The aims of this study are to investigate physiotherapists' self-reported frequency of contact with clients experiencing psychological distress and to explore what potential factors may influence the frequency of perceived contact. If you choose to participate, the information you provide will give us insight into physiotherapy practice which may then be used to improve care for clients experiencing psychological distress and to support physiotherapists. Findings may be reported in national and international physiotherapy, psychology and mental health journals and at conferences, and the data will be used in various sections of the lead researcher's PhD thesis.

We are seeking physiotherapists who are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and are currently practising as a clinician in some capacity (i.e., at least part-time, locum or casually).

Completing this anonymous online survey that will take between 15 and 20 minutes. Questions will be asked about your demographic details, workplace context, contact with clients experiencing psychological distress, and your attitudes, beliefs, and confidence. Participation is completely voluntary, and any information you provide will remain anonymous. Data collected from survey responses will be securely deleted after the mandatory 5 year storage period, in accordance with Charles Sturt University guidelines.

Participation is completely voluntary and any information you provide will remain anonymous.

As your responses will be anonymous, once submitted they cannot be withdrawn as the researchers will not be able to identify which responses are yours. Data collected from survey responses will be securely deleted after the mandatory 5-year storage period, in accordance with Charles Sturt University guidelines.

There are no direct benefits from participating in this research. While there is no intention of putting participants at risk, it is possible that completing the survey may invoke some discomfort and potential distress. While it is not anticipated that you will experience any significant distress as a result of participation in this research project, if you do feel the need for support you can contact your GP or mental health professional. If you feel you need immediate support, we encourage you to phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636. Apart from the time you are donating to participate, there are no other costs associated with participating

As thanks for your participation, at the end of the survey, if you wish you may enter a prize draw for a $500 continuing professional development voucher redeemable with the Australian Physiotherapy Association. If you choose to enter the prize draw, you must provide your contact details (first name & phone number/email) into a separate survey (which will not be linked to your responses). Separating the collection of contact details for the prize draw from the survey is intended to keep your responses completely anonymous. Only the winner will be contacted and the draw will occur 1 month after data collection has ceased.

The lead researcher is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (AGRTP) scholarship. The prize draw is funded through the lead researcher's AGRTP operating funds. The funder will have no input in the research results.

As your responses will be anonymous, once entered, they cannot be withdrawn as the researchers will not be able to identify which responses are yours.

As responses are anonymous, there is no automatic process to notify you about the findings of this research. However, the results from this study will be uploaded to Ryan McGrath's ResearchGate profile (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Mcgrath-4) and to Charles Sturt University's institutional repository (https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/persons/ryan-mcgrath). If you are interested in reading the results of the study, we recommend going to these web pages in approximately 12-24 months. If copyright prohibits the researchers from uploading the full article to ResearchGate or Charles Sturt University's institutional repository, participants may email Ryan (rmcgrath@csu.edu.au) directly for a copy of the publication.

Charles Sturt University’s Human Research Ethics Committee has approved this project [Protocol number: H22213]. If you have any complaints or reservations about the ethical conduct of this project, you may contact the Committee through the Research Integrity Unit via the following contact details: The Presiding Officer Human Research Ethics Committee Ethics and Compliance Unit Locked Bag 588 Charles Sturt University NSW 2678 Phone: (02) 6933 4213 Email: ethics@csu.edu.au

Mr Ryan L McGrath, PhD student Email: rmcgrath@csu.edu.au Phone: 0488170142