Informed Consent

Grand Canyon University
College of Doctoral Studies
3300 W. Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
Phone: 602-639-7804
Email: irb@gcu.edu

Introduction
The title of this research study is, Motivated to Achieve: Descriptive Study on the Motivation to Graduation in Marriage Family Therapy Programs.

I am Katrina Ramos, a doctoral student under the supervision of Dr. Frankie Lee in the College of Doctoral Studies at Grand Canyon University.

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore how marriage family therapist graduates describe competency, autonomy and relatedness that motivated them to complete their graduate program in California, USA.


Key Information

This document defines the terms and conditions for consenting to participate in this research study.

How do I know if I can be in this study?

o You can participate in this study if you:
You are older than eighteen years of age.
You have graduated from a Marriage Family Therapy (MFT) Graduate Program in the last five years.
You graduated from a MFT program in California.
Willing to complete a questionnaire and or partake in an interview.


o You cannot participate in this study if you:
You are not eighteen years of age.
You have graduated from a Marriage Family Therapy (MFT) program over 5 years ago.
You do not graduate from a MFT program in California.
You are not willing to complete the questionnaire and/or partake in an interview.
Your participation in the study may, in some ways, present risks to your well-being, job security, or academic status.



Research Activities: What am I being asked to do?

If you agree to be in this study, you will be asked to:
What?
Take 5-10 minutes to read and sign this informed consent form.
Take 10-15 minutes to complete a pre-interview questionnaire.
Once the questionnaire complete you will be invited to if you would participate in a 60-minute interview.
Participate in a 60-minute interview.
Take 15-20 minutes to review the interview answers after they have been transcribed and modify answers as necessary.

When?
After signing the consent form you will be directed to the questionnaire.
If you choose to participate in the interview, you pick a date and time for a 60-minute one-on-one interview via Zoom.

Where?
The questionnaire is done via SurveyMonkey website.
A videoconference platform such as Zoom will be used for the interview.

How?
Sign this informed consent form on SurveyMonkey and the next page will be the questionnaire.
At the end of the questionnaire, you will be invited to participate in an interview by providing an email address. The researcher will contact you via email to secure a date and time for the interview.

Audio Recording:
If you do not wish to be video recorded, I will use the audio recording feature of the online conferencing platform Zoom to record your responses. You cannot participate if you do not wish to be audio-recorded. Your study participation and identity will be kept confidential by assigning your name to a code. Your identity will not be shared with anyone other than the researcher and the dissertation Chair. Zoom Privacy Policy: https://explore.zoom.us/en/privacy/

Video Recording:
I will use the video camera/video recording feature of the online conferencing platform Zoom to record your actions. Because this recording will show who you are, these extra steps will be taken: The video recordings will be securely transported onto an external hard drive that is secure with a password. Your file will be labeled using codes and deleted three years after the study is completed. You can participate if you only accept audio recording. You cannot participate if you do not wish to be recorded. Your study participation and identity will be kept confidential by assigning your name to a code. Your identity will not be shared with anyone other than the researcher and the dissertation Chair.
https://explore.zoom.us/en/privacy/
Who will have access to my data/information?
I will have access to all of your data and information. In addition, my dissertation chair, committee members, and all College of Doctoral Studies Reviewers may view your information and your answers as part of the dissertation review process.

Am I required to participate in this study?
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. After reading this informed consent, you can decide whether to participate in this study or not. Also, if you choose to participate and then change your mind, you can leave the study at any time, even if you have not finished, without any penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. If you decide to stop participating, you may do so by stopping the questionnaire at any time and leave the online site. If you participate in the interview, you may do so by telling the researcher that you do not wish to continue. If so, the researcher will not use the information gathered before you chose to stop.

Any possible risks or discomforts?
There are no foreseeable risks or discomforts associated with this study.
Any direct benefits for me?
No
Any paid compensation or incentives for my time?
Participants will not get paid for their participation.

Presentation of Information Collected

The research data will be presented or published as a scholarly article, a dissertation, or in a conference or journal. The data will be presented as a group and specific quotes could be used from individuals to help identify common themes in the data. Other researchers may utilize the de-identified information for their own study or refer to it for reference.

Privacy and Data Security
Will researchers ever be able to link my data/responses back to me?
No
Will my initial data include information that can identify me (names, addresses, or other identifying material, such as audio, specific demographics, etc.)
Yes
Will researchers assign my data/responses a research ID code to use instead of my name?
Yes, rather than your name an ID code will be used to assign your responses to.
If yes, how will researchers create a list to link names with their research ID codes?
Your name will be coded with a number like 101, 102, or 103.

If yes, how will researchers secure the link of names and research ID codes? How long will the link be kept? Who has access? What is the approximate destruction date?
The master list of coded numbers will be stored on an encrypted drive, and only the researcher will have access to the list for reference only during data analysis. The master list will be deleted three years after the completion of the study, approx. date 1/20/28.

How and where will my data be protected (electronic and hardcopy)?
Video files, electronic survey responses, informed consent, demographic information, interview transcripts will be stored on an encrypted drive, and only the researcher and the dissertation chair can access the raw data. The data will be de-identified for the final report.

Will artificial intelligence (AI) software be used?
For enhanced research efficiency, artificial intelligence (AI) software may be utilized to analyze collected data and may involve the de-identified exchange of some personal or sensitive information. The data will not be disclosed in a way that could identify you.

How long will the data be kept in the protected space?
The minimum is three years.

Who will have access to the protected data?
I will have access to all of your data and information. In addition, my dissertation chair, committee members, and all College of Doctoral Studies Reviewers may view your information and your answers as part of the dissertation review process. What is the privacy policy for survey platforms (Survey Monkey, Qualtrics, mTurk, Google, etc.), any recording software (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.), interview software, survey software, artificial intelligence software, or transcription software companies?
https://explore.zoom.us/en/privacy/
https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/privacy/

Where and how will the signed informed consent forms be secured?
The signed informed consent form will be stored on an encrypted drive, and only the researcher and the dissertation Chair will have access to the data.

For California Residents ONLY
For the state of California, participants have additional rights through the State: The right to know about the personal information a business collects about them and how it is used and shared; The right to delete personal information collected from them (with some exceptions); The right to opt-out of the sale of their personal information; and The right to non-discrimination for exercising their CCPA rights. For more information, click on the link below:
California Consumer Privacy Act: https://www.oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa

Future Research
Once identifiers the name are removed from the data collected for this study, the de-identified information could be used for future research studies or distributed to other investigators for future research studies without additional informed consent from you or your legally authorized representative.

Study Contacts
Any questions you have concerning the research study or your participation in the study, before or after your informed consent, will be answered by Katrina Ramos, you can contact by email kramos19@gcu.edu or phone at (951) 387-5535.

If you have questions about your rights as a subject/participant in this research, or if you feel you have been placed at risk, you can contact the Chair of the Human Subjects Institutional Review Board through the College of Doctoral Studies at IRB@gcu.edu; (602) 639-7804.
Voluntary Consent

Participant Rights

You have been given an opportunity to read and discuss the informed consent and ask questions about this study.
You have been given enough time to consider whether or not you want to participate.
You have read and understand the terms and conditions and agree to take part in this research study.
· You understand your participation is voluntary and that you may stop participation at any time without penalty.


Your signature means that you understand your rights listed above and agree to participate in this study.

Question Title

* Do you agree to the above terms? Typing your name below will serve as your electronic signature and consent that you are willing to answer the questions in this survey.

Question Title

* Date

Date

T