Qualitative Qualitative Research: Research: Negotiating the Negotiating the Nature of Nature of Closeness and the Closeness and the Closeness of Closeness of Nature" Nature" Elizabeth Peter Elizabeth Peter Associate Professor, Faculty Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Member, Joint of Nursing, Member, Joint Centre for Bioethics Centre for Bioethics
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"The Ethics of Qualitative Research: Negotiating the Nature of Closeness and the Closeness of Nature" Elizabeth Peter Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing,
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"The Ethics of "The Ethics of Qualitative Research: Qualitative Research:
Negotiating the Negotiating the Nature of Closeness Nature of Closeness and the Closeness of and the Closeness of
Nature"Nature"Elizabeth PeterElizabeth Peter
Associate Professor, Faculty of Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Member, Joint Centre for Nursing, Member, Joint Centre for
BioethicsBioethics
OverviewOverview
Background:Background: Research Ethics Research Ethics The nature of qualitative research The nature of qualitative research
InvasivenessInvasiveness Confidentiality & Privacy Confidentiality & Privacy Emergent Designs & the Emergent Designs & the
Respect for Human DignityRespect for Human Dignity Respect for Free & Informed ConsentRespect for Free & Informed Consent Respect for Vulnerable PersonsRespect for Vulnerable Persons Respect for Privacy & Confidentiality Respect for Privacy & Confidentiality Respect of Justice & InclusivenessRespect of Justice & Inclusiveness Balancing Harms & BenefitsBalancing Harms & Benefits Minimizing HarmMinimizing Harm Maximizing Benefit Maximizing Benefit
Pythagorean Table of Pythagorean Table of OppositesOpposites
Male Male Determinate FormDeterminate Form Bounded Bounded ClearClear RestRest Straight Straight LightLight Good Good
Female Female Indeterminate Indeterminate
FormForm UnboundedUnbounded VagueVague MotionMotion CurvedCurved Dark Dark Bad Bad
““The REB should adopt a proportionate The REB should adopt a proportionate approach based on the general approach based on the general principle that the more invasive the principle that the more invasive the research, the greater should be the research, the greater should be the care in assessing the research.” care in assessing the research.”
(TCPS, 1.6)(TCPS, 1.6)
Invasiveness Invasiveness
Establishing Rapport Establishing Rapport In-depth Interviewing In-depth Interviewing Sensitive Research Sensitive Research Vulnerable Participants/Subjects Vulnerable Participants/Subjects
Establishing Rapport?Establishing Rapport?
Many scholars “feel that most of Many scholars “feel that most of traditional in-depth interviewing is traditional in-depth interviewing is unethical, whether wittingly or unethical, whether wittingly or unwittingly. The techniques and unwittingly. The techniques and tactics of interviewing, they say, are tactics of interviewing, they say, are really ways of manipulating the really ways of manipulating the respondents.” respondents.”
(Fontana & Frey, (Fontana & Frey, 2000, p. 662)2000, p. 662)
Clinical vs. Research Clinical vs. Research Relationships Relationships
Clinical RelationshipsClinical Relationships Primarily focused on the needs of Primarily focused on the needs of
the patient/client the patient/client
Research RelationshipsResearch Relationships Primarily focused on the need of the Primarily focused on the need of the
researcher to collect data researcher to collect data
Can be intrusive psychologically, Can be intrusive psychologically, socially & politicallysocially & politically
Re-traumatization possibleRe-traumatization possible Cultural variations in responseCultural variations in response Emotional reactions in interviewer Emotional reactions in interviewer
possible alsopossible also
SafeguardsSafeguards
Interviewer expertiseInterviewer expertise Available follow-upAvailable follow-up Timing and length of interviewsTiming and length of interviews Emotional stability of participants Emotional stability of participants Nature of interview questionsNature of interview questions Opportunity to end interviewOpportunity to end interview
BenefitsBenefits
An opportunity to help others and to An opportunity to help others and to express emotions express emotions
Overall benefits—exploration of Overall benefits—exploration of uncharted area, potential to develop uncharted area, potential to develop understanding and interventionsunderstanding and interventions
Sensitive ResearchSensitive Research
““A sensitive topic is one which A sensitive topic is one which potentially poses for those involved potentially poses for those involved a substantial threat, the emergence a substantial threat, the emergence of which renders problematic for the of which renders problematic for the researcher and/or the researched researcher and/or the researched the collection, holding, and/or the collection, holding, and/or dissemination of research data.” dissemination of research data.”
(Lee & Renzetti, 1990, (Lee & Renzetti, 1990, p. 512) p. 512)
Types of Sensitive Types of Sensitive Research Research
Delves into some deeply personal experienceDelves into some deeply personal experience Is concerned with deviance or social control Is concerned with deviance or social control Impinges on the vested interests of powerful Impinges on the vested interests of powerful
persons or the exercise of coercion or persons or the exercise of coercion or dominationdomination
Deals with things sacred to those being Deals with things sacred to those being studied which they do not wish profaned studied which they do not wish profaned
((Lee & Renzetti, p.6)Lee & Renzetti, p.6)
SafeguardsSafeguards
Questioning of the social & scientific Questioning of the social & scientific value of the research: Should the value of the research: Should the research be conducted?research be conducted?
Expertise of the researcher Expertise of the researcher Knowledge of the sensitive subject Knowledge of the sensitive subject
Vulnerable Participants Vulnerable Participants
Vulnerable ParticipantsVulnerable ParticipantsExamples:Examples: Mentally incompetent peopleMentally incompetent people Members of oppressed groups, e.g. Members of oppressed groups, e.g.
people with mental illnesses, prisoners, people with mental illnesses, prisoners, homeless peoplehomeless people
Those traumatized, in pain, very illThose traumatized, in pain, very ill
*Vulnerable participants may or may not *Vulnerable participants may or may not be those involved in the research of be those involved in the research of sensitive topicssensitive topics
SafeguardsSafeguards
Consent by a surrogate decision Consent by a surrogate decision maker if necessarymaker if necessary
Questioning choice of participant Questioning choice of participant population: Could a less vulnerable population: Could a less vulnerable group be used? Does the research group be used? Does the research have social value? Will the group have social value? Will the group benefit from the results? benefit from the results?
Timing of research Timing of research Research evidence Research evidence
““Naturalistic observation is used to study Naturalistic observation is used to study behaviour in a natural environment. behaviour in a natural environment. Because knowledge of the research can Because knowledge of the research can be expected to influence behaviour, be expected to influence behaviour, naturalistic observation generally implies naturalistic observation generally implies that the subjects do not know that they that the subjects do not know that they are being observed, and hence can not are being observed, and hence can not have given their free and informed have given their free and informed consent. Due to the need for respect for consent. Due to the need for respect for privacy, even in public places, privacy, even in public places, naturalistic observation raises concerns naturalistic observation raises concerns of the privacy and dignity of those being of the privacy and dignity of those being observed.” observed.”
Private settings: homes, sometimes Private settings: homes, sometimes hospitals and workplaces, hospitals and workplaces,
Sacred settings: places of worshipSacred settings: places of worship
*Have all occupants provided consent? *Have all occupants provided consent?
*Have cultural differences been *Have cultural differences been considered?considered?
SafeguardsSafeguards
Consents of all observed individuals Consents of all observed individuals when potential for an infringement when potential for an infringement of privacy is high or a mechanism to of privacy is high or a mechanism to avoid observation of non-avoid observation of non-participantsparticipants
Understanding of cultural Understanding of cultural differencesdifferences
Confidentiality: Focus Confidentiality: Focus Groups Groups
There can be no guarantee of There can be no guarantee of confidentiality in focus groups confidentiality in focus groups
A breach in confidentiality could A breach in confidentiality could have serious consequences for a have serious consequences for a research participantsresearch participants
SafeguardsSafeguards
Reconsider the use of focus group Reconsider the use of focus group when researching a sensitive topic when researching a sensitive topic
Encourage confidentialityEncourage confidentiality Inform participants of limits to Inform participants of limits to
Rich data—revealing unique Rich data—revealing unique characteristics of individuals characteristics of individuals through words & picturesthrough words & pictures
Small samplesSmall samples Unique samples Unique samples
Safeguards Safeguards
Unique identifying information Unique identifying information should be removed or not gathered should be removed or not gathered at allat all
Increase sample & number of sitesIncrease sample & number of sites Consider implications personal, Consider implications personal,
social, & political: moral imagination social, & political: moral imagination Should all data be published? Should all data be published?
Emergent Designs & The Emergent Designs & The Unanticipated Unanticipated
Predicting HarmsPredicting Harms Research Ethics ReviewResearch Ethics Review
What could participants reveal? What could participants reveal? Suicidal/homicidal intentionsSuicidal/homicidal intentions Abuse to childrenAbuse to children Criminal ActivityCriminal Activity
*Research data can be subpoenaed *Research data can be subpoenaed
*Responsibilities of health *Responsibilities of health professionalsprofessionals
SafeguardsSafeguards
Understanding & disclosure of Understanding & disclosure of foreseeable harms foreseeable harms
Moral imaginationMoral imagination Legal adviceLegal advice
Emergent Designs: Emergent Designs: Research Ethics ReviewResearch Ethics Review
Ethical approval of research not yet Ethical approval of research not yet designed?designed?
Participant consent to research not Participant consent to research not yet designed?yet designed?