Examining Ethical Research Methodologies for Homeless Youth Studies

This essay delves into the ethical considerations involved in conducting research with homeless youth, referencing a study by Ensign and Ammerman (2008). It highlights the vulnerability of this population and the potential for ethical principles like respect for persons, justice, and beneficence to be jeopardized. The essay evaluates the researcher's strategies for ensuring ethical conduct, such as obtaining approval from the Human Subjects Committee and securing informed consent from participants. While acknowledging the researcher's efforts, the essay argues that additional measures, such as involving national commissions and directly engaging with affected individuals, could further strengthen the ethical integrity of the study. The analysis underscores the complexities of conducting sensitive research with vulnerable populations and the importance of adhering to rigorous ethical standards.

Running head: Research Methodologies 1
Research Methodologies
(Author’s name)
(Institutional Affiliation)

Research Methodologies 2
Ensign, J., & Ammerman, S. (2008). Ethical issues in research with homeless youths. Journal of
Advanced Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04599.x
The vulnerable population represented in the article includes homeless youths in the
United States of America (USA) and Canada. This population is normally at risk of many
negative social and health problems including homeless life, survival sex, substance abuse
violence, poor basic hygiene, food, shelter, education and also lack of legal guardians. Due to the
above issues, researchers working with homeless youths usually do not have an appropriate
method to conduct the research. They usually lack information and patterns in ways they can
issue payment, how to fill consent forms for legally minors, and other issues related to the ethics
review boards.
From the article there are various ethical considerations that are required by researchers
in order to conduct research on homeless youths. Individuals conducting studies can use ethical
guidelines from various ethical commissions and bodies such as the National Commission for the
Protection of Human Subjects in Biomedical and Behavioral Research which provide various
basic ethical principles. These principles include respect for persons, justice, and beneficence. By
applying the three principles, individuals can be able to find a way to deal with homeless youth
when conducting research.
There are various basic ethical principles that are a risk of being jeopardized while
dealing with homeless youths. This includes principles like informed consent, justice, and
beneficence. Most homeless minors have no guardians and thus researchers can conduct studies
without having official and legal consent forms. Other than that, the modes of payment and
amount can also be difficult thus demining their social justice. This, in turn, would make the
participants were not the major beneficiaries in the research.

Research Methodologies 3
The researcher in the article has applied various strategies that have been used to make
sure ethical considerations are observed in the study. The researcher has made it sure that the
research was approved by an ethical board in the university which is the Human Subjects
Committee at the University of Washington. Other than that, the researcher issued a letter to
participants and the committee explaining the need for research. All the participants signed
informed consent, meaning they all agreed to be part of the research. By doing all the above, the
researcher demonstrated that he observed basic principles such as respect, justice, and
beneficence.
In my own opinions, the researcher has observed some strategies but not all to make sure
the core ethical principles have been observed. Some of the principles that have been observed in
the study include informed consent and following the guidelines of the university ethical board.
However, research that involves homeless youths is a sensitive study and further national
commissions should have been involved. Other than that, the researcher worked with people who
have worked with homeless people but not the individuals affected directly. This hinders some of
the ethical principles such as respect and beneficence. The individuals being researched on did
know the study was being conducted and thus they might not have been benefited or paid for the
study. This also shows that the researcher did not respect but the people working with them.