Assessing the ethical costs and benefits of trauma-focused research

Although scientists and members of Institutional Review Boards must balance the needs of investigators and participants in research, virtually no evid ence is available to inform this decision making. This study examines the f requency and correlates of adverse reactions and adequacy of informed conse nt among 1174 women in an HMO who completed a trauma-focused health survey, and a subset of 252 women who later completed a trauma-focused research in terview. Despite the sensitive content, the majority of women participants found participation in the interview and the questionnaire study to be a po sitive experience. Although a small number of women, particularly those wit h a history of maltreatment, underestimated the level of upset they would s ubsequently experience, the majority still did not regret participating, in dicating that informed consent procedures were adequate, with a large propo rtion reporting immediate perceptions of personal gain. Finally, the cost-b enefit ratio appears stable 48 hours post-interview, with some minor fluctu ations. Overall, these results suggest that research on childhood victimiza tion is well tolerated by women who participate. Though a small number of w omen may be disturbed by these investigations, in general, adverse reaction s appear less common than previously anticipated. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.