Reflections on the Ethics-Approval Process

Abstract

It is sometimes a difficult journey receiving ethics approval for research involving vulnerable populations, research involving our own children, or innovative research methodologies such as autoethnography. This autoethnographical account is a story about one student who wanted to write a PhD dissertation in a very different way and also the story of her cosupervisors who supported the student in using autoethnography as a creative way to share her "secrets of mothering" and who also supported her through an ethics-approval process that was both challenging and rewarding. This article reflects on a personal journey through the ethics-approval process at a Canadian university integrating components of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS), that guides university ethics committees across Canada, and asks the questions: What is the purpose of research and how can research ethics boards support research and stories that are difficult to tell and difficult to hear? It is an inquiry into secrets and difficult knowledge, and how reluctant we are to talk about difficult topics such as developmental disabilities, sexual abuse, divorce, accidents, and illness. Recognizing how messy writing about intimate others can be, I have wanted to treat all [my] stories with love and care, while at the same time present [my] life as complex and many-sided . . . My goal has been to balance my ethical responsibilities to participants with my truth-telling obligations to readers while accepting the risks and taking on the burdens that come with writing intimately about myself and my relationships with others.

Getting through Ethics: The Fit between Research Ethics Board Assessments and Qualitative Research

“…Without addressing these issues, qualitative researchers will continue to perceive ethical review as ''something to get through,'' rather than a welcomed collegial process (Murray, Pushor, & Renihan, 2012). Our collective experience identified the need for REBs to have a consistent presence of experts who understand the scientific basis and ethical challenges related to qualitative research.…”

“…This kind of uninformed direction from REBs can also result in significant delays in the conduct of research and the acquisition of new knowledge, not to mention undue stress for the researcher (Brown et al, 2010;Murray et al, 2012). This kind of uninformed direction from REBs can also result in significant delays in the conduct of research and the acquisition of new knowledge, not to mention undue stress for the researcher (Brown et al, 2010;Murray et al, 2012).…”

“…Conversely, if researchers decide to appeal a REB decision, they must be prepared to invest additional time and energy into the review process. This may not only compromise the relationship between the researcher and the REB, but may also delay or prevent the research from taking place (Brown et al, 2010;Murray et al, 2012). In the spirit of honoring the epistemological and ontological tenets of qualitative methods, the researcher risks being perceived as defensive and disrespectful of the collective wisdom of REBs (Murray et al, 2012).…”

Aids for Dyslexia are Important Supporters of Life and Learning – Experiences of Finnish People with Dyslexia

“…This study leaned on voluntary participants thoughts about aids for dyslexia. Recruiting them ISSN 2162-6952 2015 in the study was done by highlighting the confidentiality and ethical perspectives (Murray, Pushor, & Renihan, 2012). It was also considered important to recruit participants who used aids for dyslexia and who would be able to answer the questions by writing.…”

Co-production and engagement of people with dementia: The issue of ethics and creative or intellectual copyright

“…It is evident these considerations are not being made by any advocacy organisation or private business when actively 'engaging' with people with dementia, apart from consent to use images or to participate in media, and I believe this is a serious oversight. Considering that the ethics approval processes (Murray, Pushor, & Renihan, 2012) does not appear to have been considered, and I would suggest, ethics have not been considered at all in the same way it is when engaging with people with dementia in research. The question is, should it be?…”