Obligation to Report and Normal Controls

There are no clear guidelines addressing whether a duty exists in a research-subject relationship to report child maltreatment and endangerment unveiled in research studies involving normal children. Researchers may have concerns about taking personal and professional risks by reporting suspected injury particularly if the researcher is not adequately trained in the area of abuse. Researchers may have concerns regarding the risk-benefit ratio of reporting, thresholds for reporting, and their own certainty about the information received. Researcher reporting may also be in conflict with ongoing child abuse interventions that are not known to the researcher. Research involving children and child endangerment relies upon children responding accurately to sensitive questions regarding abuse. If not, then data may be inaccurate or incomplete. There may also be obligations to forewarn parents/guardians that such information is being collected and what implications this may have in terms of reporting, intervention and protection.