The IRB Approval Process: A Complete Guide

The IRB Approval Process: A Complete Guide

Getting Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is a critical part of conducting psychology research. Since psychologists do research on humans, they must take care to treat their participants with dignity and protect their rights. An IRB is a group of people who deeply consider the study that a psychologist wants to run and determine if it is ethically sound. If the study meets their inspection, the psychologist receives approval to conduct the research.

A History of Unethical Studies

Unfortunately, psychology has a history of unethical studies because there were no regulations as to what types of experiments psychologists could run. The most infamous were the Milgram experiments, where researchers asked participants to shock another participant until serious injury or death. Participants later learned there was no other participant and that they hadn't hurt anyone, but they were deeply distressed. These studies, along with others like Zimbardo's prison experiment, led to the development of IRBs.

Do High School Students Need IRB Approval?

As a high school student, whether or not you need IRB approval depends on your research goals. You may need approval if you want to get your research published or submit it to a competition. However, if you're publishing your result in a medium like a blog post, IRB approval may not be necessary. Regardless of the need, you should always ensure your research is ethical by following the guidelines below.

Understanding the IRB Approval Form

Navigating the IRB approval process can be tricky at first. Below is a detailed list of the key components of the IRB approval form. It's essential to provide thorough information in each section. Also, remember to wait for IRB approval before beginning your research!

1. List of Researchers

You need to list all researchers involved in the study, regardless of their role. Many universities have different training requirements for researchers, such as completing Citi Training. You'll also need to indicate a Principal Investigator (PI) who takes responsibility for running the study—likely your research mentor if you're in high school.

2. Study Design

Your study design needs to be detailed and clear. This includes a description of what participants will do, all documents related to the study (like recruitment messages and follow-up emails), and specific wording. You must also outline how you'll recruit participants, what platforms you'll use, and how you'll compensate them. If your participants are in the European Economic Area (EEA), ensure you comply with the GDPR, which protects their data.

3. Special Populations

If your participants include vulnerable populations like minors, prisoners, or pregnant women, you must take extra precautions. For minors, parents or guardians must sign consent forms, and older minors may need to sign assent forms as well. You must avoid coercion with prisoners, and ensure the safety of pregnant women/fetuses during your study.

4. Risks and Benefits

Outline the potential risks of your study, and explain how you will mitigate them. Most psychology studies have minimal risk, and it's important to communicate that your study will cause “no more than minimal risk to participants.” You also need to list the benefits, both to the individual participants and society at large.

5. Confidentiality and Privacy Plan

Protecting participant data is crucial. Use password protection on any software or devices storing data, and encrypt files when transferring sensitive information. Never collect or release personally identifying information (PII), such as names or addresses. A strong privacy plan is key to getting IRB approval.

6. Consent Forms

A consent form informs participants about the study and asks for their agreement to participate. It should explain what participants will do, potential risks, and compensation. Importantly, it must state that participation is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time. You also need to provide contact information in case participants have questions.

7. Debrief Statement

At the end of the study, participants should be told what the study was about. A debrief statement is a short, non-technical explanation of the research. It may be required, especially if any form of deception was involved in the study.

8. IRB Approval Response

After submitting your IRB form, response times vary. The IRB may approve your study, request modifications, or even reject it in rare cases. If modifications are needed, make the changes and resubmit for full approval. If changes are necessary after you've submitted, you'll need to submit a modification form and wait for approval before proceeding.

Takeaways

Gaining IRB approval is essential for ethical research, especially for university-level psychologists. High school students may also need it depending on their goals. The IRB approval process may feel tedious, but it ensures that participants' rights are protected. Always follow the guidelines, as they demonstrate your commitment to ethical research practices.