Invitation to participate in research exploring the use of tele- and video-conferencing facilities to facilitate forensic practice during the ‘COVID-19 workplace restrictions’

Our aim is to explore the use of tele and video-conferencing facilities amongst forensic psychologists and psychiatrists during the COVID-19 workplace restrictions. This is a follow up survey. You may have participated in a survey we conducted on the same topic in 2020 at the start of workplace restrictions due to COVID-19. We have published the results of this research and the results are available in the following publication:

Daffern, M., Shea, D. & Ogloff, J.R.P. (2021). Remote forensic evaluations and treatment in the time of COVID-19: An international survey of psychologists and psychiatrists. Psychology, Public Policy and Law. doi.org/10.1037/law0000308

You can find more information on this paper here: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-42634-001

If, after reading this Information sheet you would like to participate in this research then please commence the survey by clicking on the following link or cutting and pasting it into your browser: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9ug21vgUjjtuASy

This post acts as a Participant Information and Informed Consent Form.

Further information on the survey is provided below.

Project Title: The use of tele- and video-conferencing facilities to facilitate forensic assessments and treatment during the ‘COVID-19 working restrictions’

Investigators: Professor Michael Daffern and Professor James Ogloff, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria, Australia.

 

Introduction and Invitation to Participate

The following information has been provided to enable you to decide whether you will participate in this project. After reading this information you will be asked if you would like to proceed. By accessing the survey using the link below you are confirming that you understand and consent to be involved in this project. You are free to withdraw at any time and there are no consequences for withdrawing.

 

What this project is about and why is it being undertaken?

Significant restrictions were placed on normal work routines as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prisons, forensic mental health services and courts and other statutory authorities have been affected, severely disrupting the way in which many forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are undertaking their work. In light of this disruption, many practitioners have conducted assessments and provided treatment using video-conferencing facilities. For some people this may have been established practice but for others these practices are novel. This survey seeks to determine your experiences and views on practical, ethical, and self-care issues. We will share the findings of this work with professional bodies and publish our findings to help improve forensic practice. Only group information will be shared, so no uniquely identifiable information will be collected or released.

 

What participation will involve.

Participation involves completing an anonymous and confidential online survey that we anticipate will take approximately 30 minutes. The survey includes questions concerning your experiences using video-conferencing and working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown. If you are uncomfortable about answering any question you can skip it. All questions are optional rather than mandatory. Additionally, you may cease your participation at any time and return to the survey later or you can cease your participation completely at any stage. 

 

Participants Rights, Benefits and Risks

The results of this study will help our understanding of how tele-and video-conferencing affect forensic assessment and treatment work and how working from home using these platforms to undertake forensic work might influence wellbeing.

 

Please note that your involvement in this study is completely voluntary and you are under no obligation to take part if you do not wish to. You are free to withdraw from the study at any point although any data provided up until the point of your withdrawal will be retained unless you enter into one of the free text boxes that you do not want your data retained. If you want your data removed simply write ‘I no longer wish to participate in this research and I would like my data removed’.

 

Withdrawal from this study will not affect your relationship with the investigators or Swinburne University of Technology. You may also choose not to answer any question if that question causes you discomfort.

 

Your identity and the data collected in the study are confidential. Any information that will be published will be limited to group data. Individual data will not be identified at any time. Data will be kept on password protected files on secure network computer accessible only by researchers named on the ethics application. You will not be asked for your name or contact details. Following the completion of the data, all files will be stored on password protected files for a minimum of five years after the publication of results.

 

Support Services

For participants in Australia, if you are experiencing a crisis and need urgent help, free professional anonymous support is available 24/7 from Lifeline (ph: 13 11 14) or SuicideLine (ph: 1300 651 251). For participants outside of Australia, we encourage you to obtain crisis support from appropriate services in your jurisdiction.

 

Research Output

We will seek to publish the results of this research in international peer reviewed journals. The anonymous data may also be re-analysed in further relevant research, but only with ethical approval. It is hoped that these data will also be published in a journal article.

 

Further Information about the Project

If you would like further information about the project, please do not hesitate to contact

Professor Michael Daffern (Deputy Director, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science): mdaffern@swin.edu.au

 

Concerns/Complaints about the Project

This project has been approved by or on behalf of Swinburne’s Human Research Ethics Subcommittee (SHESC) in line with the ​National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. If you have any concerns or complaints about the conduct of this project contact: 

Research Ethics Officer, Swinburne Research (H68),

Swinburne University of Technology, P O Box 218, HAWTHORN VIC 3122. Tel (03) 9214 5218 or +61 3 9214 3845 or ​resethics@swin.edu.au

 

If you agree to proceed, please commence the survey by clicking on the following link:   https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9ug21vgUjjtuASy

 

Finally, we are recruiting participants through our personal contacts and by asking professional organisations to advertise the research. Please forward this invitation to your colleagues and professional representative organisations. Participation is open to psychologists and psychiatrists who are undertaking forensic work in any country.