Action researchers encountering ethical review: a literature synthesis on challenges and strategies

Abstract

Action research (AR) comprises a diverse family of methodologies. Common amongst most types of AR are both an emergent design – leading to action or change – and participation or community involvement. While this type of research has expanded considerably since the early 2000s, the criteria used for ethical review have apparently been slow to adapt to the emergent and participatory nature of this research. This has resulted in researchers reporting negative attitudes towards, and experiences with, review boards and ethics review processes; painting ethical review committees, at times, as insufficient or unnecessary. A review of the literature was undertaken to assess the state of play in this regard. Few articles disclose the side of the ethical review boards or committee members and the issues they face in undertaking ethical review of studies with an emergent, action, or participatory focus. A larger number of peer-reviewed journal articles report on the views of the researchers, but mainly through specific case examples where ethical review processes presented challenges to researchers and communities employing a participatory approach to research. The focus of this article will be on both the generic challenges researchers report in managing ethical review and of strategies utilized or recommended to conduct participatory research in an ethical manner. The contrasting experiences of researchers and ethical review committee members will be considered where available.