Information and Consent

We are a team of 3 psychology students, Eylül Ece Ceylan, Esoa Lele, and Umut Adak, from the
University of Warsaw and we would like to invite you to take part in our research study
measuring the relationship between having breakfast and test performance.

Please take your time to read this information carefully. Please do not hesitate to ask if anything
needs to be clarified or if you need more information before you make up your mind.

What is the project about?

The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between breakfast consumption and
cognitive performance in a group of participants. Along with the expression “breakfast is the
most important meal of the day”, there are a lot of studies showing that there is a significant
connection between breakfast and test performance. This research is aimed at studying the initial
effect of breakfast on cognitive performance, regardless of the type or timing of the breakfast.
The study attempts to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between breakfast and
cognitive function and to provide information that may be useful for promoting healthy eating
habits for better performance.

What will happen if you agree to participate?

Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. All participants have the right to withdraw
from the research at any time without any consequences for declining or withdrawing.

What will the process look like?

If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to complete a test that assesses various
cognitive domains including memory, attention, and language. Participants will be randomly
divided into two groups: one group will be expected to eat breakfast on the first day and skip it
on the second day while the other group will skip it on the first day and have it on the second.
The measurement is focused on one test known as The Cognitive Function Test. The test will be
completed once for two days; depending on the participants’ group, the test will be completed
after skipping or consuming breakfast (of your own choice, at 11 am the latest). However, the
type of breakfast should reasonably be able to be considered breakfast. Also, there is no set
minimum or maximum amount of food that needs to be consumed in order to consider it a
"breakfast." But, keep in mind that your breakfast is meant to contain and provide the energy and
nutrients you need to start your day. The test will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Please note that you will be asked to eat dinner at midnight (12 am) at the latest before the day of
taking the test. Since the experiment will last for two days, by agreeing to take part in this study,
you will be agreeing to this condition. Together with this, when you are in the breakfast group,
you will be asked to have breakfast at 11am at the latest. The test will be sent to your email
address one or one and a half hours after you confirm to us via email or message that you had
breakfast.

Are there any risks or should I expect discomfort?

There are no known risks in this study. However, there are inclusion and exclusion criteria that
we would like to take into account to avoid any kind of discomfort or inconvenience caused by
skipping breakfast. You may also experience some fatigue or discomfort due to lack of food, so
the energy source.

Inclusion criteria: willingness, being a student, being able to eat dinner at midnight (12
am) and breakfast at 11 am at the latest.
Exclusion criteria: being diagnosed with any type of eating disorder, having a history of
chronic illness such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and taking medication that may affect
cognitive performance.

What will happen to the results of this research?

Since we are examining the difference between the two days and asking participants to skip
breakfast on one of those days, the results of the study will not be anonymous. The process will
be followed by a debriefing and further explanation of the taken measurements. Results will be
kept in a password-protected database and a summary of the results will be presented in the form
of a scientific paper, available also to participants.
Please note that your participation in this study will be kept confidential and your identity will
not be disclosed in any reports or publications without your written consent. Instead of the
identity, the participants will be classified as “Participant 1, Participant 2, etc.”. Your data will be
kept anonymous in the research paper and only the researchers of this study will have access to
it.

Do you have to participate?

You do not have to participate in this study. However, the information gathered from this study
may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between breakfast and cognitive
performance, and may be useful for promoting certain eating habits that would enhance students’
performance. Since all participants are students doing favors to other students, participation in
this research is based on mutual benefits. Had this not been the case, participants would have
been compensated for their time and effort.

What should you do now?

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email; Eylul Ceylan at
e.ceylan@student.uw.edu.pl or Esoa Lele at e.lele@student.uw.edu.pl or Umut Adak at
u.adak@student.uw.edu.pl

If you would like to raise a concern or make a complaint, you can contact our supervisor Wouter
de Raad at wderaad@psych.uw.edu.pl

Please ask any questions that will help you decide whether or not to participate. You can also
contact us at any time about any aspect of the research.
Thank you for considering our project!

● I understand I am free to participate in this study or not; I understand that I can withdraw
at any point without any consequences, simply by informing the researchers; and I
understand that if I withdraw from the project, any information I have supplied will be
destroyed.
 ● I understand who will have access to the information I provide, how it will be stored
during the project, and what will happen to it at the end of the project.
● I understand how to raise a concern or make a complaint.
● I agree to participate in this study.

If you agree with all of the statements above, please sign here:

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