| Study coercion |
Minors would not be competent enough to consent and be coerced to participate in the study |
Included questions during the consent process that ascertained participants understanding of the study. For example, “Tell me in your own words what this study is all about” or “What options do you have if you decide you don't want to be in this study?” |
| Participants were also given the opportunity to skip any questions they were uncomfortable with. We also emphasized that they can withdraw from the study at any point (Lamb, Puskar, & Tusaie-Mumford, 2001). |
| Inciting parental anger |
Foregoing parental permission to discuss sex-related topics with young individuals will undermine parental authority and incite parental anger (Elliott, 2012) |
Provided evidence of ways youth already seek support and discuss sexuality (i.e., high school Gay-Straight Alliances, online forums) without parental consent (Schelbe, et al, 2014). |
| (See Newcombe, Clifford, Greene & Mustanski, 2016 for parental support of LGBTQ children participating in minimal risk research without their permission). |
| Emotional distress |
Concern that research questions or their responses to questions might trigger emotional discomfort |
Provided participants opportunities to pause, reschedule or stop the interview when they report or exhibit distress. Also emphasized that participants' decisions to stop an interview would not impact their standing with the organization or any other entity from which they have been recruited. |
| Encouraging sexual activity |
By participating in the study, participants would be exposed to, and/or be influenced by topics about sexuality and ‘act out’ sexually. |
Assured the IRB there is no evidence that supports the fear that discussing or providing information related to sex encourages sexual behavior (Holder, 2008). In fact, adolescents who rate their general communication with parents more positively are less likely to be sexually active (Karofsky, Zeng & Kosorok, 2000). Further, research participation in one longitudinal study about microbicides showed no significant differences between two adolescent age groups for health and behavioral risk outcomes (Schenk et al 2014). |
| Informed the IRB about North Carolina's sexual health education policy in the classroom related to HIV transmission, testing and treatment, risk reduction strategies, and healthy relationships starting in grade seven (“Healthy Youth Act,” 2009). Compared to our asking questions, this state law mandates the provision of information about sex. |
