Читать книгу Social Work Research Methods - Reginald O. York - Страница 102

Paul is a social work student who is an intern in a community center, where he provides services to persons who have recently been released from prison. He has decided to conduct a study that includes both his current clients and a group of persons who are presently in prison. His supervisor informed him that he would have to have this proposal reviewed by the institutional review board (IRB) of his university. When he consulted this board, he learned that prisoners are viewed as a vulnerable population for research requiring special attention. He would need to be sure to implement certain safeguards, including the necessity that the outcome of this research be beneficial to people who are prisoners. He should not, for example, ask prisoners to be subjects for a research study that is not especially relevant to being a prisoner because this population is not likely to benefit from it. Prisoners are vulnerable to feeling compelled to participate, so the benefit of the study must be to this population.

Voluntary participation, Paul has learned, is just one of many issues in the use of human subjects in research. This issue is especially important when the study subjects are members of vulnerable populations. He recognized that the theme of vulnerable population is one that ties together the subjects of ethics and cultural competence in research. The most important functions of social work, Paul believes, are services and advocacy for vulnerable populations. In this regard, knowledge of culture is essential. It is also essential that the social work researcher appreciates the various ethical considerations in the use of human subjects in research.

Paul also learned that the IRB monitors research projects for the protection of human subjects. In his university, researchers must submit reports to this board when human subjects are being asked to participate in a research project. The IRB must approve the project before it is being implemented.