The development and assessment of an NIH-funded research ethics training program

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Research Training
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded training grants to enhance researchers' skills in addressing ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of research.
• A specific training program was developed and implemented between 2002 and 2006 to address these needs in mental health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the content, format, and outcomes of a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded ethics training program.
• To share lessons learned regarding program formats and assessment methods for research ethics training.

Main Methods:

• A train-the-trainer model was employed, with the program offered in both on-site and distance-learning formats.
• Educational products included case studies, a textbook, and an instructional DVD.
• Assessment involved pre- and posttesting of knowledge, problem-solving skills, and confidence in addressing ethical issues in mental health research.

Main Results:

• The program successfully increased participants' knowledge of research ethics and their confidence in identifying and solving ethical problems.
• Participant knowledge of ethical issues and resources improved significantly.
• Despite increased knowledge, case-based problem-solving assessment scores declined post-training, potentially due to decreased confidence in specific dilemmas.

Conclusions:

• The training program effectively enhanced ethical knowledge and confidence but revealed challenges in translating knowledge to practical problem-solving assessment.
• Distance-learning participants had higher dropout rates than on-site participants.
• The findings offer insights into effective program design and assessment strategies for research ethics education.