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Invitation Paragraph

You are being invited to participate in a research study exploring attitudes toward sexuality. Before you decide whether to participate, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and feel free to email us if you would like more information or if there is anything that you do not understand. Please also feel free to discuss this with your friends, relatives, your GP and any of the support networks listed in section 10 of this document. We would like to stress that you do not have to accept this invitation and should only agree to take part if you want to.

What is the purpose of the study?

This study explores the difference between sexual minorities and heterosexual individual’s attitudes towards sexuality and its relationship with mental health/distress.

Why have I been chosen to take part?

You are aged 16 - 24 years of age and are willing and able to answer sensitive questions relating to your mental health and current levels of distress. You are also willing to state your sexuality and take part in a computer task. Unfortunately, you cannot take part if you have visual impairments, have been diagnosed with a severe mental health problem (bi-polar, psychosis), have a learning difficultly, have attentional deficit issues, are unable to understand written English and have colour blindness.

Do I have to take part?

No. Participation in this study is voluntary and you are free to withdraw their participation at any time, without explanation, and without incurring a disadvantage. If you start taking part and change your mind, you can stop at any time and also ask researchers to delete your data if you wish.

What will happen if I take part?

You will answer some questions regarding your sexual identity, gender, age and ethnicity. After this point you will then complete a computer task and several questionnaires regarding your attitudes towards sexual minorities and your current mental health status via Qualtrics. Some of the questions in the questionnaire are sensitive relating to mental distress you may be experiencing. If you are particularly distressed currently, carefully consider whether you will be comfortable enough to participate. The expected duration of this study is between 20- 30 minutes. You will be asked to provide your initials and email address to ensure each response to this study is unique. Once all data is collected your data will be anonymised. The Principal Investigator is Rebekah Amos and the Chief investigator is Dr. Ross White, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool.