Introduction
It is important to note that adolescents are also often participants in research and use informed consent to confirm that the rules of consent have been followed. Nevertheless, conducting research with adolescents poses many challenges, such as guardian consent, as the influence of another person may influence responses. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the difficulties and potential biases associated with obtaining informed consent from adolescents.
Informed Consent in Adolescent Research
Accordingly, teenagers are not considered adults and may not have full legal capacity; therefore, their parents or guardians are also involved in the research. In their presence, adolescents answer the survey questions in a way that they want their elders to perceive them (Schachter et al., 2005). Hence, they cannot express their true feelings and thoughts on various topics, which leads to the falsification of the entire survey. As a result, the fear of being judged by their guardians or parents creates a lack of honesty.
However, adolescents often strive for autonomy, which is why the legal restrictions on parental consent for research limit their privacy and identity. The requirement of informed consent is what prompts adolescents to refrain from disclosing honest and confidential information to researchers (Henkelman & Everall, 2001). Additionally, they may be concerned that their parents will have access to their answers, which could interfere with their ability to provide honest and accurate data. Moreover, adolescents may often change their answers to conform to societal expectations, and the presence of guardians may encourage this behavior.
Conclusion
Thus, informed consent is a critical ethical consideration in adolescent research, but it poses a unique challenge because of the need for parental or guardian involvement. This is because the involvement of guardians and parents can affect the honesty of adolescents’ responses, as they may not want to provide accurate information. As a result, the validity and reliability of the study are reduced, which can lead to falsification of the results.
References
Henkelman, J. J., & Everall, R. D. (2001). Informed consent with children: Ethical and practical implications. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 35(2), 109-121.
Schachter, D., Kleinman, I., & Harvey, W. (2005). Informed consent and adolescents. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 50(9), 534-540.