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Human Subjects Review in an Online World

The World Wide Web has had a substantial impact on research methodology in counseling psychology and in the social and behavioral sciences in general. Indeed, the Internet offers opportunities for research in content areas where traditional methodologies have struggled and special samples have previously been difficult to recruit. However, the Internet also presents many challenges for the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects.

There are two primary types of research utilizing the Internet: online survey research and observational research. Online surveys, created by either the researcher or outside agencies, allow researchers to collect self-report data via an Internet Web page as opposed to more conventional methods (e.g., in person, via mail). Observational research involving chat rooms and discussion boards on the Internet is the second type; here researchers monitor the social behavior of online groups by examining current or archived written communications (e.g., e-mails). Online data collection has several potential benefits to the researcher, including the possibility of collecting data from respondents across geographical and cultural boundaries, access to specialized or difficult-to-find populations, reduced time spent in collecting data, and decreased cost for discussion.

There is a third, emerging research use of the Internet that involves the delivery and evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Besides the ethical considerations shared with other types of online research, this type presents some additional challenges. (For a discussion of the ethical issues surrounding online therapeutic interventions, see Childress & Asamen, 1998).

This entry presents a general overview of guidelines for protection of human subjects in research as well as a description of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) criteria for work with human subjects that are most critical for evaluating online research. Then it outlines the criteria used by IRBs with respect to the main types of online research.

General Ethical Guidelines

The Belmont Report, by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, presents the basic principles to guide ethical scientific research. The principles put forth in the Belmont Report allow for the weighing of costs or risks to human subjects and the benefits of conducting the research. These principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice have been standardized into the federal policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, or the Common Rule (Code of Federal Regulations, http://www.hhs.gov/oluTJ/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm). The Common Rule established the IRB system to assist those conducting research to comply with the regulation.

The IRB at each college, university, agency, or private research company has its own interpretation of particular policies and procedures regarding human subject protection, but there is a set of criteria common across each IRB. To be considered protective of human subjects, the proposed research should (1) minimize risk to participants, (2) present a favorable benefit/cost ratio, (3) ensure equitable selection of participants, (4) provide informed consent to all participants, and (5) document informed consent. These goals reflect the principles of respect for persons or autonomy (i.e., providing and documenting informed consent), beneficence (i.e., minimizing risk to participants, presenting a favorable benefit/cost ratio) and justice (i.e., equitable selection of participants) put forth in the Belmont Report.

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