A Methodological Review of the Cross-Cultural Ethical Dilemmas That Exist Within the Informed Consent Process: When Ethical Considerations in Human Research Differ

The purpose of this study was to (a) explore researchers’ and participants’ experiences with the consent process in cross-cultural human research, and to (b) offer culturally responsive methods of how cross-cultural consent could be negotiated. Despite the lack of empirical studies, there has been much theoretical debate concerning the appropriateness of the Western approach to informed consent in developing countries (Dawson & Kass, 2005). Therefore, a qualitative approach to exploring past cross-cultural studies’ researchers’ and participants’ views was needed to gain an in-depth and clearer understanding of these ethical issues, as well as what appropriate measures need to be taken to improve the current informed consent process as it pertains to cross-cultural human research. Seventeen in-depth case study interviews were collected that offered insight on the ethical issues that exist surrounding the informed consent process. A thematic analysis was conducted and the findings organized into two broad sections. Findings such as trust, cultural orientation, and cross-gender interactions are discussed further in Chapter V leading to recommendations that could be made at the individual as well as national levels of the Institutional Review Board in an effort to help lessen the ethical dilemmas that occur in cross-cultural research studies. Implications of the findings from this study are in the areas of the researcher understanding how to gain true consent from participants in a culturally responsive manner and how cultural orientation fits into the practice of cultural humility. Culturally complex research practices such as those mentioned in this study are all aspects that a cultural competent researcher should apply to their own research practice. Such aspects can help contribute constructive and critical knowledge for a greater cause. The findings and recommendations from this research, as well as similar research studies that examine the cultural complexities that exists, can help to further cultural responsive research practices. Keywords: consent form process, cross-cultural ethics, cultural awareness, cultural complex research, cultural humility, cultural orientation, cultural responsiveness, ethics in social science, IRB, reflexivity, trust