Dear UKZN First Year Students

Greetings! My name is Nirmala Gopal. I am a Professor in the discipline of Criminology and Forensic Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Howard College campus, South Africa. ( Email: Gopal@ukzn.ac.za; Tel: 0312602006). Together with the Co-investigators, Prof Johannes John-Langba ( Discipline of Social Work; Email: JohnLangbaJ@ukzn.ac.za) and Dr Kemist Shumba ( Discipline of Psychology; Email: ShumbaK@ukzn.ac.za), we are interested in understanding the emotional wellbeing of first year students at UKZN during the COVID 19 lockdown. We know that these are anxious and uncertain times for all of us.

This research study is only for the participation of UKZN first year students. It will involve the completion of an online survey questionnaire that will take only 15 minutes to complete. The research study has been ethically reviewed and approved by the UKZN Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (Approval number: HSSREC00001298/202).

In the event of any problems or concerns/questions please contact the Principal Investigator (Prof N. Gopal) at gopal@ukzn.ac.za; Tel: 0312602006 or the UKZN Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee, contact details as follows:

HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCH ETHICS ADMINISTRATION

Research Office, Westville Campus

Govan Mbeki Building

Private Bag X 54001, Durban 4000

KwaZulu-Natal, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: 27 31 2604557; Fax: 27 31 2604609; Email: HSSREC@ukzn.ac.za  

Please click on the following link to access the informed consent form and the survey questionnaire: https://forms.gle/QcxfQKzhGS4eNJB16