Ethical Issues to Consider in Designing Suicide Prevention Studies: An Expert Consensus Study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• Public Health Ethics

Background:

• Suicide prevention research is critical for understanding and mitigating suicidal behavior.
• Designing ethical suicide prevention studies presents unique challenges for researchers.
• Expert consensus is needed to identify key ethical considerations in this field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the most important ethical issues in designing suicide prevention research studies.
• To establish consensus on ethical best practices between lived experience perspectives and researchers.

Main Methods:

• An expert consensus study was conducted involving individuals with lived experience of suicide (N=32) and suicide prevention researchers (N=34).
• Participants rated 80 statements regarding ethical considerations on a 5-point Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Significant agreement was found between and within participant groups on highly rated ethical statements.
• Core ethical principles (merit, integrity, justice, beneficence) were consistently emphasized.
• Lived experience participants prioritized researcher support and care; researchers focused on participant risk management and support services.

Conclusions:

• Strong consensus exists between lived experience individuals and researchers on essential ethical considerations for suicide prevention research.
• Ethical principles and robust support systems for both participants and researchers are crucial for ethically sound studies.
• Adherence to national guidelines and comprehensive care are vital components of ethical suicide prevention research design.