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Consent and Assent Practices in Behavior Analytic Research
Sarah C Mead Jasperse1, Michelle P Kelly1, Shannon N Ward2
1Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Behavior Analysis in Practice
|October 13, 2025
Summary
Behavior analytic researchers use varied methods for consent and assent, but these processes are often missing in published studies. More research and training are needed to address discrepancies in current practices.
Area of Science:
- Behavior analysis
- Research ethics
Background:
- Consent and assent are required in behavior analytic research per the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2020).
- Published research often omits details on assent procedures, despite ethical requirements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate consent and assent processes among behavior analytic researchers.
- To explore researchers' knowledge, practices, resources, barriers, and solutions regarding consent and assent.
Main Methods:
- Survey distributed to 123 behavior analytic researchers.
- Data collected on current practices, challenges, and proposed solutions for consent and assent.
Main Results:
- A diversity of methods for obtaining consent and assent is currently employed.
- Published literature frequently lacks descriptions of consent and assent procedures.
- Discrepancies exist in researchers' reported approaches to consent and assent.
Conclusions:
- Current practices for consent and assent in behavior analysis are varied but inconsistently reported.
- There is a need for enhanced research, training, resources, and social contingencies to improve assent procedures.
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