[Provides a guide to self-treatment as ethically acceptable compensation for having participated in a psychiatry research project].
Due to ethical constraints imposed by Research Ethics Board, it may be difficult to offer participants adequate compensations for their involvement in the study, or compensations that do not have a coercive impact on the participant's ability to refuse to participate. The current study aims at providing empirical data supporting an innovative solution: the provision of a self-help treatment manual. The samples consists of 33 adults (24 females, 9 males) aged between 20 and 59 and all suffering from pathological fear of heights. After participating in an experimental study, participants received a self-help manual to treat their acrophobia on their own. The severity of their claustrophobia was measured before and six months after participants were instructed on how to use the self-help book as a compensatory measure for their participation. Data also suggests that the participants were satisfied with the help provided in the self-treatment manual and that this is perceived in a positive way. To sum up, this study is not an outcome study for a new form of therapy; it simply offers researchers data supporting the use of an alternative compensatory measure. Indeed, using a self-help book represents an interesting solution.
Bouchard
Stéphane
S
Université du Québec en Outaouais, Département de psychoéducation et de psychologie, CP 1250, Succ Hull, Gatineau, Qc., J8X 3X7. Courriel : stephane.bouchard@uqo.ca Les Instituts de Recherche en Sant6 du Canada se nommaient A l'6poque le Conseil de Recherches M6dicales. stephane.bouchard@uqo.ca
Michaud
Mélanie
M
Labonté-Chartrand
Geneviève
G
D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008370:Manuals as Topic / Q000592:standards; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards; D012648:Self Care / Q000941:ethics* / Q000592:standards*; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000592:standards; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D012944:Social Support