Re: Question about ethics issue in researching abuse

[bill higgins <bill_higginsus@xxxxxxxxx>]

If participants wish to read the research (in this
case dissertation), I believe they have that right.  

I would focus the students attention on the study
design.  There seems to be major limitations
associated with identifying two victims who present
different symptoms.

Bill


--- Dan Taube <dtaube@alliant.edu> wrote:
> Dear List members,
>  
> I am an IRB chair, and have come up against an
> interesting question that I thought some of you
> might have had occasion to have previously
> addressed. We have a student interested in
> conducting qualitative research with two adults who
> were identified as being victims of Munchausens by
> Proxy.  Her research would involve using
> standardized psychological tests and interviews with
>  these adults--one of whom has apparently been
> significantly affected by his/her experience, and
> the other of whom has experienced less signifanct
> effects. One of the study's aims is to clarify which
> areas of functioning are most affected. Aside from
> the issue of the utility and design of this study,
> the committee members (as well as the student) are
> concerned about one risk in particular. That is,  is
> there a way to prevent family members (or the
> participants, for that matter) from obtaining the
> full published dissertation, with its description of
> the testing data and potential for misinterpretation
> or mi!
> suse? We've recommended that, at a minimum, at
> Certificate of Confidentiality be obtained by the
> student to protect the raw, identifiable data, and
> that she, of course disguise the participants as
> much as possible. And with our typical request that
> researchers offer a summary of results to
> participants upon the completion of the study, we
> believe it possible to provide results in a manner
> respectful of participants sensitivities. 
> Nonetheless, it would be relatively easy to identify
> the study and obtain a copy of the dissertation--as
> the student must inform participants about her
> status as a student at our school, and dissertations
> are available in our library (not to mention DAI). 
>  
> If you have any suggestions about how we might
> address this risk so the student could adequately
> protect these participants, it would be appreciated.
> 
>  
> Dan Taube
> AIU-California School of Professional Psychology
> 1005 Atlantic Ave.
> Alameda, CA 94501
> 510-523-2300 ext. 128
> dtaube@alliant.edu
>  
>  
>  
> 


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