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Running head: ETHICAL STANDARDS IN RESEARCH 1

ETHICAL STANDARDS IN RESEARCH 4

Ethical Standards in Research

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Ethical Standards in Research

The research question was to discover if Reiki is an alternative method of healing amongst patients with physical and emotional disorders. The research will be based on the principles applied by Reiki masters and practitioner of initiating the natural healing process through the channeling life energy by laying their hands of the patient or hovering around them to activate the process. The research participants were subjected to observations and survey to assist in data collection in enhancing the objectives of study in both clinical and nonclinical settling. In the collection of data, various ethical considerations were taken into account to enhance the reliability and validity of the outcomes (Salkind, 2012). The involvement of non-experimental research designs assisted in the accomplishment of most of the ethical standards since human life exploitation was limited as in the case of experimental studies.

The research observed issues of informed consent by allowing the participants of the study to be knowingly and voluntarily declare their state for involvement in the study. The potential participants were randomly selected from the targeted group after willing submitting that they were ready to give out their best in the study as a manifestation of their consent. The approach enhances the protection of the participant’s right to autonomy through self-determination. For the research, free and informed consent was vital in the research as it allows for the incorporation of the subjects in the study by demonstrating the possible physical harm or discomfort that might be encountered in the study in addition to the intrusion of privacy. The study had approval from the concerned authorities, parents, and guardians for the participation of the subjects in the study.

The research ensured that the information given by the participants is protected. Such ethical consideration indicates the respect of anonymity and confidentiality of the participants. The realization of confidence amongst the study respondents is directly associated with beneficence and fidelity. The study maintained that the personal responses were not linked to the identity of the subjects to show how well the private information was going to be managed. Confidentiality also enables the participant to open up and give more details on the study without hesitation.

The research has to maintain the principle of beneficence since the participants involved in the study had some point been subjected to Reiki healing processes. The research facilitator ad to ensure no harm is impacted on the study group despite the challenges of predicting the possibility of encountering physical or psychological discomfort in the process. However, whenever study findings suggest a possible harm to the subjects, the research will pose a significant ethical consideration most for the facilitator taking them through the process. The facilitator should be kept and review the study question to ensure that they can facilitate the opening of old would that might cause harm or discomfort to the participants. In such a consideration, the risks to be encountered in the research should not be higher than the possible benefits to maintain the ethical standards. After the completion of the observations and surveys, debriefing should be done to allow the subjects express their feelings on the exercise, which helps in identifying possible discomfort during the study.

References

Salkind, N. J. (2012). 100 questions (and answers) about research methods. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.