Risk Perceptions for Trauma-Related Research: An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Student Researchers in Psychology

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Research Ethics
• Sociology

Background:

• Trauma-related research involves unique ethical considerations.
• Student researchers may hold preconceptions about risks in trauma research.
• Understanding these perceptions is crucial for ethical research training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how student researchers perceive risks in trauma-related research.
• To assess changes in risk perception after completing ethics education.
• To evaluate perceptions of informed consent and potential harm for trauma-exposed participants.

Main Methods:

• 92 students in an introductory Research Methods course participated.
• Risk perceptions were measured at three time points: pre-course, post-ethics training, and end-of-course.
• Students assessed participants' informed consent capacity and potential negative consequences.

Main Results:

• Student risk perceptions significantly changed over the course.
• Following ethics education, students perceived trauma-exposed individuals as less capable of informed consent.
• Students also perceived increased potential for negative consequences in trauma research after training.

Conclusions:

• Ethics education can alter student researchers' perceptions of risk in trauma research.
• Initial ethics training may inadvertently increase concerns about participant vulnerability and research harm.
• Further research is needed to refine ethics training for trauma-related studies.