Problem:
Reference
Fisher, C. B. (2023). Decoding the ethics code: A practical guide for psychologists (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Upholding ethical standards in documentation, communication, and research is essential to maintaining trust, transparency, and accountability across professional settings in the field of psychology. When information is collected or shared without proper consent or clarity, it can compromise participant safety and damage organizational credibility.
This assessment builds on the assessment you completed in Week 2, where you identified ethical and professional responsibilities for developing a mental health app. In this assessment, you will apply those same ethical principles to create a compliance plan that ensures all market research for the app is conducted responsibly and in alignment with the APA Ethics Code.
Assessment Preparation:
Read the following scenario:
You are a project manager at MindScope Technologies, a company developing a mental health app designed to support individuals living with mental health disorders. The app includes features like symptom tracking, mood journaling, and personalized wellness recommendations.
Earlier this year, MindScope conducted a market research project to gather insights from potential users. However, the research project was rushed and lacked proper ethical oversight. The research team, who were untrained in ethical research practices, conducted interviews with questions that were often inconsistent, intrusive, and-in some cases-triggering. In several cases, interviews were recorded and participant images were captured without clear consent or explanation of how their responses, recordings, or images would be used or stored.
Additionally, there were no formal procedures in place for reporting or addressing ethical concerns or violations. When participants raised concerns, there was confusion about who to contact and how complaints would be handled. This lack of accountability led to participant frustration, reputational damage, and internal scrutiny.
In response, you have been asked to develop a compliance plan to guide employees who will be designing and conducting future market research. This plan will be an internal resource to ensure that all research activities are conducted ethically, professionally, and with full due diligence.
Assessment Deliverable:
Write a 700- to 1,050-word compliance plan that outlines how your research team will maintain professionalism and ethical integrity while protecting participants during market research activities related to the development of a mental health app. Need Assignment Help?
Include the following in your compliance plan:
Introduction:
- Describe the purpose of the compliance plan, especially considering the recent market research ethical oversights.
- Describe the importance of ethical research practices in mental health contexts.
Ethical Risks and Consequences:
- Summarize 3 types of unethical market research activities the compliance plan will address.
- Explain the consequences of these ethical violations. Examples include:
- Coercive or emotionally triggering interview questions
- Mishandling or unauthorized sharing of personal data
- Recording images or video without permission
- Failing to explain the limits of confidentiality
Compliance Strategies Aligned with APA Ethics Code
- Create a compliance strategy for each of the 3 market research activities you summarized to ensure researchers adhere to the APA Ethics Code.
- Provide a rationale for each procedure or strategy, citing the relevant general principles or ethical standards from the APA Ethics Code. Use the following example to guide your thinking:
- Participant pre-screening: Before beginning any interviews, participants will be provided with a clear summary of the types of questions they may be asked. This overview will help them understand the purpose of the interview and prepare emotionally. Participants will also be given the option to skip any questions or topics they find uncomfortable without facing any consequences or pressure to continue. This approach ensures that individuals feel safe and respected throughout the research process, especially given the sensitive nature of mental health-related discussions. This strategy aligns with APA Ethical Standard 3.10: Informed Consent, which emphasizes that individuals must be given sufficient information to make an informed decision about their participation, including the nature of the procedures and their right to decline or withdraw at any time without penalty.
Reporting and Transparency Strategy:
- Propose a procedure for reporting and addressing ethical violations.
- Explain how the procedure will be monitored and evaluated.
- Conclude by explaining how following the procedure will bolster professionalism in the research process.
Cite at least 1 scholarly source in addition to the APA Ethics Code according to APA guidelines.