Ethical Considerations in Therapy Research

Abstract

Therapists are under increasing pressure to conduct research within their field of therapeutic practice in order to contribute to evidence-based practice. A perceived lack of therapy research has prompted a huge amount of literature on research methodologies. However, comparatively little has been written about how to ensure that these methodologies are ethically employed. Ensuring that a research project is ethical is a huge responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. This article highlights the ethical issues that a therapy researcher may need to consider and outlines the process and practicalities of how these issues may be addressed.