Managing Ethical Studies on Sensitive Issues: involving children in social research

Investigators 

Emeritus Professor Morag McArthur, Associate Professor Tim Moore, Associate Professor Stephanie Taplin (Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University); Professor Anne Graham (Southern Cross University); Dr Merle Spriggs (University of Melbourne); Dr. Jenny Chalmers (University of NSW)

Funding

Australian Research Council Discovery Grant

Aims

The Managing Ethical Studies on Sensitive Issues (MESSI) study aimed to understand and address the ethical tensions and decision-making processes that influence children's participation in social research, providing guidelines to promote children’s involvement in research while ensuring their rights and wellbeing.

Background

Research on sensitive issues involving children faces critical ethical challenges, particularly around balancing the protection of young participants with their right to participate. Ethical concerns from gatekeepers, including ethics committees and parents, often limit children's involvement in meaningful research on sensitive topics.

Project details

The MESSI study identified how gatekeepers assess risks and the appropriateness of research topics, highlighting a range of ethical and professional factors that impact decision-making. Researchers developed nuanced guidelines to help with Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) and researchers balance ethical considerations with children's rights to participate in sensitive research.

The study was conducted between 2015 – 2017, with resources and papers published once formal research was completed.

Method 

• Conducted focus groups and interviews with children and young people.
• Conducted scenario-based research and consultations with HRECs, parents, gatekeepers, and children to identify barriers, enablers, and decision-making factors.
• Examined ontological, epistemological, methodological, ethical, and practical influences on children’s research participation in sensitive studies.

Community impact

The publications and guidelines aim to inform HRECs, researchers, and gatekeepers on ethical approaches to children’s involvement in social research.

Publications 

Moore, T., McArthur, M., Graham, A., Dr. Jenny Chalmers, Powell, M.A. & Taplin, S. (2020). Children and young people’s decision-making in social research about sensitive issues, Children's Geographies, DOI: 10.1080/14733285.2020.1866749  

Institute of Child Protection Studies. (2019). Do payments encourage children into riskier research? Findings from the MESSI study. Issue 23, Research to Practice Series. Canberra: Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University. 

Taplin, S., Chalmers, J., Brown, J., Moore, T., Graham, A., McArthur, M. (2022). How do Research Ethics Committee Members Respond to Hypothetical Studies with Children? Results from the MESSI Study. Journal on Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1177/15562646221087530 

Taplin, S., Chalmers, J., Hoban, B., McArthur, M., Moore, T. & Graham, A. (2019). Children in social research: Do higher payments encourage participation in riskier studies? Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics. 14(2), 126-140. https://doi.org/10.1177/1556264619826796 

Powell, M., Graham, A., McArthur, M., Moore, T., Chalmers, J., & Taplin, S. (2019). Children’s participation in research on sensitive topics: addressing concerns of decision-makers. Children’s Geographies. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1639623  

Powell, M., McArthur, M., Chalmers, J., Graham, A., Moore, T., Spriggs, M. & Taplin, S. (2018). Sensitive topics in social research involving children. International Journal of Social Research Methodology. 21:6, 647-660. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2018.1462882  

Project timeline

Completed 2019

Contact

For more information contact: icps@acu.edu.au