Deck 3: Ethical and Scientific Guidelines for Social Work Research

Question 1

Valuable information is only garnered from research that involves physical and/or mental risks to the subjects.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A standard guideline in social work research ethics is that research should cause no harm to subjects.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Debriefing must occur if deception of your subjects is necessary in the course of your research.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Concern with ethical practice in relation to people who are in some respect dependent is a rather new idea.

Question 5

Having an ethical code ensures ethical practice.

Question 6

The Tuskegee experiment ended when a cure for syphilis was discovered.

Question 7

Funded by the U.S. government, prostitutes, soldiers, prisoners, and mental hospital patients were infected with gonorrhoea or syphilis without their knowledge in Guatemala.

Question 8

The U. S. government created a National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research in order to protect themselves from international scrutiny.

Question 9

It is ethically acceptable to convince others to take action on behalf of your personal interests.

Question 10

Participants need not be informed of their right to withdraw at any time without penalty.

Question 11

The risks of a research project should outweigh any foreseeable benefits.

Question 12

The best research is done by researchers with personal attachments, monetary and/or emotional, to their area of study.

Question 13

Children are unable to give informed consent. It is therefore impossible to do research with children.

Question 14

University Institutional Review Boards, as a part of the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, are only mandated at government-sponsored (state) universities.

Question 15

Inducements such as money may also affect the voluntary nature of participation.

Question 16

Research should be conceptualized from the perspective of the researcher.

Question 17

Match the key concept with its description.
-Informed consent

A) The starting point for ethical research practice
B) The unit charged with the review of ethical issues for proposed research studies
C) Created to study the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research
D) The process by which the potential participant is given all the information they need to decide whether to participate in the study

Question 18

Match the key concept with its description.
-Belmont Commission

A) The starting point for ethical research practice
B) The unit charged with the review of ethical issues for proposed research studies
C) Created to study the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research
D) The process by which the potential participant is given all the information they need to decide whether to participate in the study

Question 19

Match the key concept with its description.
-Achievement of valid results

A) The starting point for ethical research practice
B) The unit charged with the review of ethical issues for proposed research studies
C) Created to study the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research
D) The process by which the potential participant is given all the information they need to decide whether to participate in the study

Question 20

The Belmont report established:

A) Beneficence
B) Respect for all persons
C) Justice
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 21

An experiment on African American men with syphilis was conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service in the 1930's. It is known as:

A) The Nuremberg experiment
B) The Tuskegee experiment
C) The Hippocratic experiment
D) The Milgram experiment
E) None of the above

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT an ethical principle for social work research?

A) Conflicting interests.
B) The act of publishing accurate and honest results.
C) Informed consent.
D) Voluntary participation.
E) All of the above are ethical research principles.

Question 23

According to the Belmont report, beneficence refers to:

A) Minimizing harm.
B) Maximizing benefits.
C) Diminishing autonomy.
D) A and B only.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 24

Milgram designed experiments to study:

A) Know the particulars of how the research was conducted
B) Justify the risk to the participants
C) Understand the researcher's bias
D) All of the above

Question 25

With regard to human subjects, which of the following is detailed in the NASW Code of Ethics?

A) Accurate reporting of results
B) Voluntary participation
C) Informed consent
D) All of the above

Question 26

With regard to human subjects, which of the following is detailed in the NASW Code of Ethics?

A) Accurate reporting of results
B) Voluntary participation
C) Informed consent
D) All of the above

Question 27

Informed consent includes:

A) Purpose of the study
B) Possible risks of participation
C) Possible benefits of participation
D) All of the above

Question 28

A social work student wants to understand the experiences of children of incarcerated parents. She will have a(n) ______IRB review.

A) Exempt
B) Expedited
C) Full
D) All of the above

Question 29

A social work student wants to gather data from existing public records. He will have a(n) ______ IRB review.

A) Exempt
B) Expedited
C) Full
D) The IRB will refuse to review the study

Question 30

I am a social worker with the state correctional institution. I want to do research that requires me to interview prisoners. I will have a(n) _______IRB review

A) Exempt
B) Expedited
C) Full
D) All of the above

Question 31

In cases where the subject is deceived, and the deception is defensible, _________ is mandatory.

A) Consent
B) Assent
C) Debriefing
D) Professionalism

Question 32

Children are not considered ___________ to consent to participate in research studies.

A) Informed
B) Competent
C) Salient
D) All of the above

Question 33

Which of the following statements are true about the uses of social work research?

A) Scientists must also consider the uses to which their research is put.
B) Sometimes it is difficult to separate research and advocacy.
C) Personal values MUST be left outside the laboratory.
D) A and B only.

Question 34

The potential of ___________ a beneficial treatment from some subjects is a cause for ethical concern.

A) Modifying
B) Enhancing
C) Withholding
D) All of the above

Question 35

After achieving necessary clearances and approval, a researcher investigating perceptions of adults with diminished mental capacity should do which of the following:

A) Present subjects with the IRB paperwork to help them understand the full extent of the research.
B) Begin testing research subjects immediately.
C) Rewrite and discuss a consent form in a level of language that the research subject can be expected to understand.
D) Explain the research goals solely to the guardian or parent, ignoring the research subject.

Question 36

Which of the following constitutes the most egrigious ethical misconduct in research?

A) Nazi Human Experiments
B) Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
C) Milgram's Experiments
D) One cannot compare individual suffering.

Question 37

A full review by the University IRB includes a discussion of which of the following?

A) A summary of the proposal
B) The potential risks
C) The potential benefits
D) All of the above

Question 38

A full review by the University IRB may conclude with which of the following recommendations?

A) Approval.
B) Disapproval
C) Modification
D) All of the above

Question 39

Explain the concept of informed consent, using the example of students in a social work class.

Question 40

List and describe the recommendations of the Belmont Report.

Question 41

Using Milgram's research as your framework, discuss the importance of honesty in reporting research results.

Question 42

What is informed consent?
Why is it necessary?
What elements are necessary for a respondent to give informed consent?

Question 43

According to the authors, commitment to achieving valid results is the necessary starting point for ethical research practice. Using your own words, discuss this statement. Use a specific example to demonstrate your understanding.

Question 44

Outline the NASW's guidelines for ethical social work research. Identify the situations in which each of the guidelines may be confusing, complex, or flexible.

Question 45

Imagine that you are judging a debate between Baumrind and Milgram. First, describe Milgram's research. Next, discuss Baumrind's criticism of Milgram. Who do you believe makes the most persuasive argument?
Why?

Question 46

You are interested in studying the effectiveness of a specific substance abuse treatment on children incarcerated in juvenile detention facilities. How would your potential participants give informed consent?
What other ethical issues might your Institutional Review Board be concerned with?

Question 47

Outline the necessary precautions to take in order to maintain privacy and confidentiality. Under what situations can which of these efforts be revoked?

Question 48

Imagine yourself as a researcher. After collecting your data, you tried multiple regressions using computer programs. Each of these seemed to produce inconclusive results. As you were about to give up, your cat walked across your keyboard, pressing several keys. Answering these commands, the computer ran a new regression, producing results that confirmed your hypothesis. Sadly, you can't seem to replicate your cat's commands. Given expectations of honesty and openness in research, what would you do?
Identify the potential ethical land mines present in this situation.

Question 49

Briefly discuss how the invent on the internet has simultaneously helped and hindered the researcher's ability to maintain confidentiality.