Dear Student

I am writing on behalf of the Southern Cross University Law School to ask you to consider participating in a survey of final year law students throughout Australia. This study is being conducted by the Brain & Mind Research Institute of the University of Sydney, in conjunction with the Tristan Jepson Memorial Trust. It is a survey of law students’ knowledge of depression, and it involves you completing a single questionnaire which will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

The questionnaire can be found on this web-link:

http://surveys.med.usyd.edu.au/limesurvey/index.php?sid=58611&lang=en

The study is being conducted because of concerns that law students may be more likely to become depressed during their studies than other university students, and that on completing their course they go on to work in what are often very stressful work situations. Although there have been studies of this issue in North American universities, there have been no Australian studies.

The questionnaire has been devised to look at knowledge of depression, the type of help you might seek for depression, and experiences of depression. It has been used in Australia and overseas in studies of depression and help-seeking amongst other groups of students, professionals and community groups. It should take you approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

Participation in the study is voluntary. Please read the Information Sheet before completing the questionnaire.

The information collected via this questionnaire will be used to assess the need for education and changes in occupational health and safety practices regarding mental health issues amongst law students and practicing lawyers.

After completing this survey, you may want to consider contacting the university counselling service or your GP, (whichever is more convenient for you), to talk about any concerns raised on this questionnaire. This is completely

optional. The university counselling services contacts can be contacted on 4221 3445 or by email at StudentServices@uow.edu.au

Law Students Information Sheet
University of Sydney HREC Lawyers Modification

Dr Norm Kelk BA BSW PhD
Research Fellow
Brain and Mind Research Institute
University of Sydney