Psychiatric Research Ethics
The Oxford Handbook of Research Ethics October 8, 2020 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190947750.013.35 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Psychiatric research raises unique ethical challenges. Historical scandals increased public concern and led to foundational bioethics documents. Key issues include participants' decision-making capacity and safety, such as placebo use, washout periods, suicide prevention study designs, and emergency psychiatry research. Changing psychiatric classification models have caused conflicts over research priorities. Emerging concerns involve psychedelic psychiatry research and investigators' use of artificial intelligence and social media.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Psychology Medicine |
| Key finding | Psychiatric research involves special ethical concerns related to participant capacity and safety, shifting nosology, and emerging technologies like psychedelics and AI. |
Abstract
Psychiatric research often poses special ethical concerns. This chapter first provides historical context, including scandals that stoked public concern about psychiatric research and led to the promulgation of canonical documents and bioethics scholarship, and then explores issues related to the decision-making capacity and safety of participants—including the use of placebos and washout periods, the design of suicide prevention studies, and research in emergency psychiatry. The chapter then describes how shifting models of psychiatric nosology have precipitated conflicts in the determination of research priorities. Finally, the chapter attends to emerging issues related to research in psychedelic psychiatry and the use of artificial intelligence and social media by investigators.