Psychology

Ethics FAQ

Please check the questions/answers on this webpage before contacting the ethics secretary or convenor with questions (contact details: Psychology Research Ethics).

Questions

Answers

I’d like to test children, what do I need to do?
Please refer to the procedures for conducting research with children for this information.

I plan (or my supervisees plan) to conduct participant interviews in the participant’s home. What is the safety protocol in these circumstances?
You (or your supervisees) must abide by the Psychology Home Visit Safety Protocol.

I plan to conduct a field study/visit of participants (not in the participants’ homes). Are there any safety-related issues I should consider?
Yes. Please conduct a risk assessment and design appropriate procedures per the Social Research Association’s Code of Practice for the Safety of Social Researchers.

My research project has been approved previously. All I would like to do is add a new researcher to the project. Do I still need to submit an ethics application?
To do this, you should edit the originally-approved online application to incorporate the new researcher's name and submit this revised form as a new application. Then use the "upload" feature to provide the ethics reviewer with a (brief) note informing her/him that this application is a minor variation of a previously-approved application (give original approval #) and make clear the nature of the minor amendment(s) (i.e., you are merely adding a new researcher to the project).

My research project has been approved previously. All I would like to do is re-run the study with the addition of a new instrument/measure. Do I still need to submit an ethics application?
To do this, you should edit the originally-approved online application to incorporate a description (and perhaps upload) of the new instrument/measure and submit this revised form as a new application. Then use the "upload" feature to provide the ethics reviewer with a (brief) note informing her/him that this application is a minor variation of a previously-approved application (give original approval #) and make clear the nature of the minor amendment(s) (i.e., you are adding a new instrument/measure).

I’d like to conduct a series of studies that use the same, basic research paradigm (albeit with some variations across the studies). Do I need to submit an application for each study?
No, you do not need to submit a separate application for each study. You may submit one application seeking general approval of a programme of research. Just be clear in the application that this is what you are seeking and be sure to describe the basic paradigm and the planned variations. Also be conscious of the proposed end-date of the project. If after obtaining approval of a research programme you decide to conduct a study that is similar, but not actually described in the original application, you will have to re-submit the application for approval (per the process outlined in response to, “My research project has been approved previously. All I would like to do is re-run the study with the addition of a new instrument/measure. Do I still need to submit an ethics application?).

What should I do if a participant admits distress (psychological and/or physical) during or after the study?
You should contact the Ethics Convenor (Dr Alison Lenton) immediately to confer with her about the incident. Data collection should be put on hold until the issue is resolved.

My application was submitted more than 2 weeks ago and I haven’t received any notice regarding its status. What can I do?
The Psychology Research Ethics Committee (PREC) attempts to process uncomplicated applications within 2 weeks. Please note, however, that if your project includes ethical risks (e.g., it involves children, vulnerable adults, deception, etc.), ethical approval could take longer. In any case, if more than 2 weeks (10 working days) has passed and you have yet to receive a response from the PREC, first look in the uploads area of your online application to see if you can find the response there (in case the notification message went into your spam folder). If there is no response from the PREC in the uploads area, you should contact Ms Lynsey Buchanan to enquire about the status of your application.

I’d like to collect data from internet groups (e.g., message-boards, weblogs, etc). Aren't such data “publicly available” and, thus, do I need to bother with seeking ethical approval for the project?
Yes, you need to seek ethical approval for projects involving material found on the internet. It is important that you carefully read the BPS document about conducting research on the internet before preparing your application. As you will see on pp. 3-4, the distinction between “public” and “private” space is blurred in this context. Just because someone posts their thoughts on the internet does not mean that s/he “reasonably expect[ed] to be observed by strangers (Code of Ethics and Conduct, 2006: 13).”

Do I need to submit my study's actual materials in toto along with the application?
As long as the description you provide of your methods and materials is clear/comprehensive AND the topic of study is NOT a sensitive one (e.g., sex-related issues, illegal behaviours) AND you are NOT employing deception, then it isn't necessary to provide copies of your research materials a priori (unless asked to do so by the ethics reviewer, who may not be familiar with a particular instrument). As implied then, if your study involves sensitive issues and/or deception, then you should submit the relevant materials without waiting to be asked (or it may hold up your application). If you are using a new (non-standard) instrument and/or your materials are difficult to describe within the confines of the application, you may find it easier to simply submit them at the time of application.

I'm not a member of Psychology/PPLS, but I'd like to use Psychology/PPLS students as participants in my research. May I and, if so, what do I need to do?
The University is wary of overloading its students with surveys, especially by outsiders. And we in Psychology/PPLS are especially wary, seeing as our students are already subjected to numerous requests for their research participation from within the Department/School. Accordingly, we strongly advise you to look elsewhere for participants, as we are unlikely to approve this request.

If you believe, however, that our students are the best/only appropriate sample for your purposes, you should adhere to the following protocol in making your request:

  1. Summarise your research aims and methods. We will not approve requests from external researchers who would like to recruit our students for participation in studies that touch upon controversial or sensitive issues;
  2. If your research is non-controversial/non-sensitive, you must further demonstrate that your study has already received ethical approval (in your own unit/School) and, in particular, that this approval is in accordance with the guidelines of the British Psychological Society's Principles for Conducting Research with Human Participants;
  3. Offer evidence in support of the contention that Psychology/PPLS students at the University of Edinburgh are the best/only sample of participants that can assist with your research aims; and
  4. Submit the above information and supporting documentation to the PREC secretary, Ms Lynsey Buchanan.

Can/will the PREC ethically review research with non-human animals?
The PREC does not provide ethical review of non-human animal research as such. What we do require is that all students and staff conducting any animal-related research read, complete, submit and comply with this Ethical review of Psych projects involving animals_Decision Tree (Revised April 2010) form.

I'm a member of the University of Edinburgh, but not a member of PPLS, and I would like the Psychology Ethics Committee to ethically review my research. Can/will you do this?
No. It is University policy that ethical approval should be sought at the school (or sub-school) level (see "Procedures" on this webpage). Accordingly, you should seek ethical approval of your project in your own school (or sub-school). In some circumstances, we may be willing to provide input (advice) to ethical reviews being conducted by other schools, but this input will be informal only.

I have already sought and obtained ethical approval from the NHS for my project. Do I still need to obtain ethical approval from the Psychology Research Ethics Committee?
For studies that already have NHS ethical approval, you will still need to gain ethical approval from the Psychology Research Ethics Committee (PREC), but you do not need to complete a full application form. Instead, please complete this short Ethical review of NHS approved Projects_Self Certification form and submit for our consideration ALL National Research Ethics Service (NRES) documentation, including the complete approved application and the approval certificate.

Can undergraduate or MSc students collect data from a clinical sample* of participants (who will NOT be recruited via the NHS, but via some other means)?
Undergraduate and MSc students may work with non-NHS clinical samples for their projects so long as the following conditions are met:

  1. An academic member of staff is willing to supervise the project
  2. The project supervisor must have demonstrable expertise in working with the given population, with this expertise demonstrated either through:
    • the attainment of relevant clinical/counselling certification AND/OR
    • having published at least one study for which s/he worked directly with the target population, e.g., via data collection
  3. The project supervisor must attend all data collection and other occasions where there will be direct contact with participants. The PREC may allow exceptions to this rule, but such exceptions would depend on: the (lack of) sensitivity of the topic under study, the particular disorder involved, and/or the project supervisor's prior experience overseeing similar studies. Applicants who want to be exempted from this rule should provide a rationale for their request (relating to all or some of the above issues) somewhere in their initial application.
  4. The supervisor and students have applied for and obtained ethical approval for the project from the Psychology Research Ethics Committee.

* Where "clinical sample" refers to participants who have a diagnosed (or suspected) mental health disorder.

Note: if an undergraduate or MSc student would like to recruit a clinical sample (and/or data) via the NHS, s/he will have to apply for ethical approval (under the supervision of a member of academic staff) from the NHS. Given the length of time this process takes, however, it is not likely to be feasible for an undergraduate or MSc project.

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