To avoid any feelings of coercion on the
part of the participants, the primary investigator was not in
the room during the information and consent process or the
actual filling out of the questionnaires. After the research assistant
explained the purpose of the study and an opportunity
was provided to ask questions students were given the choice
of whether or not to participate. Completion and submission
of the questionnaires was deemed as acknowledgement that
participants understood the study, expectations of their participation
and associated rights. Students were asked to attach a
personal identifier on the questionnaires that only they would
know. It was made clear to the participants that an identifier
was required only to facilitate matching of data from T1 to
T2 and that only aggregated data would be communicated or
published. Students completed the demographic data sheet
at T1. The KOP and qualitative questions were completed
at both T1 and T2. The research assistant collected the questionnaires
and separated the demographic information sheets
from the surveys prior to data entry. The qualitative data
were typed, verbatim, by the research assistant to ensure
anonymity of responses