NCJ Number
196776
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2002 Pages: 275-283
Date Published
August 2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article explores the possible conflicting goals of research participant protection and increasing the body of knowledge in respect to “vulnerable” young people.
Abstract
The definition of young people that can be described as “vulnerable” includes those young people who are looked after by local authorities, homeless, involved in the criminal justice system, with alcohol-misusing parents, excluded from school, living in difficult family circumstances, involved in prostitution, physically or learning disabled, and living in an environment with a high availability of drugs. Four ethical principles provide a framework for ensuring that participants involved in research studies are given due consideration for their well being both physically and psychologically. These are: (1) respect for autonomy (the right for individuals to determine their lives; (2) beneficence (doing or promoting good); (3) non-maleficence (avoiding or preventing harm); and (4) justice (respect for individual and group rights). Permission was gained to approach some young people in a deprived inner city location with a view to gaining their approval and help in taking the research forward. The first part of the data collection was to be by self-report questionnaire. Problems encountered were poor literacy skills, the irrelevancy of some questions, and the “telling of stories” in answer to the questions. The second stage was the use of focus groups. In this stage, the use of a tape recorder was immediately met with some resistance by the group. The group dynamics were at best exuberant and at worst confrontational. It was difficult to get the participants to stay focused on the topic. It would have been better to arrange a series of meetings prior to the focus group to talk informally with the participants and to get to know them. In regard to the ethical principles, there were apparent weaknesses with respect to non-maleficence. Exposing some of the participants to filling out a questionnaire when their literacy skills were so poor could have caused distress on some individuals. Personal information could have been revealed to the detriment of participation. The conflicting goals of protecting the individual from harm or exploitation, while increasing the body of knowledge, must be given due consideration, particularly when working with this client group. 26 references