X. Research

Rights and Dignity of Participants

Welfare of participants must be protected, and essential information about cultural mores must be obtained when working with unfamiliar communities.

Informed Consent to Research

Participants must be informed about the purpose, duration, procedures, and their right to decline or withdraw.

Informed Consent for Recording

Required unless the research is naturalistic observation in public places or involves deception where consent is obtained during debriefing.

Research Participation of Client, Students, and Subordinates

No coercion is permitted, and equitable alternatives must be offered if participation is for extra credit.

Dispensing with Informed Consent

Only possible where research would not cause distress or harm or where mandated by law.

Offering Inducements for Research Participation

Avoid excessive or inappropriate rewards that might coerce participation.

Deception in Research

Only used if justified by significant value and non-deceptive alternatives are not possible, and it must be explained as soon as feasible.

Debriefing

Participants must be informed of the nature and results of the research.

Observational Research

Privacy must be respected, and this method is acceptable only when those being observed would expect to be observed by strangers.

Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research

Animals must be treated humanely and used only when there is no other way to increase understanding of behavior or benefit human health.

Reporting Research Results

Results must not be fabricated, and significant errors in published data must be corrected quickly.

Plagiarism

Presenting portions of another’s work as one's own is prohibited.

Publication Credit

Credit is taken only for work actually performed, and principal authorship reflects the relative contribution of the individuals involved.

Duplicate Publication of Data

Previously published data should not be claimed as original.

Sharing Research Data for Verification

Data should be shared with other professionals seeking to verify claims, provided participant confidentiality is protected.

Reviewers

Respect the confidentiality and proprietary rights of those who submitted the material.

Limitations of the Study

Practitioners must acknowledge the limits of their knowledge and findings, and disconfirming evidence should not be concealed.