CHILD DEVELOPMENT UNIT

School of Psychology & Public Health

College of Science, Health and Engineering

Participant Information Statement

Mailing address
Dr Kristelle Hudry
School of Psychology & Public Health
La Trobe University
Bundoora, VIC, 3086 Australia
T + 61 3 9479 5649
F + 61 3 9479 1956
E k.hudry@latrobe.edu.au

Ethics Approval No.: FHEC14/R66

MOTOR, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE SKILLS IN YOUNG CHILDREN

Dr Kristelle Hudry, Dr Darren Hocking, Dr Christina Nadj and Students Enrolled in PSY2DEV in 2015

Students at La Trobe University taking an undergraduate subject in Developmental Psychology are

learning about child development across the domains of motor, social, emotional and cognitive
(i.e., thinking) skills and how these develop together. As part of the subject, we are conducting a
research study to give the students the opportunity also to see what it is to be a researcher in
Developmental Psychology rather than just about child development in text books. This study
will form the basis of a Laboratory Report which the students will write as part of their assessment
for this subject. This research project is being supervised by Dr Kristelle Hudry, Dr Darren Hocking,
and Dr Christina Nadj who are all teachers/researchers in Developmental Psychology.
Thank you for taking the time to read this information statement and considering participating to
provide information about your young child, which provides a valuable learning experience for the
students.
What is this study about and who can participate?
This is a real research project which has never been done before (not just a made up project to
give students something to do). Early childhood is a time of great change and learning, particularly
for childrens social, emotional, and cognitive skills, but also for their motor development. A lot of
research looks at development in each of these areas separately, but we are interested in whether
and how these four types of skill might develop together that is to say in ways that influence one
another.
Who can participate?
We are looking for parents (or primary caregivers) who have a young child aged between 3 and 5
years. Children should be typically-developing, so you should not participate in this study if you are
worried that your child is not developing typically or if he/she has a known developmental
disorder. If you have any such concerns, do bring these up with your childs GP or Paediatrician.
What will participation involve?
We are inviting parents to complete some online surveys which should take between 15-30
minutes. You can participate by following the link at the end of this Information Statement, at a
time and location of your convenience. After completing the surveys, you will have the
opportunity to provide your contact details to go into a draw to win one of four $50 gift vouchers.
You can also indicate if you would like to hear the study results once they are available.
How are participants being recruited?
Students enrolled in PSY2DEV are inviting parents of young children to participate in this study,
through their personal and social networks. Before participating, we ask parents to read this
Information Statement and to ask the student or the Chief Investigator (contact details below) any

ABN 64 804 735 113

CRICOS Provider 00115M

questions. If you chose to participate, providing information about your young child, you can do so
by clicking the link at the bottom of this Information Statement, which will take you directly to the
online survey site. Your consent to participate is indicated by completing the survey questions and
click the final submit button.
How will my data be used and kept confidential?
Participation in this study is via the completion of the on-line surveys. You will not be asked for any
identifying information (e.g., names, contact details) within the survey itself. If you wish to be
entered into the prize draw and/or to hear the results of the study, you will be asked to enter your
contact details on a separate survey after you have finished the study. Your contact details
entered on to this second survey will not be linked to your initial survey responses about your
child.
Your survey responses are recorded directly onto the survey website. Once data collection is
complete, responses from all participants will be collated and uploaded for secure storage by the
Chief Investigator at La Trobe University. Undergraduate students enrolled in the Developmental
Psychology subject will be given a summary of the results combined across all participants (not the
results given for individual children) and will use these in learning how to write a research report
as part of their studies.
As already mentioned, this is a real research project which has never been done before. If the
group results are interesting, they may also be published in research theses, scientific
journals/books, and presented at conferences. Future students supervised by Dr Hudry may also
use these data at a later date, but will need to apply for ethical approval to do so at that time. As
already noted, we are happy to share the results with you once the study is finished, if you would
like to hear them.
Are there any benefits or risks to me? What if I change my mind?
Participating in this study is unlikely to provide you with any direct benefits and it is not possible to
give you any individual feedback about your own responses. Participation in this study is purely
voluntary and you have the right not to participate, or to withdraw from participation once you
have begun. Withdrawal from the survey participation is achieved by exiting the program before
clicking the final button to submit. Beyond this point, withdrawal is not possible as the data are
stored anonymously. You will not experience any penalty or disadvantage for choosing not to
participate or for withdrawing once participation has begun.
What do I do now?
Thank you for taking the time to read this Information Statement and considering participating in
this study. Please save a copy of this form for your records. To access the survey on-line go to:
http://latrobepsy.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3sBxuzCbD1e0Qqp

If you have any questions, please contact: Dr Kristelle Hudry, School of Psychology and Public
Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086.
Ph: (03) 9479 5649

Email: k.hudry@latrobe.edu.au

If you have any complaints or concerns that the researchers have not answered to your satisfaction, you
may contact the Senior Human Ethics Officer, Ethics and Integrity, Research Office, La Trobe University, VIC
3086 (Ph: 03 9479 1443, E: humanethics@latrobe.edu.au). Please quote the application ref: FHEC14/R66.

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