Participant Information Form

Thank you for agreeing to consider participating in this research project. Before deciding whether you
wish to complete the interview, it is important that you understand the reason why the research is
being conducted, and what your participation will involve. I would be grateful is you would take the
time to read the following information carefully. Please do not hesitate to contact me if any of the
information is unclear or you wish to discuss your participation in this project.

What is the purpose of the study?

This study is primarily concerned with gaining an understanding of the experiences of being a
member of the police, and how participants make sense of these events to see how this may have an
impact on their perception of self. I will ask a series of questions based on your identity, and also
about various experiences that may have altered how you perceive yourself; or alternatively how this
may have impacted you as a person. Your participation in this interview should take approximately
45-60 minutes and would be extremely appreciated.

Who is running the study?

The project is being conducted by Rhianna Goldberg and Dr Sebastian Teicher of the Psychology
Division at Nottingham Trent University.

Do I have to take part?

No, your participation in this research in entirely voluntary. You can also withdraw from the study at
any point by contacting me after the study has taken place and before 27th July.
If you decide to take part, I ask that you read and fully understand the information on this sheet and
sign and complete a separate informed consent form.

What do I need to do?

I would like you to complete a semi-structured interview lasting approximately between 45-60
minutes. If for any reason you do not wish to answer a question please let the interviewer know that
you would rather not answer the question asked.

What questions will be asked during the interview?

The questions asked within the study will be about your identity, your experiences in the time serving
as a member of the police and also how you feel these experiences have impacted on your life in
terms of how you perceive yourself.

What will happen to the information I provide during the interview?

The interview will be audio recorded with your permission and then transcribed. The information will
be analysed and due to the nature of this kind of research, extracts of information provided from the
interview will be used in the final report. All of the data will be kept in a secure location and on a
password protected USB when being analysed using a computer.
At the end of the study, all of the raw data will be kept securely until 11th August, after which the data
will be destroyed in a secure manner.

How will the research team protect my confidentiality and anonymity?

To protect your anonymity your name will be changed and you will be asked to provide a pseudonym
under which your data will be stored. Only the interviewer will know your identity; the supervisor and
those marking this report will only have access to the anonymised transcripts. All recordings will be
destroyed immediately after the transcription, and any identifying information will be anonymised.
However, asthe researcher will be using extracts of your words within the final written report,
complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. The transcripts will be stored in anonymised form on a
password-protected computer, and all data will be kept up to a maximum of five years.
What are the possible risks/disadvantages of taking part?
The main cost to you will be the time taken to complete the interview. The risks to you may include
providing information that you may not feel comfortable with. However, as outlined above, any
information you do provide will be kept anonymous and secure. In addition, you can choose not to
answer questions by letting the interviewer know if you would rather not answer some of the
questions or withdraw your data at any time until the final date specified for withdrawal of data.

What are the possible benefits/advantages?

I hope that you will find the interview interesting, and will take satisfaction from helping to develop a
greater understanding of the experiences of being a member of the police, and how they make sense
of these events to see how this may impact on their own identity.

What will happen to the results of the research?

The research team will write up the results in a report that will form part of my MSc dissertation, and
might be submitted to an academic journal for publication. However, in the case of intended
publication we will seek your permission to include your data.

How can I find out more about this project and its results?
For more information about the project do not hesitate to contact me, or my supervisor for this
research project, Dr Sebastian Teicher.

Has the study been reviewed by anyone?

The research has been subject to ethical approval by the University's College Research Ethics
Committee. It has been designed with reference to the British Psychological Society's code of ethics.

Who is responsible for the study?

The academic supervisors on the research team will be responsible for the conduct of this research.

Contacts and Further Information:

If you wish to contact myself or my supervisor we can be contacted by:

Researcher: Supervisor:
Rhianna Goldberg Dr Sebastian Teicher CPsycholAFBPsS FHEA
Email: N0514243@ntu.ac.ukDepartment of Psychology
Nottingham Trent University
50 Shakespeare Street
Nottingham
NG1 4FQ

T: +44 (0)115 848 2438

Email: sebastian.teicher@ntu.ac.uk