Chapter 3 Flashcards - Research Ethics
Within Canada, the Tri-Agency Research Integrity Policy requires what of the research process?
That they are open, honest, fair and accountable
What is rigour?
Responsibility of researchers to ensure highest standards for performing, analyzing, and reporting research findings
Research integrity is compromised when there is research misconduct. This can occur in any phase of the research process and includes…?
- Flasification
- Fabrication
- Plagiarism
When proposing, reviewing or reporting the results of research is when research misconduct can happen
When does flasification occur? When does fabrication occur and when does plagiarism occur?
- Falsification - changes are made to the research so that research record does not represent research that took place
- Fabrication - Making up data and records on such data
- Plagiarism - Takes another person’s ideas, words, etc. and does not provide credit
Example of ethical-decision making in the textbook?
If you’re a researcher interviewing children about motor coordination skills and learn one of them is in harm, breaching confidentiality is the lawful and ethical choice
What is an ethical dilemma? Give an example from the textbook
Something requiring ethical action, but must do two or more mutually exclusive actions; one thing done means they cannot do the other.
- You worked with an international-level athlete and they get injured so they call you asking you for help because they need to make the olympic team on the same day. At the same time you have to meet a research participant coming to meet you for an important study you’re conducting and you don’t know what to do.
The Ethical-Decision Making Process for Professionals Include…?
- Develop ethical sensitivity
- Consult code of ethics
- Search ethics literature
- Develop self-awareness
- Apply ethical principles
- Develop alternative courses of action
- Consult with colleagues
- Take Action
- Reflect upon the results of your action
Explain “Develop ethical sensitivity” with context to the hockey example in the text
Must be sensitive to ethical issues; choices as researchers affect other people
- The hockey player giving the PT $1000 gift card, you need to consider who is affected. There is monetary value so it is you and the client who are affected but also the PT business, university where you research, the clients family, etc.
Must recognize ethical issues impact many people; try to discuss something before the research starts so this won’t happen at all
Explain “Consult code of ethics” in the context of the hockey example in the text
A code of ethics ensure credibility of a profession and offers protection for the clients they serve but code of ethics differs in each place
- Since the PT trainer is in Saskatchewan, there are different code of ethics and in their code of ethics professional integrity & professional development must be maintained along with a conflict of interest (not exploiting any relationship as a therapist to further their own financial business interest)
Must always consult what your code of ethics says
Explain “Search ethics literature” in the context of the hockey example in the textbook
Using ethics texts and journal articles as a wide range of topics on ethics but especially helpful when a profession’s code of ethics does not adequately address specifics of a situation requiring ethical-decision making
- Implication of accepting gifts depends a lot on context, suggesting there is no simple answer as to whether receiving $1000 gift certificate would be appropriate or not
Must take the full context into situation like if the client is rich then that is still not a reason why you should take the money
Explain “Develop self-awareness” in the context of the hockey example in the textbook
Must be self-aware of the situation because you want to identify whether there are any other self-interests you need to recognize and also try to keep bias away from decision
- In the hockey text, if the PT was struggling financially how does that impact the decision to accept or reject a $1000 gift card
Explain “apply ethical principles” and use the example given in the textbook
Ethical principles shape most code of ethics so must apply fundamental ethical principles in ethical-decision making process.
- I.e. A physician, in order to respect an athelete’s own choice to play while injured, you might be exposing that athelete to potential long term harm that may be preventable
Conflict among ethical principles that makes a situation an ethical dilemma
Explain “Develop alternative courses of action” and use the hockey example in the textbook
Making alternative courses of action, someone needs to consider the costs and benefits of each possible action. Brainstorming all options can lead to something not thought of.
- Hockey scenario; two most obvious potential courses is to accept or not accept the gift, however, there is a wide range of other potential actions like smaller amount of money or starting an athletic scholarship
Explain “Consult with colleagues” and use the hockey example in the textbook
It offers perspectives and options that have not been already considered. Trusted colleagues often provide more objective lens but consider how to consult the colleague without disclosing identity of client
- Consulation of ethics board is necessary if you were hesistant about admitting to your colleague that you were going to take the $1000
Explain “Take Action” and use the example in the text
Implement the chosen action plan and inform the people who are going to be affected by your actions and make a commitment to assume responsibility for your actions
- Would you act this way in a well lit room where everyone can tell what you were going to do?”
Explain “Reflect upon the results of your actions” and use the example in the text
Reflecting upon results of decisions in ethical situations is recommended. Actions should be consistent with what someone demonstrating ethical virtues would characteristically do
- Ethical virtues include qualities like compassion, discernment, trustworthiness, and represent qualities that professionals should develop in their pursuit of the profession’s goals
What was the Nuremberg Code?
- It was the principles for ethical research
- Post WW2 where unethical biomedical experiements occurred by physicians during the Holocaust
Guidelines to prevent atrocities in human research:
- Idea of informed consent
- Research should avoid all unnecessary physical or mental harm
What was the Tuskegee study?
- Lower income African-Caribbean sharecroppers were supposedly offered free emdical care by physicians and told a treatment was found for their illness called “bad blood” - syphilis
- Truth: Enrolled in observational research study, without knowledge or consent
- Exchange for participation, particpants received free medical exams, transport, hot meals and $50 for burial expenses
Researchers would use the bodies for autopsy after death but these people did know what they were signing up for
* Treatment was available but not offered to coloured men
What was the Nutrition Research Experiment in Malnourished Children
Essentially starving a bunch of indigenous children in residential schools and giving them a bit of Pablum and were restricted from having traditional foods. Subjected to invasive testing too.
Why were the ethics policies in Canada developed?
In reponse to historical practices of unethical treatment of people in research
- Sexual sterilization in alberta
- Medical experiments by Nazi researchers
Various policies developed to guide ethical practices most notably: Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2)
What is the TCPS 2 informed by which convey the value of human dignity
- Respect for Persons
- Concern for Welfare
- Justice
TCPS 2 is a joint policy of the three federal funding agencies in Canada: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Social Science & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
Respect for Persons means?
Intrinsic value of human beings and respect and consideration they are due
Respect the autonomy of individuals involved in research as well as their data being used in research
Concern for welfare means?
Welfare of a person is the quality of that person’s experience of life in all its aspects
Research context important in that the benefits of participation outweight the risks
Justice means? (Context of ethic principles)
Obligation to treat people fairly and equitably
By appying the three principles of the TCPS 2, what are the two main goals researchers should work to balance?
- Ensuring necessary protection of participants
- Fulfilling legitimate requirements of research
7 Ethical Principles that follow the Ethical Policy that is the TCPS 2
- Do no harm
- Ensure Privacy
- Obtain Voluntary and Informed Consent
- Get Permission
- Avoid Sponsorship & Suppression
- Prevent Misrepresentation
- Ensure safety of researchers
When research involves collecting data from human participants, researchers are bounded by?
- Institutional treaties
- All levels of government’s laws and regulations
- Institutional procedures
What is an Institutional Review Board?
Where you get approval before participants are recruited or research begins and where research plan is carefully reviewed by trained IRB members
When doing a mixed methods research involving participants, it is likely that you need to get approval multiple times, once for the quantitative portion and another for the qualitative
What are the three levels of review with the IRB? Explain how each work
- Exempt: Representative from the board confirms it does not need review
- Expedited: Previously-approved projects that need to be renewed, projects with minor changes, projects with human subjects but no potential for harm
- Full review: Research on vulnerable groups, risk to participants, collection of sensitive data
Based on how serious the research may be from being either not needed to be reviewed to borderline “could be dangerous and put people at risk so must be looked at”
