Psychological well-being and nature exposure

Participant Information Sheet

1. Title of project
   Psychological well-being and nature exposure

2. Purpose of study
   Exposure to natural environments, such as forests and parks, is known to benefit physical and psychological health. However, much of the evidence base is limited to very specific elements of well-being in Western, educated, industrialised, rich, and democratic nations. In this project, we want to first establish the extent to which the relationship between nature exposure and indices of psychological well-being is robust in different populations worldwide. Next, we want to examine potential factors that may help scientists and policy-makers better understand reasons for any relationship.

3. Who is the researcher?
   The lead researcher is Prof Viren Swami (Anglia Ruskin University).

4. Why have I been asked to participate?
   You have been asked to participate because you are a citizen and resident of South Africa.

5. How many people will be asked to participate?
   This study forms part of a larger, multinational project. This specific study aims to recruit a total of 350 participants from South Africa.

6. Do I have to take part?
   Participation is entirely voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw at any time without having to give a reason.

7. Has the study got ethical approval?
   Management of the overall project has been approved by the Anglia Ruskin University School of Psychology Department Ethics Committee (SREP).

8. What will happen to the results of the study?
   It is intended that the results of the study will be reported at scientific meetings and published in relevant research journals. However, all information collected will be treated confidentially and your identity will not be published or disclosed.

9. Contact for further information
   Prof Viren Swami (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Your Participation in the Research Project

1. What will I be asked to do?
   This project will involve you completing measures of psychological well-being, related psychological constructs, and exposure to natural environments. All testing will be conducted online and should take about 15 minutes to complete.

2. In relation to this specific research project, we need to make you aware of the following:
   Prof Viren Swami will be responsible for any personal data you give to us.

3. We will be asking you for the following information:
   Age, gender identity, relationship status, highest educational qualification, height, weight, place of residence, and race/ethnicity data. All data collection will comply with the GDPR and Data Protection Act (2018).

4. What will happen to your data?
   All anonymised demographic data will be used for descriptive purposes. Data you provide in response to questionnaires will be used to test the study hypotheses. All data will remain in the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e., EU member states and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. All data will be stored securely at Anglia Ruskin University. All data will be kept securely for a minimum of 5 years, after which point it will be destroyed.

5. Will I receive any payment to take part in the research?
   You are being asked to take part on a voluntary basis and without remuneration.

6. Are there any possible disadvantages or risks to taking part?
   The project does not carry any risk beyond that experienced in everyday life. Your agreement to take part in this research does not affect your legal rights.

7. What are the likely benefits of taking part?
   There is unlikely to be any direct benefit to you.

8. Can I withdraw at any time, and how do I do this?
   Participation is entirely voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw at any time without having to give a reason.

9. What will happen to my data?
   Our general privacy notice explaining our use of your personal data for research purposes is available here: https://www.anglia.ac.uk/privacy-and-cookies/research-participants. Please visit this link for information about how long we keep your data, how we keep your data secure, how you can exercise your rights over your data, and make a complaint over our use of your data.

10. Can I withdraw my data from the study?
    We can only remove your data if you ask me before we anonymise it. After this, we won’t know which is your data so will not be able to do this.

11. Will I pass onto anyone else what you have told me?
    Your data will not be shared with anyone beyond the lead researcher.

12. Summary of research findings
    If you would like a summary of the research findings, please contact Prof Viren Swami (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).