Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T05:16:38.619Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3 - Ethical Challenges in Suicide Research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2024

Brian L. Mishara
Affiliation:
Université du Québec à Montréal
David N. Weisstub
Affiliation:
International Academy of Law and Mental Health
Get access

Summary

Moralist, libertarian and relativist ethical positions concerning suicide and its prevention are presented in order to clarify premises upon which ethical issues in suicide research may be resolved. Ethical concerns are differentiated from legal considerations and the implications of the vulnerability of suicidology research participants are discussed. Specific issues arise in design, choice of participants, interpretation, diffusion of results and evaluative research. These include: experimental methodologies, obtaining informed consent, deception and disclosure, studying innovative and unproven interventions, special considerations for research with indigenous participants, unknown consequences of participation, rescue criteria, disclosure of information to third parties, research with prisoners and other special populations, risks in publicising results and measuring the value of human life. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence pose new challenges in risk prediction and assuring equity. When specific legal obligations are lacking, ethical premises concerning the acceptability of suicide and obligations to intervene may influence research protocols.

Type
Chapter
Information
Practical Ethics in Suicide
Research, Policy and Clinical Decision-Making
, pp. 37 - 66
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×