Case study 2 discusses the relationship between “traumatic childhood experiences and the effect on interpersonal relationships in adulthood” in a group of 30 participants incarcerated at a correctional facility. The group was chosen via random sampling. The questionnaire includes personal demographics, behaviors, and types of trauma experienced, and was administered in face to face fashion. I think this study focuses strictly on the experiences of the inmates and cannot depict the experiences of persons who have experienced childhood trauma and the effect on relationships as an adult whom are not incarcerated. It is also a small sample and there is no guarantee that each participant had traumatic childhood experiences to accurately complete this questionnaire.
The risks in this case study include psychological distress that the participant may experience in discussing any traumatic history as a child. “Psychological harms include the research participant’s negative perception of self, emotional suffering (e.g., anxiety or shame), or aberrations in thought or behavior” (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2006). Discussing the participants experiences may trigger other emotions and cause the participant to become upset or angry, which falls under the listed psychological harms including distress, anger, or guilt related to the disclosure of sensitive or embarrassing information (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2006). This can cause a physical risk for the interviewer, whom is administering this questionnaire face to face. There may be a risk in how the information is received by the interviewer since the answers are not recorded or written down by the participant. This can result in inaccurate or misconstrued data.
Some benefits that can result from this study is determining if there is a relationship in traumatic childhood experiences and the effect on interpersonal relationships in adulthood amongst inmates. “Individuals might also benefit indirectly from participation in certain types of research, from experiencing increased social contact, sharing information with another person, or gaining personal satisfaction from participating in the research” (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2006). It may benefit the participant to discuss these pasts in a therapeutic sort of way. According to the National Bioethics Advisory Commission, communities can benefit through improved access to programs or development of programs targeted to specific groups in the community (2006). Researchers can use this information to create or improve programs for individuals who have experienced traumatic experiences during childhood. I think any sort of feedback that the researcher receives would be beneficial in helping others cope with traumatic experiences so they can have positive interpersonal relationships as an adult.
After reviewing the different IRB levels, I think this case would be a full board review by the IRB. According to John Carroll University, research with “children, the homeless, the handicapped, or prisoners” requires a full board review. Prisoners would fall under a “vulnerable population group”. I think the topic would qualify this case as a full board review also because it may cause distress amongst the participants.
Source:
John Carroll University. (2019). STEP ONE: Before You Begin. Retrieved from John Carroll University: https://jcu.edu/research/irb/investigators-guide/step-one-you-begin
National Bioethics Advisory Commission. (2006, June 13). Report on Ethical and Policy Issues in Research Involving Human Particpants Volume 1- Report and Recommendations. Retrieved from Online Ethics: https://www.onlineethics.org/cms/8033.aspx#risks
Note: Be sure you are supporting your rationales for risk/benefit with the literature. See the course announcement for this week for good choices to use!
Thank you for the tip! I have edited my post to support my rationales with literature that you recommended.
I analyzed case study 2 and agree with your analysis on the psychological distress that the participant may experience in discussing any traumatic history as a child. Children experience trauma in many different ways. When a child encounter abuse, it stays with them for a long time and has a significant impact on an adult’s quality of life. Some show behaviors at an early developmental stage, while others may show behaviors at a later stage in life. There is evidence in research that the brain is actually affected by trauma. Because children are resilient early intervention can help them to overcome negative impacts. According to the article Childhood trauma. (2020, January 17). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood_trauma, Traumatic experiences during childhood causes stress that increases an individual’s allostatic load and thus affects the immune system, nervous system, and endocrine system. Childhood trauma is often associate with adverse health outcomes including depression, hypertension, autoimmune disease, lung cancer and premature mortality”. The article continues to say, “Recent research has found that physical and sexual abuse are associated with mood and anxiety disorders in adulthood, while personality disorders and schizophrenia are linked with emotional abuse as adults”. I believe this case is a full board review by the IRB.
References:
Childhood trauma. (2020, January 17). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood_trauma
Thank you for the response. I agree that child abuse can have life long effects on a person, both psychologically, physiologically, and sociologically. It is very unfortunate that children ever have to experience such trauma in their life, and that it may not even be realized until later in life where early intervention is too late.