Guide :: Abuse
Participants in Harmful Situations: Abuse, Suicide, and Threat of Harm
Researchers often work with participants who are at-risk for harmful situations in an effort to understand the participants’ circumstances and research ways to improve their situations. However, such study designs are more likely to lead to disclosures about abusive relationships, suicidal tendencies, and threats to harm others. In such instances, the board will require that additional safeguards be put in place to protect vulnerable participants, such as demonstrating ability to handle such situations, obtaining a Certificate of Confidentiality, and providing specific plans for dealing with an incident.
However, please note that these situations can become evident in studies that would not normally be considered “at-risk”; although the Board may not require protocol for dealing with a participant in a harmful situation, consider how you will handle a situation should it arise. Please become familiar with the signs of a harmful situation, your responsibilities for reporting a situation, and how to report. These situations are often complicated and delicate; if you are concerned about a situation and need further guidance, please consider contacting other individuals experienced in handling these kinds of situations. In some situations, you may not have the expertise to best help an individual in crisis and it would be appropriate to refer the participant to someone who can help them.
If your study involves public schools, please see the Education: Abuse section for additional information. Public schools have more specific guidelines for dealing with a crisis situation.
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