Question 1

Which of the following statements is true regarding the protection of sensitive information in research?

Accepted Answer

A) Anonymity means that the researcher will protect and not reveal the participant's identity, while confidentiality means that the research participant cannot be identified by anyone, including the researcher. 
B) Anonymity is required to get approval from the IRB in social services research, but confidentiality is only required in medical research. 
C) Confidentiality means that the researcher will protect and not reveal the participant's identity, while anonymity means that the research participant cannot be identified by anyone, including the researcher. 
D) The participant forfeits their rights to anonymity and confidentiality upon the signing of the informed consent document. C

Question 2

If a researcher wants to conduct a study using incarcerated prisoners as research participants, the study must undergo full review including the presence of a prisoner or prisoner representative at the meeting.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 3

Minors (under age 18) can give informed consent to participate in research studies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a way to figure out the best solution when dealing with an ethical dilemma in research?

Accepted Answer

A) consult with your supervisors, colleagues and other professionals 
B) look at the literature for examples of how other researchers handled 
C) similar situations 
D) consult applicable codes of ethics and apply those principles to the situation 
E) temporarily suspend the study, debrief and provide compensation to the subjects

Question 5

There is a section of the NASW Code of Ethics that addresses research and evaluation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) were mandated to be convened for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A) to oversee research in organizations receiving federal funds 
B) to review research protocols especially related to recruiting participants 
C) to determine if ethical guidelines are being followed 
D) to provide funding for researchers to conduct program evaluation

Question 7

When is it possible that a program evaluation study may not need to be submitted to the IRB?

Accepted Answer

A) when there is no identifying health information collected as part of the study 
B) when the agency is not receiving federal funds and does not intend to apply for federal funds within the next year 
C) when an evaluation is conducted for the sole purpose of improving practices and operation 
D) when the evaluators want to publish their results in a peer-reviewed journal 
E) all problem evaluation studies must be submitted to the IRB

Question 8

Deception of research participants should not occur in any study.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

You are hired as an external evaluator for a new, innovative therapeutic program for children with autism that has not yet been empirically tested.The program director tells you that five staff members will lose their jobs if the evaluation does not show the intervention to be effective, and that the parents will be so angry, they will never seek services at their agency again.You analyze the results and find that the children's symptoms did not improve after participating in the new program.What is the most ethical course of action?

Accepted Answer

A) Do not report the results correctly because you do not want the staff to lose their jobs in this tough economy.Contributing to workers losing their jobs would be unethical. 
B) Indicate that the program was effective so that the families do not lose faith in the staff and the larger social service system, in general.Creating distrust in service delivery would be unethical. 
C) Write the report with the correct results but write the limitation section so that it seems like the results are not very reliable in order to downplay the negative findings. 
D) Write a draft of the report balancing the positive and negative aspects to show the program director before disseminating the final report to other stakeholders.

Question 10

Research participants must be fully informed about the processes of the research and must be allowed to end their participation in a study, if they choose, at any time without a penalty.This is an example of honoring what principle of social work?

Accepted Answer

A) beneficence 
B) social justice 
C) self-determination 
D) service

Question 11

If a research participant is cognitively impaired, it is not necessary to seek their assent to participate in a research study.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Research conducted in an established educational setting involving normal educational practices such as comparing instructional techniques or classroom management styles and studies involving the study of existing data fall under what category according to the Department of Health and Human Services issued Federal Ruling 45 CFR 46?

Accepted Answer

A) expedited review 
B) full review 
C) exempt from review 
D) risk vs benefit review

Question 13

Which of the following is a viable alternative for a researcher when needing an experimental group, but you do not want to deny clients access to a needed service?

Accepted Answer

A) provide services to clients that are an alternative form of those being evaluated 
B) proceed with the same intervention for the second group and forego any chance of comparing two groups 
C) provide extra compensation to those who have had to wait for services 
D) all of the above are viable options for the researcher 
E) none of the above are viable options for the researcher

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a required section of an informed consent document?

Accepted Answer

A) the purpose of the study 
B) the risks versus benefits of the study 
C) how participants' confidentiality will be safeguarded 
D) a review of the literature pertaining to the problem being studied

Question 15

According to the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects in Biomedical and Behavioral Research (the Belmont Report, 1979), which of the following are the three ethical principles that must guide research involving humans?

Accepted Answer

A) beneficence, respect, justice 
B) beneficence, informed consent, reciprocity 
C) engagement, dignity and worth of the person, justice 
D) solid theoretical foundation, evidence base, confidentiality

Question 16

In order to meet IRB guidelines, respondents must always be allowed to remain anonymous.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 2: Ethical Issues in Program Evaluation

Which of the following statements is true regarding the protection of sensitive information in research?

If a researcher wants to conduct a study using incarcerated prisoners as research participants, the study must undergo full review including the presence of a prisoner or prisoner representative at the meeting.

Minors (under age 18) can give informed consent to participate in research studies.

Which of the following is NOT a way to figure out the best solution when dealing with an ethical dilemma in research?

There is a section of the NASW Code of Ethics that addresses research and evaluation.

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) were mandated to be convened for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:

When is it possible that a program evaluation study may not need to be submitted to the IRB?

Deception of research participants should not occur in any study.

Research participants must be fully informed about the processes of the research and must be allowed to end their participation in a study, if they choose, at any time without a penalty.This is an example of honoring what principle of social work?

If a research participant is cognitively impaired, it is not necessary to seek their assent to participate in a research study.

Which of the following is a viable alternative for a researcher when needing an experimental group, but you do not want to deny clients access to a needed service?

Which of the following is NOT a required section of an informed consent document?

According to the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects in Biomedical and Behavioral Research (the Belmont Report, 1979) , which of the following are the three ethical principles that must guide research involving humans?

In order to meet IRB guidelines, respondents must always be allowed to remain anonymous.