This article provides practical guidance for how universities can provide training to faculty researchers in how to avoid undue influence of student subjects. It also discusses how universities might review the existing literature on how to best communicate how students are vulnerable to coercion and how they can protect themselves. Finally, it provides recommendations for how universities could support faculty through training, education, mentoring, and otherwise alleviating the burden of reporting any potential cases of undue influence or pressure that are brought up by students.
OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM
As schools become more competitive about attracting students who will pay high tuition rates, graduate schools have increasingly relied upon undergraduate students as participants in their research studies (Piper & Schnepf,). Although these studies often benefit society and contribute to the economy, they can have serious consequences for students who participate.
In fact, students who participate in research studies often receive course credit for their participation. Although it is important that universities help faculty conduct valuable and significant research that could lead to a better understanding of how to improve human health or provide solutions to societal problems, how can schools ensure that student participants are fully aware of the potential risks and how they might benefit from participating?
When school administrators learn about any coercion or undue influence being used against a student as part of a study (whether as an informant or as a participant), how should those individuals respond? Cases like this make up only 1-2% of all compliance situations; however, it is still important to understand how to prevent, identify, and respond to them when they arise (Norman, 2016).
FACULTY RESEARCHERS AND STUDENT PARTICIPANTS
The most important part of any research study is the trust between the researcher and the participant. Faculty researchers must be able to build a rapport with their student participants so that they feel comfortable disclosing sensitive information. However, this trust can easily be abused if faculty members use their position of power to coerce students into participating in a study or disclosing confidential information.
This problem is compounded by the fact that graduate schools are increasingly relying on undergraduate students as participants in their research studies, as these schools become more competitive about attracting tuition paying students. In fact, an undergraduate student who participates in a research study often receives course credit for their participation. As a result, these students are more likely to feel obligated to participate in studies that they may not want to be a part of or disclose information that they would normally keep confidential.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ARE VULNERABLE TO COERCION
Students are vulnerable to coercion and undue influence in research studies for several reasons. First, they may feel pressured to participate in order to receive course credit. Second, many students do not have a lot of experience with the research process and may not know how to question the motives of researchers or how to identify potential risks associated with participating in a study.
Third, students may be unaware of their legal rights as research participants and how to enforce them. Fourth, many students feel a sense of loyalty to their professors and may be more likely to trust them than researchers from other universities. Finally, some students may not want to appear uncooperative or difficult and may be more likely to comply with the demands of researchers.
SCHOOLS SHOULD REVIEW THE LITERATURE ON HOW TO BEST COMMUNICATE STUDENT PARTICIPATION RIGHTS
When schools learn about any coercion or undue influence being used against a student as part of a study (whether as an informant or as a participant), how should those individuals respond? The first step is for the school to review the literature on how to best communicate student participation rights. In particular, the school should focus on how to effectively communicate the following information to students:
- the risks and benefits of participating in a study
- how to identify potential risks associated with participating in a study
- how to enforce their legal rights as research participants
- how to contact the appropriate authorities if they feel they are being coerced or unduly influenced into participating in a study.
SCHOOLS SHOULD ALSO ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR HOW TO RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS ABOUT COERCION OR UNDUE INFLUENCE
Once the school has communicated these rights to students, it is important for the school to establish a procedure for how to respond to complaints about coercion or undue influence. This procedure should include the following steps:
- Receiving and documenting the complaint
- Investigating the complaint
- Contacting the researcher(s) involved in the study
- Determining whether or not coercion or undue influence occurred
- Taking appropriate action if coercion or undue influence is found to have occurred.
RESEARCHERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE RISKS OF COERCION AND UNDUE INFLUENCE
Researchers should be aware of the risks of coercion and undue influence and take steps to prevent them from occurring. In particular, researchers should:
- Communicate the risks and benefits of participating in a study to potential participants
- Explain how to identify potential risks associated with participating in a study
- Explain how to enforce their legal rights as research participants
- Explain how to contact the appropriate authorities if they feel they are being coerced or unduly influenced into participating in a study.
- Provide an easy way for potential participants to contact the appropriate authorities if they feel that they are being coerced or unduly influenced into participating in a study.
- Be aware of how their own behaviour may be interpreted by potential participants and how this behaviour may influence willingness to disclose information through coercion or undue influence.
