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Project Title: Undergraduate Student Perceptions of Service Dog Teams in Academic Environments

Student Researcher(s): Carson Squair, Undergraduate Student, Department of Psychology and Health Studies, University of Saskatchewan, xbo097@usask.ca

Supervisor: Dr. Linzi Williamson, Department of Psychology and Health Studies, linzi.williamson@usask.ca, 306-966-6657

Purpose and Objective of the Research: The primary purpose of this study is to train the student researcher in the methods of behavioural research. The secondary purpose aims to explore undergraduate student perceptions of service dogs and their handlers in shared academic environments, focusing on how peers perceive and react to service dog teams (i.e., service dog + handler) based on the disability-support the service dog provides.

Procedures: Participants are invited to complete an online questionnaire through the University of Saskatchewan’s Sona Systems hosted by SurveyMonkey. Participants will be randomly assigned to read one of three vignettes describing a student/handler who comes to campus with their service dog and the tasks the service dog completes for the student/handler based on their disability-specific needs. The questionnaire will ask you demographic questions (e.g., age, gender identity, etc.) and to rate your perceptions of the student/handler assisted by their service dogs in academic settings. We cannot yet share the exact nature of this study, as this will affect your ability to answer our research questions. However, at the end of the questionnaire, you will be directed to a debriefing form which will present the full purpose of the study, our hypotheses, and details of the vignettes. Upon reading the debriefing form, you will have the opportunity to re-consent to the inclusion of your data. The questionnaire should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You will not be asked any identifying information, and your completion of the online questionnaire will be anonymous. Please feel free to ask any questions regarding the procedures and goals of the study or your role by contacting the researcher(s).

Potential Risks: There are no known or anticipated risks to you by participating in this research. However, if this study at any point has made you feel uncomfortable, distressed, or concerned, you are welcome to leave any questions unanswered and/or end participation by closing your web browser. We also encourage you to reach out to the University of Saskatchewan Student Wellness Centre (306)-966-5768, located on the 3rd and 4th floor of Place Riel Student Centre or the Mental Health Commission of Canada at 988 in a time of distress or (613) 683-3755 for general inquiries. At the end of the study, you will be shown a debriefing form that better explains the nature of the study and you will be given a chance to address any questions or concerns that you might have.

Potential Benefits: You may receive no personal benefits from participation in the study.

Compensation: Participation in the following study is entirely voluntary, and no compensation will be provided.

Confidentiality: Your data will be kept completely confidential and no personally identifying information will be linked to your data. Your information will be kept completely anonymous, as data will be coded using arbitrary participant numbers that will not be associated with any names or personally identifying information. All data will be summarized in aggregate form.

Please note that this survey is hosted on SurveyMonkey, and data will be stored in facilities hosted in Canada. Upon the completion of data collection, all data will be removed from SurveyMonkey. Please see the following for more information on the Survey Monkey Privacy Policy.

The collected electronic data will be stored securely at the University of Saskatchewan on the supervisor’s password-protected USask OneDrive account. The data will be shared with the undergraduate researcher through their OneDrive accounts. Collected data will be stored by the supervisor for 5 years post publication, as per University of Saskatchewan guidelines, at which point it will be destroyed beyond recovery. Aggregate data will be used for the basis of a research paper and presentation as per course requirements. It may also be published in an academic journal or presented at a professional conference.

If you wish to contact the researchers, please note that anonymity will no longer be ensured. However, confidentiality will continue to be protected. Participant names and email addresses will not be stored, and access to this information will be limited to the researcher(s). All email interactions will be deleted beyond recovery after communication.

Right to Withdraw: Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you can choose to answer only the questions that you are comfortable with. You may withdraw from the research project for any reason, at any time without explanation or penalty of any sort and without loss of compensation. If you withdraw, the study will stop, and you will receive a debriefing form. All of the collected data will be immediately destroyed.

Your right to withdraw data from the study will apply until survey answers are submitted. After this time, it is no longer possible to withdraw the data as your responses are submitted anonymously and cannot be identified for removal after that point.

Follow-up: The results of the study may be obtained after April 1, 2025, by contacting the supervisor or undergraduate researcher with the information provided at the top of page one.

Questions or Concerns: Please contact the researchers using the information above if you have questions or concerns at any point in this study.

This research project has been approved on ethical grounds by the University of Saskatchewan Behavioural Research Ethics Board. Any questions regarding your rights as a participant may be addressed to that committee through the Research Ethics Office: ethics.office@usask.ca; 306-966-2975; out of town participants may call toll free 1-888-966-2975.

Consent: By completing and submitting the questionnaire, YOUR FREE AND INFORMED CONSENT IS IMPLIED and indicates that you understand the above conditions of participation in this study. You will be given the opportunity to re-consent after being informed of the full purpose of the study within the debriefing form.

9% of survey complete.