Ethics

Question 1

Define the risks regarding beneficence

Answer 1

The risk of harm to a participant should be the least possible.

Question 2

Describe risks regarding informed consent

Answer 2

○ Obtaining the voluntary participation of the people involved, and to inform them of their right to withdraw from the study at any time
○ Participants should be informed about the purpose and the procedure of the research project
○ Preferable to have a written agreement signed by both researcher and participant
○ Issue of how informed consent can be handled in exploratory qualitative consent can be handled in exploratory studies where the investigators themselves have little advance knowledge of how the interviews and observations will proceed

Question 3

Describe risks regarding confidentiality

Answer 3

○ Private data identifying the participants will not be reported
○ If a study will publish information potentially recognisable to others, the participants often need to agree to the release of identifiable information
○ Protecting confidentiality can in extreme cases raise serious legal problems, such as in cases when a researchers - through the promise of confidentiality and the trust of the relationship - has obtained knowledge of mistreatment, malpractice, child abuse, the use of drugs or other criminal behaviours either by the use of the participant or others

Question 4

Describe the Utilitarian ethical perspective

Answer 4

Sum of potential benefits to a participant and the importance of the knowledge gained should outweigh the risk of harm to the participant

Question 5

Describe the ethical role of the researcher

Answer 5

They are morally responsible research behaviour involves the moral integrity of the researcher

Question 6

List the three principles of ethics

Answer 6

A respect for the rights and dignity of people and peoples
Propriety
Integrity

Question 7

Describe what comes under the principle - respect for the rights and dignity of people and peoples

Answer 7

Informed consent
Privacy
Confidentiality
Beneficence - fiduciary duty
Non-Maleficence

Question 8

Describe what comes under the principle - propriety

Answer 8

Competence
Record keeping
Professional responsibility
Provision of psychological services at the request of a third party - non-maleficence
Use of interpreters

Question 9

Describe what comes under the principle - Integrity

Answer 9

Reputable behaviour
Communication
Conflict of interest
Non-exploitation

Question 10

Define fiduciary duty

Answer 10

A legal obligation for one party to act in the best interests of another

Question 11

Define non-maleficence

Answer 11

Not harming or allowing harm through neglect - emotional wellbeing

Question 12

List the 5 core values that the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) suggests researchers should follow when conducting studies alongside Indigenous Australians

Answer 12

Spirit and integrity
Cultural continuity
Equity
Reciprocity
Respect

Question 13

Define ethical reflexivity

Answer 13

Ethical reflexivity asks the researcher to consider possible implications for the participants of the study and the larger social and political context in which the research is embedded