Ethical fNIRS research extends beyond regulatory approval. Participant comfort, autonomy, respect, trust, and equitable treatment are central to both ethical practice and high-quality data collection.
This stage focuses on participant experience throughout the study, especially during procedures involving physical contact, hair handling, optode placement, and communication about signal quality.
What this stage covers
- Respectful and accessible explanations of study procedures
- Consent before touching hair, head, or equipment
- Participant choice, pacing, breaks, and opportunities to pause
- Framing challenges as methodological rather than participant-specific
- Reducing burden, discomfort, and unnecessary stress
- Respecting cultural and personal significance of hair, head coverings, and physical contact
- Flexible scheduling, transportation support, and alternative settings where possible
- Clear explanations of exclusion criteria and study goals
- Direct and anonymous opportunities for feedback
- Accountability and fairness across participants
Current resources
- Belmont Report, ethical principles for human subjects research: https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/belmont-report/index.html
- Robinson et al. (2022), Black Americans’ experiences in healthcare and research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9652478/
- Harriet Washington, Medical Apartheid: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_Apartheid
- KFF data brief on Black women’s reported experiences in healthcare: https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/what-the-data-show-black-women-report-more-pervasive-negative-experiences-in-health-care-compared-to-other-groups/
Suggested additions
We welcome participant feedback forms, debriefing templates, comfort-check scripts, consent-language examples, resources on culturally respectful fNIRS procedures, guidance on head coverings and physical contact preferences, and additional community-specific resources related to trust, autonomy, and research participation.
Note: The historical and community-specific resources listed here are not intended to define the whole scope of inclusive fNIRS. They are included as examples of context that may shape participant trust and research participation. Additional resources addressing other communities and participant groups are welcome.
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