Toward a model of purposeful participant inclusion: examining deselection as a participant risk

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore purposive approaches to participant selection and to consider how deselecting qualified participants from research studies, particularly in studies of identity, may cause psychological harm. Design/methodology/approach – Within a framework of social identity theory, the paper reviews current approaches to participant selection in the purposive paradigm and uses examples from a case study to illustrate how research participants may be impacted by researcher decisions to include or deselect an individual from participation. Findings – Understanding the importance of belonging and validation on an individual's self-concept, threatening or challenging an individual's identity through the deselection process may present a tangible participant risk. Research limitations/implications – Though many methodologists cite the benefits of participating in narrative studies, if there is a tangible benefit in inclusion, there may conversely be a considerable harm in exclusion. Thusly, in cases of research exploring identity, particularly of marginalized populations, the researcher and ethics committee should examine the selection process itself as a potential participant risk. Originality/value – Though the ethics review seeks to ensure participant safety, it focusses on ongoing threats for the selected individuals, and does not generally consider psychological impacts of the selection process itself on would-be participants who are screened out of the pool. The paper examines the evaluative process of participant selection and posits that it must be scrutinized as a potential participant risk.