Research Study Title: Effects of School-Related Stress on the Sleep of College Students at The University of Tennessee

Researcher(s): Jessica Kearney, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Dr. Lance Dean, University of Tennessee, Knoxville





I/We are asking you to be in this research study because you are a college student in the United States. You must be age 18 or older to participate in the study. The information in this consent form is to help you decide if you want to be in this research study. Please take your time reading this form and contact the researcher(s) to ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

Why is the research being done?

The purpose of the research study is to investigate the effects of stress from school on the sleep of college students here at The University of Tennessee. In particular, we are interested to see if sleep disturbances and disorders like insomnia, nightmares, sleep paralysis, sleepwalking, etc. may be a result of school-related stress.

What will I do in this study?

If you agree to be in this study, you will complete an online survey. The survey includes questions about your sleep habits and stress levels and should take you about 5 minutes to complete. You can skip questions that you do not want to answer.

Can I say “No”?

Being in this study is up to you. You can stop up until you submit the survey. After you submit the survey, we cannot remove your responses because we will not know which responses came from you. Either way, your decision won’t affect your grades, your relationship with your instructors, or standing with the University

Are there any risks to me?

Some of the survey questions are personal in nature and may make you feel uncomfortable. As the survey is online, we cannot guarantee your anonymity.

Are there any benefits to me?

We do not expect you to benefit from being in this study. Your participation may help us to learn more about how stress affects the sleep of college students. We hope the knowledge gained from this study will benefit others in the future.

What will happen with the information collected for this study?

The survey is anonymous, and no one will be able to link your responses back to you. Your responses to the survey will not be linked to your computer, email address or other electronic identifiers. Please do not include your name or other information that could be used to identify you in your survey responses. Information provided in this survey can only be kept as secure as any other online communication.

Information collected for this study will be published and possibly presented at scientific meetings.

Will I be paid for being in this research study?

You will not be paid for being in this study.

If you have questions or concerns about this study, or have experienced a research related problem or injury, contact the researchers, Jessica Kearney, (615)-203-9220, jkearne2@vols.utk.edu or Dr. Lance Dean, ldean1@utk.edu.

Who can answer my questions about this research study?





For questions or concerns about your rights or to speak with someone other than the research team about the study, please contact:

Institutional Review Board

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

1534 White Avenue

Blount Hall, Room 408

Knoxville, TN 37996-1529

Phone: 865-974-7697

Email: utkirb@utk.edu

Statement of Consent

I have read this form, been given the chance to ask questions and have my questions answered. If I have more questions, I have been told who to contact. By clicking the "Continue” button below, I am agreeing to be in this study. I can print or save a copy of this consent information for future reference. If I do not want to be in this study, I can close my internet browser.