Research Participant Information Sheet
Mindfull of Art - Can regular digital art creation boost mental health?

You are being invited to take part in a student research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Please contact us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part.
The current deadline to register is Monday, 29 May. Thank you for reading this.

What is the purpose of the study?

Art as a means of supporting mental wellbeing has seen recent advances in scientific support and improvements in accessibility. This is welcoming news especially with the urgent need for self-help tools brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to test a new eight-week digital art wellness program (created by Mindfull of Art) and its effectiveness as a supporting tool for mental health. Findings from this study can provide insight into how accessibility for art-based wellness practices can be improved.

Do I have to take part?

As participation is entirely voluntary, it is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. You are encouraged to take part in this study even if you have no artistic experience. If you do decide to take part, you will be encouraged to complete the entire program on a timely basis. There will also be no consequences for withdrawing or stopping participation at any time. You are also free to skip any survey questions you are not comfortable answering, though you will be encouraged to answer as many questions as possible.

What will happen to me and what will I have to do if I take part?

You will be asked to complete weekly guided digital art sessions for eight weeks. You will also be asked to complete weekly surveys on your mood (anxiety levels, emotions, and mental flow). Your responses to these questions will not be connected to your identity. No personal information will be asked for on any required questions. Participation in this study will take around 30 minutes to one hour per week for eight weeks. The program and all surveys will be conducted completely online. A computer (not a mobile device) and reliable Internet access is required. You are encouraged to do these sessions alone in a relaxing environment.

Participation in this study is expected to require a weekly commitment of around 30 minutes to one hour for eight weeks. The program and all surveys will be conducted completely online. A computer (not a mobile device) and reliable Internet access is required. You are encouraged to do these sessions alone in a relaxing environment.

Participants in this study will be asked questions of varying intensity on their mental health and anxiety levels. If at any point during the study you feel uncomfortable, you are encouraged to take a break from the study's tasks, or to seek support if you feel that you need help. If you wish to seek support, visit mind.org.uk for information about mental health services and networks, or visit samaritans.org if you need more immediate support.

How will this program work?

After you complete this survey, you will be redirect to the first Mindfull of Art task. Each task will include an artmaking session combined with various topics about mindfulness and creativity. After you complete the first weekly task (and an optional second task), you will complete a weekly survey. Upon completion, you will receive an email with the next task one week after you have completed the previous task.
You may take a break between weeks, but we ask that you complete all eight weeks of the program (or as many weeks as you can) before 24 July, 2023. This will maximize the amount of data we can use for this study, but there will be no consequences if you fail to complete all eight weeks. On 24 July, all participants will be sent one final survey to complete regardless of how many tasks they have completed.

What if I want to drop out partway through this program?

Because you will receive additional tasks only when you complete your current ones, you do not need to do anything if you wish to stop participating. Should you change your mind and wish to continue, you simply need to complete the last task that was sent to you. However, we will encourage you to have time to finish all eight weeks of the program before 24 July.
If you stop participating in this program, we will still send you an email on 24 July containing the final short survey and encourage you to complete it regardless of how many tasks you've completed.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

This research study aims to test whether this digital art program can improve mental health and anxiety levels. These benefits are currently being studied and not guaranteed.
You will also be entered into a lottery with all other participants for a chance to win a £50 voucher.

Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential?

All information collected about you during the study will be kept strictly confidential. Only your ID code assigned to you by Mindfull of Art will be connected to your data. Your email address will be used by Mindfull of Art to contact you but will not be associated with your survey data. Refer to the General Data Protection Regulation document for more information here.

Your email address will be collected and strictly used to contact you with task reminders, program updates, and information about the end-of-study lottery. Your email address will not be stored alongside your study data.

What will happen to the results of the research study?

The results of this project will be used for a postgraduate project for the following programme at Goldsmiths, University of London: MSc Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics, and Creativity. Information collected on participants will not be individually identifiable in any publications.

Research Integrity

This study has been reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics and Integrity Sub-Committee at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Goldsmiths, University of London, is committed to compliance with the Universities UK Research Integrity Concordat. You are entitled to expect the highest level of integrity from our researchers during the course of their research.

Contact for Further Information and Complaints

For questions about the study, please contact one of the following.
Minu Choi (Researcher): mchoi003@gold.ac.uk
Rebecca Chamberlain (Supervisor): r.chamberlain@gold.ac.uk
For concerns or complaints about participation experience, please contact Rebecca Chamberlain or one of the following:
Daniel Mullensiefen (Ethics Committee Chair): d.mullensiefen@gold.ac.uk
Guido Orgs (co-Head of Department): g.orgs@gold.ac.uk
José van Velzen (co-Head of Department): j.vanvelzen@gold.ac.uk

Thank you for taking part in our study!