Active parental consent in school-based research: how much is enough and how do we get it?
Finn-Aage Esbensen1, Chris Melde, Terrance J Taylor
1Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Evaluation Review
|April 29, 2008
Summary
Active parental consent procedures in school studies achieved a 79% participation rate. However, consent rates varied significantly across schools and districts, prompting an examination of influencing factors.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Research Methodology
Background:
- Active parental consent policies are often criticized for low participation and potential selection bias in school-based research.
- This bias can lead to the exclusion of 'high-risk' youth populations, affecting study generalizability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of active parental consent procedures in a large, multi-site school-based study.
- To identify factors influencing consent rates at the district, school, and teacher levels.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of active consent procedures across 29 schools in seven US cities.
- Recruitment of over 4,500 middle school students.
- Statistical analysis to examine district-level, school-level, and teacher-specific effects on consent rates.
Main Results:
- An overall active parental consent rate of 79% was achieved.
- Significant variability in consent rates was observed within and between schools.
- Analysis revealed that district, school, and teacher characteristics influenced consent rates.
Conclusions:
- Active consent procedures can yield high participation rates in school-based studies.
- Understanding and addressing variability in consent rates is crucial for mitigating selection bias.
- Further research into contextual factors influencing parental consent is warranted for improving research inclusivity.
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