Consent to Participate in Research

Title of the Project: The Paradox of Connectivity: How Social Media Fuels Anxiety Researcher 

(Principal Investigator): Richard Sanchez, Department of Psychology Contact Information: Telephone: (908) 737-5890 Email: sancrich@kean.edu

Faculty Advisor: Sarah Toledo, Department of Psychology Contact Information: Telephone: (908) 737-5890 Email: toledosa@kean.edu

i) Invitation to Participate: You are invited to participate in a research study examining the relationship between social media usage and anxiety levels among young adults. This study aims to understand how different levels of social media interaction may affect anxiety.

ii) Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study is to analyze the correlation between social media usage and self-reported anxiety levels. Specifically, it seeks to identify whether high engagement with social media leads to increased anxiety compared to moderate or low usage, and to explore how different social media interactions—such as receiving likes, comments, or exposure to negative content—impact mental well-being.

iii) Participant Selection: You have been selected to participate in this study because you are a student between the ages of 18 and 40 who regularly uses social media. Participants will be recruited through class announcements and emails.

iv) Procedures: If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete an online survey about your daily social media usage and your experiences related to anxiety on these platforms.. Completing the survey is expected to take approximately 5 minutes. 

v) Potential Risks: While the risks associated with this study are minimal, some participants may experience mild discomfort when reflecting on their social media usage and its potential impact on their anxiety levels. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, you may choose to discontinue the survey.

vi) Potential Benefits: There are no direct benefits to you from participating in this study. However, your participation will contribute to a better understanding of how social media usage affects anxiety, which may inform future interventions and support mechanisms. vii) Financial Obligation: There is no financial obligation required from you to participate in this study.

viii) Compensation/Treatment: There is no compensation associated with participation in this study. No medical treatments are involved in this research. If you experience any discomfort or have concerns about your mental health during the study, please contact the Kean University Counseling Center at (908) 737-4850.

ix) Confidentiality: Your participation and responses will be kept confidential. No personally identifiable information will be collected, other than optional demographic data such as gender, age, and location. All data will be securely stored on the Qualtrics platform and encrypted cloud storage, accessible only to the researcher. The signed consent forms will be kept separate from the survey data. Data will be retained for five years and then securely destroyed.

x) Participation: Participation in this research study is completely voluntary. You may withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. If you choose to withdraw, any data you have provided will be excluded from the study and destroyed.

Questions/Comments: If you have any questions or concerns about this study, please contact the primary investigator or faculty advisor. For questions regarding your rights as a research participant, you may contact the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Kean University.

Contact Information: • Primary Investigator: Richard Sanchez, (908) 737-5890, sancrich@kean.edu • Faculty Advisor: Sarah Toledo, (908) 737-5890, toledosa@kean.edu • IRB: (908) 737-3461, IRB@kean.edu