Recruitment and participant communication shape who feels invited, welcome, informed, and able to participate in fNIRS research. Communication should be clear, respectful, and transparent from the first recruitment message through the end of the study visit.
This stage focuses on reducing barriers during recruitment and improving participant-centered communication during study sessions.
What this stage covers
- Clear and inclusive recruitment language
- Transparent eligibility criteria and scientific rationale for exclusions
- Recruitment materials that reflect the intended participant population
- Communication about fNIRS procedures in accessible language
- Avoiding participant-blaming language when signal quality is difficult
- Explaining hair, scalp, and optode-contact issues as technology or measurement limitations
- Checking participant comfort throughout setup and data collection
- Providing opportunities for questions and feedback
Resources
- Accessible study-materials guidance: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12448064/
- Autistica research toolkit, information sheets for autism-inclusive research: https://www.autistica.org.uk/our-research/research-toolkit/info-sheet
Suggested additions
We welcome examples of recruitment flyers, participant information sheets, scripts for explaining fNIRS procedures, and examples of inclusive language for eligibility criteria.
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