Introduction
My name is Peggy Callahan and the JOY Campaign and I are facilitating a research study, which I invite you to take part in.
We are inviting you to participate in this study because you are interested in participating in The Big Joy Project. Your input about yourself and your experiences with this program will contribute importantly to knowledge about the implications of participating in well-being focused online practices. Your input will also help guide ongoing revisions to this program and strategic development of future programs. You must be at least 18 years of age to participate.
Purpose
The purpose of this research study is to understand the impact of engaging in joy practices and whether certain practices are a better “fit” for some people than others. The Big Joy Project suggests activities and exercises that may influence joy, provides specific Acts of JOY for you to try.. This study will provide unprecedented quantitative insight into the potential for online joy practices to serve the well-being of people from all over the world.
Procedures
The Big Joy Project on the MIssionJoy.org website guides people through a collection of science-based happiness practices. More specifically, each person who provides informed consent will complete a short onboarding survey, be invited to try Acts of JOY, and share their emotional state.
Study time
Participation in this study involves no additional time beyond what is included in The Big Joy program. The survey (i.e., data collection) portion of the program will take approximately 5 minutes.
Study location
All study procedures take place online, within the MissionJoy.org website.
Benefits
There are no direct benefits from participating in this research. We hope that the information gained from the study will help the scientific and online learning communities better understand the potential for online happiness practices to reach and benefit people. Further, we aim to use insights from this study to shape, inform, and optimize future iterations of the MissionJoy.org website, practices, and programs.
Risks/Discomforts
Breach of confidentiality: As with all research, there is a chance that confidentiality could be compromised; however, we are taking precautions to minimize this risk.
Confidentiality
Your study data will be handled as confidentially as possible. If the results of this study are published or presented, individual names and other personally identifiable information will not be used.
To minimize the risks to confidentiality, we will do the following:
• Personal identifiers (e.g., names, emails) are removed immediately upon downloading survey responses from the internet. Only this de-identified data will be used in research and statistical analyses.
• De-identified data, including survey and weekly question responses, will be stored in password protected files on password-protected computers.
• Only MissionJoy.org, institutional review board (ethics committee) approved affiliated researcher(s) will have access to your de-identified data.
• We will keep your study data as confidential as possible unless it is information that we must report for legal or ethical reasons, such as child abuse, elder abuse, or intent to hurt yourself or others.
• Identifiers might be removed from the identifiable private information. After such removal, the information could be used for future research studies or distributed to other investigators for future research studies without additional informed consent from the subject or the legally authorized representative.
Consent for collection and use of study data:
This research will collect data about you that can identify you, referred to as Study Data. The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) requires researchers to provide this Notice to you when we collect and use Study Data about people who are located in a State that belongs to the European Union or in the European Economic Area.
We will obtain and create Study Data directly from you so we can properly conduct this research. As we conduct research procedures with your Study Data, new Study Data may be created.
The Research Team will collect and use the following types of Study Data for this research:
• Your name
• Your racial or ethnic origin
• Your opinions and experiences
• Information about your response to the research procedures
A computer program will be used to assign you to practices. The practices may be assigned randomly, based on some practice characteristic (e.g., gratitude practices or meditation practices), or based on your responses to the questions in the onboarding quiz. If you sign this consent form, you are consenting to the use of this automated process to determine the practices you receive.
This research will keep your Study Data for possible use in future research by myself or other investigators. I will retain this data indefinitely.
The following categories of individuals may receive Study Data collected or created about you:
• Members of the research team so they properly conduct the research
• Carefully selected researchers at accredited institutions who will oversee the research to see if it is conducted correctly and to protect your safety and rights
• The research Sponsor who will monitor the study and analyze the data
• Agents of the Sponsor who will assist the sponsor with data monitoring and analysis
• Representatives of the U.S. Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) who may oversee the research
• Other researchers, so they can perform procedures required by this research
The research team will transfer your Study Data to our research site in the United States. The United States does not have the same laws to protect your Study Data as States in the EU/EEA. However, the research team is committed to protecting the confidentiality of your Study Data. Additional information about the protections we will use is included in this consent document.
The GDPR gives you rights relating to your Study Data, including the right to:
• Access, correct or withdraw your Study Data; however, the research team may need to keep Study
• Data as long as it is necessary to achieve the purpose of this research
• Restrict the types of activities the research team can do with your Study Data
• Object to using your Study Data for specific types of activities
• Withdraw your consent to use your Study Data for the purposes outlined in the consent form and in this document (Please understand that you may withdraw your consent to use new Study Data but Study Data already collected will continue to be used as outlined in the consent document and in this Notice)
Compensation/Payment
You will not be compensated for your participation in this study.
Costs
You will not be charged for any of the study activities.
Rights
Participation in research is completely voluntary. You are free to decline to take part in the project. You can decline to answer any questions and are free to stop taking part in the project at any time. Whether or not you choose to participate, to answer any particular question, or continue participating in the project, there will be no penalty to you or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
Questions
If you have any questions or concerns about this study, you may contact Peggy Callahan at [email protected].
Consent
Clicking “I consent to participate in research” indicates that you have read the description of the study, you are 18 years of age or older, and agree to participate in the study.
Consent to automated processes
Clicking “I consent to participate in research” indicates that you consent to use of the automated processes described above.