Deborah van der LindeMacEwan University has put out a call for volunteers for a new study they are conducting. You can take part in it if you are a Canadian veteran who has had experience dealing with Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC).
The research will be conducted by Sean Rogers, assistant professor, and Alison Toews, a psychology major, both with MacEwan University.
The purpose of the research is to investigate the emotional and psychological impact of dealing with VAC policies and procedures. The researchers will have participants fill out a questionnaire for the study, along with writing about some of their experiences.
The participants will remain completely anonymous, and no individual information will be shared with VAC.
The questionnaire will include broad questions about demographics, past experiences, and feelings about your experiences with VAC. As direct quotes will be used, they ask that you make sure that all information is correct, and that you not include any identifying information.
According to the researchers, there is minimal risk involved with this study, though you may be asked to recall triggering experiences. The researchers stress that should you feel uncomfortable with any of the questions in the questionnaire, you are free to skip it and move on to the next one.
There will be a debriefing at the end, at which time you will be given the opportunity to withdraw from the study. Again, researchers stress that you can withdraw from the study at any point without any risk. Participation is completely voluntary, and you only have to answer questions with which you feel comfortable.
While there may not be any direct benefit to the participants of this study, the information the researchers collect will help them get a better understanding of how VAC’s policies and procedures impact veterans. As it stands, there are no studies that have looked at this topic.
To participate in the study, click here.
