Participate in research studies
We are always looking for research study or survey volunteers.
If you would like to participate, please browse through the research studies below.
Most research study volunteers will be reimbursed in some way.
Relationship between melatonin and myopia (or short-sightedness) in young adults
The study is examining the differences in sleep pattern, light exposure and systemic melatonin levels in people with different vision disorders.
I am looking for myopes (short-sighted individuals) and emmetropes (individuals with normal vision).
We will do a comprehensive eye examination at Flinders Vision for free, which will take up to 60 minutes. You will complete a short sleep diary, and wear an activity monitoring watch (Similar to a Fitbit) in your own home for one week . At the end of the week, you will be asked to attend the Flinders University Sleep Laboratory at 5pm to provide urine and half-hourly saliva samples overnight. Sleep Laboratory has private bedrooms for comfort and privacy.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male and female |
| Age | 18 — 25 |
| Other criteria | We are looking for either myopes (short-sighted individuals with more -2.00 DS power) and emmetropes (individuals with normal vision). You cannot participate if you:
|
| Participant benefits |
You will receive a $70 reimbursement for your time at the end of the study |
| Participants required until |
30 June 2019 |
Health and Wellbeing Project online survey
You are invited to participate in an online survey about food and eating. This research is part of a year-long project to promote nutrition for health and wellbeing of students at Flinders. We want to know what you will like to see on campus and learn more about to make healthy eating easier for you. The survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. It includes questions about your background (e.g. age, gender), access to food, food literacy, food knowledge and diet behaviours.
Your participation is entirely voluntary and you are able to withdraw at any time.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male and female |
| Age | 17+ |
| Other criteria |
|
| Participant benefits |
Go into a draw to win 1 of 10 foodie prize packs worth $25 (recipe books, kitchen utensils) |
| Participants required until |
June 2019 |
A new clinical tool to assess fitness-to-drive in obstructive sleep apnoea
If you have sleep apnea or snoring, or if you consider yourself free from any sleep problems we invite you to participate in a research study to help us characterise sleep disorders better. This study is being conducted at the following location:
Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, Adelaide SA.
The study will involve completing a 45 minute questionnaire asking about your sleep, health and lifestyle. Depending on your answers in the questionnaire, you may be invited to have an overnight sleep study at our sleep centre.
If you are interested in participating in this study, please email:
aish.sleeplab@flinders.edu.au.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male and female |
| Age | 25 — 65 |
| Other criteria | Sleep Apnea Volunteers - Diagnosed or suspected untreated sleep apnea
|
| Participant benefits |
Successful participants will be reimbursed $372 for their time and involvement in this study. |
| Participants required until |
10 December 2021 |
Exploring the attitudes, experiences and knowledge of practice nurses when caring for adults experiencing sleep difficulties in Australia
Are you a registered or enrolled nurse?
Are you currently working in general practice?
Flinders University researchers are looking for practice nurses to participate in a research project exploring the experiences, knowledge and attitudes of practice nurses when caring for people experiencing sleep difficulties.
Participation involves a 30-60 minute face-to-face or phone interview.
If you are interested in participating in this study, or would like more information, please email Nicole Grivell:
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or female |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Other criteria | Must be a Registered or Enrolled Nurse currently working within general practice in South Australia. |
| Participant benefits |
Participants will receive a $50 gift voucher as recognition of their time. |
| Participants required until |
21 June 2019 |
Clarifying the role of arousal-hyperventilation in obstructive and central sleep apnoea: Testing fundamental pathophysiological mechanisms
Volunteers will undergo a one night sleep study with additional respiratory and intramuscular
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male and female |
| Age | 18 — 75 |
| Other criteria | We are looking for those with diagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea or central sleep apnoea who:
We are also looking for for healthy adults who fit the above criteria but do not have sleep apnoea or any other sleep disorder. |
| Participant benefits |
Participants will be reimbursed $125 for completion of the study. |
| Participants required until |
December 2021 |
Flourishing in rural schools: Graduate teachers' perceptions of their wellbeing in their new profession.
This project will investigate graduate teachers’ understandings and perceptions of their sense of wellbeing and the influences on their flourishing in their first rural teaching appointment. Wellbeing is more than happiness; it involves increasing the flourishing in one’s life by improving and growing one’s positive emotions, positive engagement, positive relationships, positive meaning, and positive accomplishments (Seligman, 2011).
This project will survey as many graduate teachers in rural, regional, and remote locations as possible, then offer the opportunity to participate in follow-up interviews and/or participant journaling to explore their wellbeing in more detail.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or Female |
| Age | Any age |
| Other criteria | Graduate teachers must be in their first year (or first 12 months) of teaching post-graduation. Can be employed as a teacher in any teaching band (early childhood, primary, or secondary), in any teaching fraction (part-time or full-time), in any form of employment (casual, contract, permanent), and in a rural, regional, or remote school in Australia. |
| Participant benefits |
Sharing of the graduate teachers’ experiences will contribute to an understanding of how these new teachers’ perceive and understand their wellbeing and experiences during their first year of teaching in a rural school. Reflections from the participant journaling can count towards the required three-yearly 60-hours of professional development for teacher registration by presenting the graduate teachers’’ stories of practice. |
| Participants required until |
December 2019 |
Sisu trait survey: How is the Finnish concept of 'sisu' experienced in Australia?
Participate in a short (< 10 min) online survey to help create a generalisable tool for measuring 'sisu' across different cultures.
The term 'sisu' refers to "extraordinary determination, courage and resoluteness in the face of extreme adversity. An action mindset which enables individuals to reach beyond their present limitation, take action against all odds and transform barriers into frontiers. An integral element of Finnish culture and also a universal capacity, which we all share." (https://sisulab.com/sisu-about/)
The survey is part of the 'Sisu at Work' project, conducted by the University of Helsinki and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. in collaboration with Flinders University.
More information about the survey, project and sisu, as well as the researchers’ contact information can be found on the survey website.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or Female |
| Age | 18 years older |
| Other criteria | Proficiency in English |
| Participant benefits |
Amongst all the survey respondents, five (5) Coles & Myer vouchers will be raffled at the end of the study period. The value of one voucher is $15. By participating in the study, you will be contributing to research aimed at developing new psychological interventions that teach individuals personal skills to overcome hardship, as well as, endure and cope with external stressors, without compromising mental well-being. |
| Participants required until |
TBA |
Do you have insomnia?
Do you have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep?
If so, we invite you to be involved in research to help improve our understanding and treatment of insomnia. All participants with insomnia will be offered an effective treatment program.
This study is being conducted by researchers at Flinders University in Adelaide.
The study firstly involves a telephone interview about your sleep, health and lifestyle. Depending on your answers, you may be asked to record a sleep diary for several weeks and complete weekly questionnaires to assess eligibility for the study.
If you are selected to participate, then you will be invited to undertake an overnight sleep intervention in your home. After treatment, you will be asked to keep a sleep diary for 3 separate weeks and complete several brief questionnaires once a week over 6-week follow-up period.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Criteria | Before consenting to participate in this study you will be asked to supply information to discover if you are eligible to take part. If you are considered to be a suitable research participant, you will then be asked to sign a consent form by the research staff. |
| Participant benefits |
N/A |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
A traumatic stress research study.
The Posttraumatic Stress Research Studies Unit of the College of Education, Psycholopgy and Social Work is seeking participants for a research study.
The study will involve thinking about a negative event in your life.
We strongly suggest that if you believe you may be overly distressed by thinking about a negative event that you DO NOT participate in this experiment.
What happens during the study?
Participants will be asked to pay attention to any thoughts about their negative autobiographical event and complete a series of relevant questionnaires and a daily diary for a one-week period.
How long will it take?
Approximately 2hrs over the course of a week.
Register your interest via email. You will then be contacted with more information about the study.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or female |
| Age | 18+ |
| Other criteria | Must be a native English speaker. Must have the use of a smartphone. Must be willing to complete questions relating to past negative events. Must have experienced a negative event in the past three months (events don’t have to be bothering you now, or may not have even bothered you at the time). |
| Participant benefits |
Volunteers will be reimbursed for their time. |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
Treatment to improve symptoms of disordered eating
Flinders University Services for Eating Disorders (FUSED) is offering treatment to improve symptoms of disordered eating, such as binge eating, purging, fasting and preoccupation with weight and shape.
What happens during treatment?
This treatment involves working through a new treatment for eating disorders, Intensive Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBTi), with a trainee therapist at Flinders University.
As part of treatment you will also be asked to complete an interview and questionnaire on five occasions which will take about 90 minutes for each assessment.
You will also be asked if you are willing to consent to this information being used in a research project investigating the impact of this intervention on quality of life.
Who can participate?
If you are over 15 years of age and are experiencing problems with disordered eating you may be eligible to participate.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or Female |
| Age | 15+ |
| Other criteria | BMI > 17.5 Be willing for the therapist to communicate with your GP. Fluent English |
| Participant benefits |
Other people doing this treatment have reported improvements in their eating disorder and quality of life. |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
Food and cravings daily diary study
Do you experience food cravings? Are you interested in contributing to research?
We are currently seeking participants for a new field study investigating the psychology of food cravings.
Participants will be asked to complete a food craving diary over a period of 2 weeks. Participants will also be asked to fill out several questionnaires.
Additionally, participants will be required to attend two separate information sessions during the 2-week period. Each information session will be 15-30 minutes, and daily diary completion should take no longer than 15 minutes of your time.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Age | 18+ |
| Other criteria | Have a craving for food at least once per day. Speak English proficiently. Have a smartphone/tablet and headphones. |
| Participant benefits |
N/A |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
Investigating computer gaming and sleep during adolescence.
Participating in this School of Psychology study will involve attending the sleep laboratory at Flinders University for 2 nights spaced approximately 1 day. Food and drinks will be provided.
A brief initial phone screening will be conducted to determine your eligibility for the study.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or Female |
| Age | 15 - 17 |
| Other criteria | A good sleeper. Do not consume excessive caffeine or take recreational drugs. Have not travelled overseas in the past 3 months. |
| Participant benefits |
$50 Westfield voucher |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
Management of our identities
We are seeking participants for a study investigating how people manage their multiple roles in day-to-day life.
This project will investigate how individuals experience and cope with situations in which their social identities have conflicting expectations.
Social identities are the groups and roles we identify with in our day-to-day life, they may include being a parent, a worker, an athlete, a student, or other groups and roles.
Due to individuals having many different social identities, there may be times when an individual is unable to adhere to the expectations of both identities at once. A working parent, for example, may be unable to simultaneously prioritise their working and parenting commitments.
We are interested in how conflicts between social identities impact on overall psychological well-being, and if there are management strategies that enable people to cope with conflicts more effectively.
Participation will involve completing an 20-30 minute online survey. You’ll be asked a number of questions, including what your social groups/roles are, how important these social groups are to you, and whether the expectations of these social groups conflict with each other.
You’ll also be asked to rate your emotions (including emotions such as shame, anger, remorse, pride and others). Some questions will ask how you responded in situations when your social groups had conflicting expectations of you (e.g., whether you took time to think about the best way to deal with the situation, whether you tried to avoid the situation, whether you could not stop thinking about the situation).
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or Female |
| Age | 18+ |
| Other criteria | Fluent in English. Live in South Australia. |
| Participant benefits |
N/A |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
Behavioural Activation group treatment program for young people.
The Emotion and Behaviour Lab within the School of Psychology, Flinders University, runs a Behavioural Activation group treatment program for young people with excessive worry.
For more information email youth.worry.flinders@gmail.com or phone 0434 809 354.
Investigating the use of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to treat those who have been traumatised.
The School of Psychology in Flinders University is conducting a research study investigating how a more individualised Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) can be used to treat those who have been traumatised.
Participating in the study will involve attending 12-15 individual therapy sessions with a trained therapist. You will also be asked to complete an interview and questionnaires about your life experiences, beliefs and symptoms before therapy, immediately after and 3-months following therapy.
A brief initial phone screening will be conducted to determine your eligibility for the study.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male or Female |
| Age | 18+ |
| Other criteria | Experienced or witnessed a trauma 4 or more weeks ago. |
| Participant benefits |
N/A |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
An investigation of new methods to improve body image among young women
This study is an investigation of new methods to improve body image among young women. The total study will approximately take two hours of your time. The research will be conducted in two parts as follows:
- Questionnaires, recall and write about a time when you felt bad about your body or yourself in general, and a brief training exercise (60 minutes in length; $ 15.00) to be completed at Flinders University.
- 2. Daily home practice (5 minutes daily for 7 consecutive
days) and 1-week follow-up questionnaire (30 minutes in length; $ 25.00) to be completed online.
You do not need to show up in the lab for part 2 of the study.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Age | 17 — 25 |
| Other criteria | Participants must be able to read and write in English. All interested participants |
| Participant benefits |
Participants will potentially learn a new way to improve their body image. |
| Participants required until |
July 2019 |
The use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine sleep stage
This project aims to investigate whether changes in blood flow during sleep, measured by a infrared light can be used to determine the difference between wake and sleep and the different sleep stages.
Participants will be asked to attend an overnight sleep study, where your sleep will be measured by polysomnography (PSG), and brain blood flow will be measured with a NIRS machine.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male and female |
| Age | 18 — 65 |
| Other criteria | Healthy sleepers. |
| Participant benefits |
No participant benefit. |
| Participants required until |
August 2019 |
Continuously monitoring alcohol use and health behaviours using a smartphone app and breathalyser: Pilot study
This study is part of the project titled “Continuously monitoring alcohol use & health behaviours using a smartphone app and breathalyser: Pilot study”.
This project will investigate the feasibility of using smartphone base applications in a general population, and to determine whether the information gathered can be used to detect time and contexts associated with alcohol use behaviour. Based on the data gathered, an individual intervention package can then be tailored for the user to improve the outcomes of an alcohol use disorder.
To be eligible for the study, individuals must be:
- at least (1) 18-years old and willing to produce identification which confirms their age; and
- drink regularly (weekly at minimum) as part of their normal life / social activities.
| PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male and female |
| Age | 18+ |
| Other criteria | Consumses alcohol fairly regularly |
| Participant benefits |
$50 on completion of study |
| Participants required until |
Ongoing |
About our research studies
All research involving human participants requires ethics approval. These research studies have received approval from a human research ethics committee registered with the NHMRC, most commonly the Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee at Flinders University, or the Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee.
Seeking volunteers?
Please fill in the form below to request your call for study volunteers be added to this webpage.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
Global | Online
Follow Flinders
