What are ethical concerns for qualitative researchers? Select all that apply.
A. Because the study emerges over time, the researcher may not anticipate and inform the participants of a potential threat.
B. To maintain a naturalistic environment for interviews, formal documents such as consent forms are not used.
C. Because there are so few participants in a qualitative study, no participant can opt-out of the study.
D. Because the researcher and participant interact over a period of time, relationships developed between them may change the focus of the interaction.
Correct Answers: A, D
In qualitative studies, researchers have a great responsibility and play many different roles. It is argued that qualitative research that deals with sensitive topics in depth can pose emotional and other risks to both participants and researchers.
Option A: The principle of ‘no harm’ to participants ought to be considered by researchers, who should be aware of the potential harms that might be inflicted upon study subjects. Obviously, sometimes a conflict between the right to know (defended on the basis of benefits to the society) and the right of privacy (advocated based on the rights of the individual) may happen.
Option B: Informed consent has been recognized as an integral part of ethics in research carried out in different fields. For qualitative researchers, it is of the utmost importance to specify in advance which data will be collected and how they are to be used.
Option C: Clear protocols for dealing with distress should be in place so that both parties involved in research can use them if necessary. It is not usually easy to predict what topics are likely to lead to distress, and researchers should therefore receive sufficient training in predicting traumatic situations.
Option D: The relationship and intimacy that is established between the researchers and participants in qualitative studies can raise a range of different ethical concerns, and qualitative researchers face dilemmas such as respect for privacy, establishment of honest and open interactions, and avoiding misrepresentations.