Consent Form (Delivered by U.S. Mail)
School psychologists’ experiences with teacher-to-student mistreatment. Sharon Lyles
Liberty University School of Education
You are invited to participate in a qualitative dissertation research study of school psychologists’ experiences with teacher-to-student mistreatment in the educational setting. You were selected as a possible participant because your name was selected from the Virginia Academy of School Psychologists’ (VASP) membership database and there was no corresponding email address in the VADOE directory. I ask that you read this form and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to be in the study. This study is being conducted by Sharon Lyles, a nationally
certified, licensed school psychologist and doctoral candidate at Liberty University, School of Education.
Background Information:
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe school psychologists’ experiences with teacher-to-student mistreatment in the Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 educational setting.
Definitions:
• Teacher-to-student mistreatment will be generally defined as a teacher’s verbal and nonverbal bullying behaviors directed toward students as observed by school psychologists in the Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 environment.
• The operational definition of observation is the point at which school psychologists become cognizant of the phenomenon through formal and informal observation of teachers, conversations with colleagues, interactions with students, written school records, and during the normal course of the school day.
• Areas of concern addressed in this study, as observed by school psychologists, include teachers’ verbal communications toward and about students, as well as teachers’
nonverbal communications, including emotional mistreatment and intimidation through gestures and body language.
• This study excludes the topics of the sexual and physical abuse. Procedures:
If you agree to be in this study, I would ask you to do the following things: • Complete an anonymous online survey.
• There will be an option at the end of the survey to offer your contact information for consideration of a one-time, audio recorded confidential interview and brief discussion forum for follow-up questions. Pseudonyms will be provided. Audio recording is for transcription purposes only. You do not have to participate in the interview to complete
the online survey.
• This research study strives to discover school psychologists’ perceptions of the phenomenon; it does not seek to isolate information on specific teachers or students. • Your participation is completely voluntary and confidential. Consent will be assumed if
the questions have been answered.
• Completing the confidential online survey should take approximately fifteen (15) minutes or less.
• The survey will be open for up to three weeks as its designated time frame for participation.
If you chose to offer your contact information and you are chosen for an interview and discussion form:
• Interviews will be either in the online format with face-to-face capabilities using Skype or Face Time, or face-to-face at a convenient location such as a place of work, business or home. Pseudonyms will be used to protect privacy. After giving written informed consent, the interviewee will choose the mode and site that is most convenient, confidential, and comfortable.
• The Discussion Forum will be in a convenient online format where the invited
interviewee will connect briefly on the forum for checking of data gathered, clarification, follow-up, and feedback purposes.
Risks and Benefits of being in the Study:
As participation in this survey is confidential and anonymous, potential risks to you are minimal and are no more than the participant would encounter in everyday life. There is no penalty if you choose not to participate.
• You may withdraw at any time with no penalty by closing out of the Surveymonkey.com website.
• If during the study, mandatory reporting requirements for child abuse, child neglect, elder abuse, or intent to harm self or others are revealed, each case will be examined on an individual basis and addressed as required by law. The researcher will respond to these events by asking if the respondent reported such events as required by their school protocol and to extend an offer to help the interviewee find appropriate resources in his/her geographic area.
• Although there are no direct benefits to participation, there remains some benefit to society as a result of this study. It may increase the overall knowledge of issues surrounding the phenomenon experienced collectively by the school psychologist profession. Through acknowledgment of the phenomenon and the defining of school psychologists’ experiences, there can emanate a resolution in a consolidated effort to advocate for and protect students.
Compensation:
Five participants completing the survey and providing an email address for contest entry will be randomly selected to receive one of five $20.00 gift cards to Amazon.com. Also, those
participants expressing interest in being considered for a confidential interview and discussion forum at the end of the survey will gain an entry into the gift card giveaway contest. The drawing will occur in three weeks. At that time, the online survey will close for participation. Winners
will be notified by email. All email addresses provided for the contest entry will be separated from data collected to ensure anonymity in responses.
Confidentiality:
• Your confidentiality is of utmost importance in this study. Your survey responses are being provided anonymously. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times through this process. Your privacy and the research data will be kept confidential to the extent of the law.
• Research records will be stored securely in a locked file cabinet, and only researcher will have access to the records. After the three year time period for maintaining research data, all individual research-related data will be deleted, erased, and destroyed.
• Data from VASP members, who participated through a mailed invitation letter, will not be tracked due to the lack of an email address, allowing for both anonymity and
confidentially in responses. Voluntary Nature of the Study:
Participation in this study is voluntary. Your decision whether or not to participate will not affect your current or future relations with Liberty University. Participation will not affect relations with the Virginia Academy of School Psychologists and the Virginia Department of Education. If you decide to participate, you are free to not answer any question or withdraw at any time without affecting those relationships.
Contacts and Questions:
The researcher conducting this study is Sharon Lyles, a licensed school psychologist and doctoral candidate at Liberty University, School of Education. If you have questions, you are encouraged to contact her at (omitted). The research chair’s name is Dr. Rita Schellenberg at (omitted).
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this study and would like to talk to someone other than the researcher, you are encouraged to contact the IRB at (omitted).
Please retain a copy of this information to keep for your records. Statement of Consent:
I have read and understood the above information. I have asked questions and have received answers. I consent to participate in the study.
To accept this informed consent allowing participation in this important study, Enter this website address on your computer, which will link you to the survey.
www.spstudy.org
Proceed to the online survey and select ACCEPT.
Consent will be assumed if the survey questions have been answered. Your input is very valuable to the school psychology profession!
Thank you very much for your participation. Sharon Lyles, M.Ed., Ed.S., NCSP, VASP member
IRB Code Numbers: 1713 IRB Expiration Date: 11-5-2014
Consent Form (Delivered by Email)
School psychologists’ experiences with teacher-to-student mistreatment. Sharon Lyles
Liberty University School of Education
You are invited to participate in a qualitative dissertation research study of school psychologists’ experiences with teacher-to-student mistreatment in the educational setting. You were selected as a possible participant because your name and contact information was included in the Virginia Department of Education (VADOE) school psychologist directory. Permission was obtained and a directory listing was provided by VADOE. I ask that you read this form and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to be in the study. This study is being conducted by Sharon Lyles, a nationally certified, licensed school psychologist and doctoral candidate at Liberty University, School of Education.
Background Information:
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe school psychologists’ experiences with teacher-to-student mistreatment in the Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 educational setting.
Definitions:
• Teacher-to-student mistreatment will be generally defined as a teacher’s verbal and nonverbal bullying behaviors directed toward students as observed by school psychologists in the Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 environment.
• The operational definition of observation is the point at which school psychologists become cognizant of the phenomenon through formal and informal observation of teachers, conversations with colleagues, interactions with students, written school records, and during the normal course of the school day.
• Areas of concern addressed in this study, as observed by school psychologists, include teachers’ verbal communications toward and about students, as well as teachers’
nonverbal communications, including emotional mistreatment and intimidation through gestures and body language.
• This study excludes the topics of the sexual and physical abuse. Procedures:
If you agree to be in this study, I would ask you to do the following things: • Complete an anonymous online survey.
• There will be an option at the end of the survey to offer your contact information for consideration of a one-time, audio recorded confidential interview and brief discussion
forum for follow-up questions. Pseudonyms will be provided. Audio recording is for transcription purposes only. You do not have to participate in the interview to complete the online survey.
• This research study strives to discover school psychologists’ perceptions of the phenomenon; it does not seek to isolate information on specific teachers or students. • Your participation is completely voluntary and confidential. Consent will be assumed if
the questions have been answered.
• Completing the confidential online survey should take approximately fifteen (15) minutes or less.
• The survey will be open for up to three weeks as its designated time frame for
participation. At the two-week mark, a reminder email will be sent to participants email addresses.
If you chose to offer your contact information and you are chosen for an interview and discussion forum:
• Interviews will be either in the online format with face-to-face capabilities using Skype or Face Time, or face-to-face at a convenient location such as a place of work, business or home. Pseudonyms will be used to protect privacy. After giving written informed consent, the interviewee will choose the mode and site that is most convenient, confidential, and comfortable.
• The Discussion Forum will be in a convenient online format where the invited
interviewee will connect briefly on the forum for checking of data gathered, clarification, follow-up, and feedback purposes.
Risks and Benefits of being in the Study:
As participation in this survey is confidential and anonymous, potential risks to you are minimal and are no more than the participant would encounter in everyday life. There is no penalty if you choose not to participate.
• You may withdraw at any time with no penalty by closing out of the Surveymonkey.com website.
• If during the study, mandatory reporting requirements for child abuse, child neglect, elder abuse, or intent to harm self or others are revealed, each case will be examined on an individual basis and addressed as required by law. The researcher will respond to these events by asking if the respondent reported such events as required by their school protocol and to extend an offer to help the interviewee find appropriate resources in his/her geographic area.
• Although there are no direct benefits to participation, there remains some benefit to society as a result of this study. It may increase the overall knowledge of issues surrounding the phenomenon experienced collectively by the school psychologist profession. Through acknowledgment of the phenomenon and the defining of school psychologists’ experiences, there can emanate a resolution in a consolidated effort to advocate for and protect students.
Compensation:
Five participants completing the survey and providing an email address for contest entry will be randomly selected to receive one of five $20.00 gift cards to Amazon.com. Also, those
participants expressing interest in being considered for a confidential interview and discussion forum at the end of the survey will gain an entry into the gift card giveaway contest. The drawing will occur in three weeks. At that time, the online survey will close for participation. Winners will be notified by email. All email addresses provided for the contest entry will be separated from data collected to ensure anonymity in responses.
Confidentiality:
• Your confidentiality is of utmost importance in this study. Your survey responses are being provided anonymously. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times through this process. Your privacy and the research data will be kept confidential to the extent of the law.
• Research records will be stored securely in a locked file cabinet, and only researcher will have access to the records. After the three year time period for maintaining research data, all individual research-related data will be deleted, erased, and destroyed.
• The electronic survey data collected will be kept confidential and your survey responses are being provided anonymously.
Voluntary Nature of the Study:
Participation in this study is voluntary. Your decision whether or not to participate will not affect your current or future relations with Liberty University. Participation will not affect relations with the Virginia Academy of School Psychologists and the Virginia Department of Education. If you decide to participate, you are free to not answer any question or withdraw at any time without affecting those relationships.
Contacts and Questions:
The researcher conducting this study is Sharon Lyles, a licensed school psychologist and doctoral candidate at Liberty University, School of Education. If you have questions, you are encouraged to contact her at (omitted). The research chair’s name is Dr. Rita Schellenberg at (omitted).
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this study and would like to talk to someone other than the researcher, you are encouraged to contact the Institutional Review Board, (omitted).
Please retain a copy of this information to keep for your records. Statement of Consent:
I have read and understood the above information. I have asked questions and have received answers. I consent to participate in the study.
To accept this informed consent allowing participation in this important study, please launch the online survey from this link
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HQJQB2H Proceed to the online survey and select ACCEPT.
Your input is very valuable to the school psychology profession! Thank you very much for your participation.
Sharon Lyles, M.Ed., Ed.S., NCSP, VASP member IRB Code Numbers: 1713
APPENDIX D