how do adolescents define depression? - cIRcle - University of ...

APPENDIX R: Student Information Letter
THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Department of Educational and Counselling
Psychology and Special Education
Faculty of Education
2125 Main Mall
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Z4
bear [Name of School] Secondary School Student,
Appendices
Institute of Health Promotion Research
Faculty of Graduate Studies
2206 East Mall
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Z3
WWW: http://www.ihpr.ubc.ca
You are being invited to participate in a research study that I am conducting at your
school, entitled "Adolescents' Understanding of Depression and Help-Seeking
Behaviors." This study is being organized by Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl and Ms.
Czesia Fuks Geddes from the University of British Columbia.
The purpose of the study is to ask you to help us, as researchers and folks who work
with teenagers, to better understand how you define depression in others your age and
in yourself, and what you do about it. One of the research questions also explores
adolescents' level of depression. You are the experts on yourselves and your point of
view and experiences are very important. Since there is very little information out
there from Canadian students, your participation can really help us better to
communicate with young people and understand the needs of other Vancouver teenagers
like you. We also hope that the results of this study will help parents and teachers,
counsellors, and professionals further their understanding of depression in young
people, improve communication with young people, and distinguish the help-seeking
behaviors that Canadian youth make. Your voices need to be heard. By participating in
this research study, you will be making a contribution to help us better understand
Canadian students.
If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to fill out a set of
questionnaires only once which should take you approximately 50 minutes to complete.
One set of questions will ask you to define depression in someone your age. A few
questions will ask you about your background. One set of questions will ask you about
your level of depression. There will also be questions that ask about how students your
age think about themselves, their friends, and the decisions they make to seek help.
There are no right or wrong answers--just your answers. We think that if we are to
learn more about how young people in secondary schools think about depression, we have
to come to the young people and ask them in person. So you can help teach us how
young people define depression. Those of you who decide not to participate in the
project will be given something else to do within your classroom that is related to your
regular classroom instruction. You will still be expected to come to class.
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