Risks

Emotional risks

Researchers often have to make revisions to their application form because they have not adequately identified:

• emotional risk
• strategies to prevent/minimize emotional risk
• how to deal with harm

Some researchers state that when participants have an emotional reaction during the research, it not necessarily constitutes an emotional or psychological risk. While this may be true in some circumstances, researchers whose investigations involve sensitive, personal issues must acknowledge potential emotional risks.

Strategies for minimizing and responding to emotional risks in studies dealing with personal and sensitive issues include:

• providing the interview questions in advance
• informing participants before starting a research activity that if they become upset, you will offer a break and the chance to stop
• rescheduling the interview/research activity or stopping it entirely
• offering to debrief with an upset participant or calling someone (e.g., a participant’s friend or family member) and staying with the participant until that person arrives
• providing a referral list of available support and/or counselling services

If specific support resources are included for participants (e.g., counselling, debriefing), these arrangements should be made before you submit the application form. You must describe to the participant and on the application form:

• the types of supports
• who provides them
• when they are available
• if there is any cost to the participant

Risks to employment

If there are potential risks to participants’ employment, make sure that you adequately address this risk in your application form.

Many organizations have policies about employees participating in research about their organization. These may include confidentiality agreements or employee oaths.