Title of research study: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Filipina Mothers: A Mixed Methods Study

Study Investigator: Gabrielle Aquino-Adriatico, MSW (Doctoral Candidate) – This project is part of a dissertation and is being conducted under the supervision of Dr. Patrick Leung, PhD, who is the faculty sponsor and dissertation chair.

Key Information: The following focused information is being presented to assist you in understanding the key elements of this study, as well as the basic reasons why you may or may not wish to consider taking part. This section is only a summary; more detailed information, including how to contact the research team for additional information or questions, follows within the remainder of this document under the “Detailed Information” heading.

What should I know about a research study?
 • Someone will explain this research study to you.
 • Taking part in the research is voluntary; whether or not you take part is up to you.
 • You can choose not to take part.
 • You can agree to take part and later change your mind.
 • Your decision will not be held against you.
 • You can ask all the questions you want before you decide, and can ask questions at any time during the study.

We invite you to take part in a research study about the mental health of Filipina mothers during COVID-19 pandemic because you meet the following criteria: (1) identifies as Filipina or Filipina American; (2) 18 years or older; (3) identifies as a mother of child(ren) ages 15 years and younger; (4) resides in the United States.

This research is being funded by Council of Social Work Education’s Minority Fellowship Program and the Graduate College of Social Work’s Child & Family Center for Innovative Research.

In general, your participation in the research involves you completing a one-time survey that will last approximately 20-25 minutes. This survey has two sections: (1) demographics and (2) concerns that affect you and/or your family. The purpose of this survey is to understand what factors impact the mental health of Filipina mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are no known risks by participating in this study. There are no known benefits for participating in this study. You will not receive compensation for participation.

Detailed Information: The following is more detailed information about this study, in addition to the information listed above.

Why is this research being done?
The purpose of this study is to identify what factors impact the mental health of Filipina mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: There are approximately 4 million Filipino/a/x Americans (FilAms) in the United States as of 2019, making them the third largest origin groups among Asian American communities, 56.6% of them women (Pew Research Center, 2019; U.S. Census Bureau, 2019). FilAms are currently facing the dual pandemic of COVID-19 and violence due to racism (Litam, 2020), yet remain to be one of the most under-researched groups (Budiman et al., 2019). FilAms are at higher risk for experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease (Misra et al., 2020). Mainstream research has documented the detrimental impact that COVID-19 has on the overall mental health of mothers (Almeida et al., 2020; Cameron et al., 2020; Davenport et al., 2020). Mothers report higher rates of depression and anxiety due to lack of child care support, isolation, balancing working and parenting, and more (Chiurazzi et al., 2020a). There is increasing research on the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of mothers; however, there is little research specifically on the mental health of Filipina mothers.

I do not foresee that you will receive any direct, personal benefit as a result of your participation in this project; however, your participation will allow researchers to better understand what contributes to the mental health of Filipina mothers. Such information can contribute to knowledge about working with this community.

How long will the research last?
The one-time survey will take approximately 20-25 minutes to complete. You may withdraw from this study at any time. There are no consequences for not completing the survey.

How many people will be studied?
We expect to enroll about 200 people in this research study.

What happens if I say yes, I want to be in this research? If you want to participate in this research, you will either receive a link to complete an online survey on Qualtrics or a paper copy of the survey. The survey will include questions related to concerns that affect you and your family in the last 24 months (during the COVID-19 pandemic) and your mental health. Examples of these type of questions are: - Please circle the appropriate response based on the following scale, 0 = no concern, 1 = mild concern, 2 = moderate concern, 3 = serious concern, and NA = not applicable.
 o Food shortage was a concern that affected you and your family in the last 24 months.
o Adequate income was a concern that affected you and your family in the last 24 months. - Below are symptoms or problems that people sometimes have. Please read each one carefully and decide how much the symptoms bothered or distressed you in the last month, including today. Scale: 0 = none, 1 = a little bit, 2 = quite a bit, and 3 = very often. o Feeling fearful
o Crying easily

You may skip any questions that make you feel uncomfortable. There are no consequences for skipping questions.

The estimated date for the completion of this study, including primary analysis will be August 2023.

What happens if I do not want to be in this research? You can choose not to take part in the research and it will not be held against you. Choosing not to take part will involve no penalty or loss of benefit to which you are otherwise entitled. Your alternative to taking part in this research study is not to take part.

What happens if I say yes, but I change my mind later? You can leave the research at any time and it will not be held against you. If you stop being in the research, already collected data that still includes your name or other personal information will be removed from the study record.

Is there any way being in this study could be bad for me? We do not expect any risks related to the research activities. If you choose to take part and undergo a negative event you feel is related to the study, please contact the researcher.

Will I receive anything for being in this study? I do not foresee that you will receive any direct, personal benefit as a result of your participation in this project.

Will being in this study help me in any way? There are no known benefits to you from your taking part in this research. However, possible benefits to others include a better understanding of what contributes to the mental health of Filipina mothers. Such information can contribute to knowledge about working with this community.

What happens to the information collected for the research? Information you provide cannot be linked to your identity. The survey will not inquire about any identifying information.

Who can I talk to? If you have questions, concerns, or complaints, or think the research has hurt you, you should talk to the research team at University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work. The principal investigator is Gabrielle Aquino-Adriatico. The principal investigator’s email is gaquino@uh.edu. The faculty sponsor is Dr. Patrick Leung. The sponsor’s email is pleung@uh.edu and his phone number is 713-743-8111.

This research has been reviewed and approved by the University of Houston Institutional Review Board (IRB). You may also talk to them at (713) 743-9204 or cphs@central.uh.edu if:
• Your questions, concerns, or complaints are not being answered by the research team.
• You cannot reach the research team.
• You want to talk to someone besides the research team.
• You have questions about your rights as a research subject.
• You want to get information or provide input about this research.
I have read the consent information and agree to take part in the research.