Research ethics, institutional review boards and pregnant women in the context of past trauma

Berman, Helene

Saturday, March 31, 2012: 9:50 AM-11:10 AM

Yerba Buena Salon 13-15 (San Francisco Marriott Marquis)

Speakers:
Helene Berman, RN, PhD, University of Western Ontario
Robin Mason, PhD, Women's College Hospital and the University of Toronto

Authors:
Catherine Classen, PhD, Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Marilyn Evans, PhD, University of Western Ontario
Gloria Mulcahy, PhD, Kings University College
Susan Rodgers, PhD, University of Western Ontario
Lori Ross, PhD, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto
Jodi Hall, PhD, University of Western Ontario
Fatmeh Alzoubi, *, University of Western Ontario
Leonarda Carranza, *, University of Toronto

Presentation Format:
Innovative/Promising Practice Program Report

Learning Objectives:

Explore the historical roots and evolution of IRBs
Recognize how IRBs can support or impede research involving pregnant women in the context of past trauma
Recognize alternative strategies that IRBs can use with research involving pregnancy in the context of past trauma

Description:
Research with survivors of interpersonal trauma creates problems for Institutional Review Boards (IRB) due to potential harm caused by ‘retraumatization’. In our study, interviewing trauma survivors during their first trimester of pregnancy presented an additional challenge to the IRBs in determining potential risk (to the individual, the fetus and the institution) and potential benefit (to the individual and to science). We examine discourses of “risk”,"harm”, “vulnerability”, and “benefit” from the perspectives of the IRB, research team and research participants.