The investigators analyzed the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and the effect on interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Thirty participants incarcerated in a Midwestern United States correctional facility were chosen using random sampling. Individuals were given the opportunity to decline participation in the study. Individuals who chose to participate signed a consent form. A detailed questionnaire was given addressing personal demographic data (e.g. age, sex, race, education level), type of trauma experienced, and interpersonal relationship behaviors. Interviewers administered the questionnaire in a face-to face interview.
Although the investigators were seeking to analyze the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and the effect on interpersonal relationships in adulthood; their sample consists of only incarcerated participants. The investigators did not include participants who were not in prison but had experienced traumatic childhood in their study. Because prison is a very controlled and structured environment there is very minimal risk for the investigators who will be doing this study; there was also no risk to the society. On the other hand, the participants who are all prisoners, shoulder all the inherent risks. Because the study will be making the participants discuss and relive details of their traumatic experiences and interpersonal relationship behaviors, there is potential that this could cause psychological distress to some of them. In addition, under federal regulations, prisoners are a designated vulnerable population. Prisoners may not be free to make a truly voluntary and uncoerced decision regarding whether or not to participate in a research, the regulations require additional safeguards for the protection of prisoners (“Vulnerable and Other Populations Requiring Additional Protections,” n.d.).
Conducting this study in a prison environment is economically beneficial to the researchers. All the participants will be in one location, and it is clearly safer and cost effective for the researcher. In addition, the Interviewers will be able to get all the information they want timely because they will administer the questionnaire in a face-to face interview. This study will have minimal to no benefit for the participants. Because the study subjects were all prisoners and there were no control groups, the information collected will not lead to any objective conclusions. Therefore, there is no substantial benefit of this study to the society.
The level of IRB approval needed for this study should be a Full Board Level Review. This is because the participants are prisoners who are a designated vulnerable population under federal regulations. This study presents more than minimal risk to the participants because it probes sensitive details regarding their traumatic childhood experiences. Current regulations state that research involving prisoners must be reviewed by an independent review committee, such as an IRB, before any prisoner-subjects are contacted or any information about prisoner-subjects is accessed by the researcher. This independent committee should include members with diverse demographics (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity) and technical (e.g., scientific and nonscientific) backgrounds. In addition, the committee should include at least one prisoner representative who has experience with the prison setting but is not an employee of the setting. (Committee, O. E. C. F. R., Board, O. H. S. P. S., & Institute, O. M., 2007).
Vulnerable and Other Populations Requiring Additional Protections. (2019). Retrieved January 31, 2020, from https://grants.nih.gov/policy/humansubjects/policies-and-regulations/vulnerable-populations.htm
Committee, O. E. C. F. R., Board, O. H. S. P. S., & Institute, O. M. S. (2007). Ethical considerations for research involving prisoners. Retrieved January 31, 2020, from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.fhsu.edu
National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979). The Belmont report: Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research. Retrieved January 31, 2020 from https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/belmont-report/read-the-belmont-report/index.html
From the information provided in the case study along with taking in consideration the information that you have presented with. I can truly as I agree with you on the fact that this case study will not lead to any objective as well as no substantial benefit to the society. Due to the fact all the data being collected is inside a controlled environment and a lot of the data will be coming from the individuals current charges and their intentions behind the information they’re providing to the investigators. All successful interpersonal communication requires that the point of view of the other person be realistically understood, Perspective taking is largely an internal process, fostered by active listening, in which you try to understand how it might feel to be the other person in the situation.(Scientific Research Publishing).
Psychology, 2016, 7, 541-545 Published Online April 2016 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/psych http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/psych.2016.74055
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I can see both sides of inmates in a research study. While inmates seem to be a popular population for studies due to the control environment and easy access, there may be potential benefits. A potential benefit is that inmates that participate in a research study may have access to treatment that the would not otherwise have.
The risk is that they do not have the autonomy to fully consent due to their circumstances.
“Clinical research often gives prisoners an opportunity to receive state-of-the-art treatment or treatment options not necessarily available in correctional settings, while expanding the evidence base for disseminable interventions. However, prisoners have also historically been subject to wide range of research abuses”
Christopher, P. P., Stein, M. D., Johnson, J. E., Rich, J. D., Friedmann, P. D., Clarke, J., & Lidz, C. W. (2016). Exploitation of Prisoners in Clinical Research: Perceptions of Study Participants. IRB, 38(1), 7–12.
Thanks for your reply. I agree that including inmates in some research studies can be very beneficial to them and the society. This is especially true for studies that pursue therapeutic outcomes. This study seeks to analyze the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and the effect on interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Therefore, it has very limited therapeutic benefit that the inmates will get out of it.