Assent and consent in adolescent research: teachers’ perspectives from a developing country

Mahmoud A Alomari,Nihaya A Al-Sheyab,Omar F Khabour,Karem H Alzoubi

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03116

Mahmoud A Alomari, Nihaya A Al-Sheyab + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03116

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Teachers play a vital role in facilitating research in schools. However, teachers' views of informed consent/assent for children participation in research in the Middle East have not been investigated. In this study, focus group interviews were conducted to understand high-school teachers' perspectives toward adolescent assents and consents. The teachers indicated that parent consent is important and should be coupled with sufficient information about the research study. The teachers added that assent is most important for children above 13 years old. Conversely, the teachers believed that parent approval is only important for invasive (such as research involves blood withdrawal) but not simple procedures. Most importantly, for procedures that are considered simple, part of the teachers do not acknowledge the significance of parental approval, such as body weight, or beneficial, such as new treatment. The results indicate that some of the teachers’ views were consistent with proper conduction of pediatric research. However, other views were worrisome and might warrant further studies and actions. Risks related need to be assessed and policies needs to be developed in order to ensure the proper conduction of pediatric research.

Highlights

Child participation in research is usually achieved in two distinctive stages, parent/guardian permission, which is called parental consent child approval, which is called assent [1, 2]
Alahmad et al, interviewed professionals from 12 medical disciplines from several Middle Eastern countries and found that these professionals believed that informed consent/assent process is crucial for medical studies that involve children [7, 9]
The study shows that the teachers are aware of some of the proper procedures for obtaining informed consents and assents during research in adolescent with some discrepancy between male and female teacher views

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Introduction

Child participation in research is usually achieved in two distinctive stages, parent/guardian permission, which is called parental consent child approval, which is called assent [1, 2]. Child assent encompasses developing autonomy agreement to participate depending on developmental level, given parental approval had been obtained [3] These ethical practices are to create suitable environment for making informed decision, protecting the child's welfare [4]. In developed countries, these ethical conducts are usually applied, in which children's rights are thoroughly preserved using comprehensive, up-to-date guidelines [5]. These ethical conducts are usually applied, in which children's rights are thoroughly preserved using comprehensive, up-to-date guidelines [5] According to these guidelines, the child reserves the right to accept or reject participation in research, even after obtaining parental consent [5]. Alahmad et al, interviewed professionals from 12 medical disciplines from several Middle Eastern countries and found that these professionals believed that informed consent/assent process is crucial for medical studies that involve children [7, 9]

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