Aston Triangle
Birmingham B4 7ET
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)121 204 3000
Email: www.aston.ac.uk
PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET
STUDY TITLE – ‘What is the relationship between cognitive and
neuropsychological markers and the ability to adapt to mobility changes in
older age?’
WHY HAVE I BEEN INVITED?
You have been given this information because you expressed an interest in finding
out more about this work via Aston University’s website, advert or an ARCHA event
you attended.
WILL I BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE?
Due to the nature of the study, individuals with a history of neurological problems
such as a stroke, or visual impairments that cannot be corrected with spectacles or
contact lens, such as tunnel vision, will not be able to take part.
WHAT IS THE STUDY?
The aim of the study is to see what the relationship is between mental processes
and brain activity with the ability to adapt to mobility changes in older age. Loss of
mobility is a major determinant of reduction in health and wellbeing in later life, linked
with depression and independence reduction. In adults aged 45+, a series of
methods will assess various aspects of movement initiation and adaptation along
with a variety of cognitive tests. This will be a one-time study with no follow up.
WHAT WILL I BE ASKED TO DO?
1. Questionnaire
You will be asked to fill in a short questionnaire with some general information and
some details regarding your mobility. If there are any questions that you feel
reluctant to answer then please leave them blank. The questionnaire will take less
than 2 minutes to complete.
2. Cognitive Assessments
The cognitive assessments will be conducted using a touch screen computer (you
don’t have to press a lot of keys!). This section will take approximately 1hr ¼ to
complete, including time for your questions. Volunteers are welcome to ask for a
break at any point. The tasks should not be challenging, but we are expecting
differences in performance.
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These tests will be assessing the following:
Aspects of Attention and Central Vision;
Aspects of Memory and Planning;
Reaction Speed and Processing Speed;
Learning and Rule change;
Inhibition.
3. Mobility Tasks
For these tasks, you will have small, non-invasive markers placed on certain points
of your body over your clothes (such as shoulders, knees). The movement of the
markers will be recorded using motion capture cameras. For this, slight modest
adjustment of some clothing may need to be made. This section will take
approximately 45 minutes to complete. If you have difficulty in completing any of the
mobility tasks, you can either do a shortened version of the task or choose to miss it
out.
• Time taken to get from a seated position to a standing position (completed 5 times);
• Normal Walking Speed test (walking twice along a 7m path);
• Walking task where you will be required to stop, start, and turn when instructed
(completed 2 times each);
• Postural stability/Balance task where you will be given a gentle push in the back to
offset your balance (completed 3 times). There will be a couple of stable chairs
positioned carefully and a researcher to hold onto to regain your balance if necessary.
This procedure has been used before with no adverse effects.
4. Pedestrian Simulation
This consists of a short video of a road scene where you will be asked to indicate
when you would cross a road. You will need to stand to do this. This will take
approximately 15 minutes to complete.
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH MY INFORMATION?
When we have gathered all the information for all the people who take part in the
study, we will analyse the data to find out what predicts mobility difficulties with
increasing age. We will write articles for scientific journals and present the findings in
other ways, such as at conferences. In sharing this information it will not be possible
for anyone to know that any information is about you.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
If you are interested in taking part or discussing this information, please contact us
(details are included in this sheet). If you decide to take part, we will conduct the data
gathering as outlined above. If you would like to take part, please read the consent
form that the researcher will give you then please complete the consent form and
return to the researcher.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF TAKING PART?
We hope this study will uncover the mental processes that predict mobility changes
with the intention of trying to find a treatment for people who begin to have serious
problems with this in later life.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF TAKING PART?
There may be a slight risk of losing balance and falling over in the mobility tasks.
However, there will be a couple of chairs and a researcher to hold onto if you feel
like you are about to fall. Alternatively, if you have difficulty in completing any of the
mobility tasks, you can either do a shortened version of the task or choose to miss it
out.
WILL MY TAKING PART IN THE STUDY BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL?
Data use and storage will comply by the standards of the Data Protection Act (1998).
The confidentiality of personal information and the anonymity of all volunteers involved
in this investigation will be preserved in the following way:
All responses will remain anonymous and confidential and your data will not be
linked to your name. You will be assigned with a participant code to ensure that
information cannot be linked back to you except by yourself and the researcher; this
code can also be used if you decide to withdraw your information after the study has
finished.
Your questionnaire data will be kept in a secure place and your computer data will be
kept on a password protected computer. Only the researcher and supervisors will
have access to this data. The data will be destroyed within five years of competition.
WHAT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WHO DO I CONTACT IF THERE IS? If you
have a concern about any aspect of this study, you should ask to speak to the
researchers who will do their best to answer your questions. If there are still any
aspects of the research that has been carried out that you are unhappy about, you
are free to contact the Secretary of Aston University Ethics Committee on email
[email protected] or telephone 0121 204 4869.
WHAT ABOUT IF I DON’T WANT TO PARTICIPATE?
Participation is entirely voluntary and you have the right to withdraw from the study at
any point without penalty. If you feel uncomfortable or decide not to carry on with the
study for any reason, you have the right to withdraw from the study at any time. If
you do decide to withdraw during the study, we will destroy any data collected up to
that point.
If you decide afterwards that you choose to withdraw data, you can contact us with
your participant identification number and we can do this up to the point of data
analysis is commenced, that is two weeks after your participation. You do not need
to give any reasons for this and there will be no adverse consequences. Contact
details will be provided in the debrief form once the study has been
completed/terminated.
WHERE WILL THE ASSESSMENTS TAKE PLACE AND WILL I HAVE SOME
ASSISTANCE FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES?
The study will take place at Aston University in the Psychology laboratories (for
which a set rate of £7.50 travel expenses will be paid).
WHO HAS REVIEWED THE STUDY? All research in the University is looked at by
an independent group of people, called a Research Ethics Committee to protect your
safety, rights, wellbeing and dignity. This study has been reviewed and given
favourable opinion by Aston University Research Ethics Committee.
If you have difficulties understanding this sheet please ask for assistance
FURTHER INFORMATION AND CONTACT DETAILS –
For information about the research and to make appointments, contact: Miss
Jennifer Geraghty [email protected].
If you have any further questions, you can also contact the supervisor, Dr. Carol
Holland, [email protected], 0121 204 4063.
Thank you for taking time to read about this study.
Carol Holland
Dr Carol Holland- Senior Lecturer, Deputy Director Aston Research Centre for
Healthy Ageing, Aston University
Jennifer Geraghty- Ph.D. Student, funded by Aston Research Centre for Healthy
Ageing, Aston University