Tips, tricks, and skills needed to balance the safety of research participants with productive research.

1. SENSITIVE INTERVIEWS
By Jean Thompson
Considerations and Strategies
for Conducting
University of Guelph - EDRD 6000 - Qualitative Analysis

2. WHAT'S THERE TO WORRY ABOUT?
KeepingYourResearchProductive
Being concerned about the integrity of your data is legitimate if it has
been obtained as a result of good rapport (Daley, 2012). This said,
ensuring accurate data is collected requires building trust with your
participants (Berg, 2007). Striking this balance takes practice and
experience. To start out, consider these tips, tricks, and skills.
Keeping Your Participants Safe
When interviews are about sensitive materials, a somewhat false-bond
may be created as the participant shares more than they intended
because they think the person they're talking to is like them. Being
research, the relationship is likely temporary and the participant may
be confused or disappointed when the relationship ends abruptly after
the session (Daley, 2012). Practice is needed to ensure that the
relationship is honest, and avoids putting the participant in distress.

3. TIPSSensitive Interviews
S A F E & P R O D U C T I V E R E S E A R C H
Be Your Target Group Avoid Distress Watch Out for Knowing
In a study of depression,
men didn't sign-up until a
male researcher began
asking, then they signed-up
in droves! (Olson, 2011)
Researchers who shared
demographic criteria to
possible participants
recruited more women to a
study about breasts
(Olson,2011) .
Participants may avoid
causing themselves distress
by avoiding giving distressing
answers.
Respect that!
Simply listen instead of
probing with "How did that
make you feel?" (Olson, 2011)
A participant who shares
characteristics with the
researcher might be prone
to saying "You know what I
mean."
Avoid saying "I know" to
build rapport.
The researcher runs the risk
of projecting their own bias
on to the work, and could
mislead the participant
(Duncombe & Jessop, 2012).

4. What to Consider
When Preparing
for Research
Researchers often wear many hats, especially
those in helping professions such as nursing, social
work, and medicine. Make sure you establish a
plan with your Research Ethics Board for how to
address situations where a research interview
transitions into therapy. This may necessitate the
removal of a participant from the study (Olson,
2011). Establish the line before you're walking it.
Do you need to
ensure therapeutic
support is available or
on-call during the
interview?
Your consent form should
highlight the sensitivity of the
interview (Olson, 2011).
REMEMBER: Consent is
on-going. Participants can
withdraw at all times (Olson,
2011).

5. Sensitive Interviews
S A F E & P R O D U C T I V E R E S E A R C H
Considering Affect Normalizing Questions Too Many Questions
Your choice of words can
have a serious impact on
results.
"Why?" often elicits a
negative response.
"How come?" can elicit a
positive response (Berg,
2007).
Create questions that allow
the participant to infer that
their behaviour is common.
"Do you masturbate?" could
cause someone to answer
defensively.
"How many times a week
would you say you
masturbate?" suggests
others masturbate too (Berg,
2007).
Too many questions is not a
bad thing.
Plan for questions that don't
add to your research.
These can be used to
redirect the conversation
after something sensitive is
shared that brings up a lot of
emotions (Berg, 2007).
TRICKS

6. "Based on what you have told
me thus far, I have some
additional questions that might
be difficult to discuss. If you
would rather not talk about
them, please let me know,"
(Olson, 2011).
"Thanks for giving
me the heads up
so I have time to
prepare and for
reminding me I do
have control over
this experience,"
(Olson, 2011).
Best Practice
Conversation
Critical
Conversation
"I have a plan to
hurt myself or
others," (Olson,
2011)
"As a researcher in
Canada, I am bound by
law to report both of
those concerns," (Olson,
2011).

7. Sensitive Interviews
S A F E & P R O D U C T I V E R E S E A R C H
Echo Before Your Share Learn the Language Avoid Hierarchy
Building a relationship is
critical, but new interviewers
can come off as inattentive if
they talk about themselves
too much!
Echo what you're hearing,
and when you're more
skilled, find common ground.
Like when domestic violence
researchers alluded to their
own experience of violence
(Berg, 2007).
Brush up on the words and
their meaning used in the
community in which you
work (Berg, 2007).
Researchers conversed
more freely with members of
the MSM (Men who have Sex
with Men) community when
they were fluent in the
specific phrasing (Berg,
2007).
Eliciting responses from
participants by sharing
doesn't just add to your
researched content.
Providing participants
information about yourself
creates less hierarchy and is
a more social just approach
to research (Olson, 2011).
Balance this with the
knowing that ultimately, the
researcher analyzes the data
(Duncombe & Jessop, 2012).
SKILLS

8. Are You Prepared?
Part of being prepared
means you're able to sit
comfortably through tears,
pauses, and emotions
(Olson, 2011).

9. Next Steps
Sensitive Interviews
Be respectful of your power, and the needs of those you are interviewing.
Prepare your study thoroughly, and don't forget to prepare yourself!
Tips, Tricks, and your Skills influence your participants.

10. References
Berg, B. L. (2007). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences.
Boston, MA: Pearson.
Daley, K (2012), Gathering sensitive stories: Using care theory to guide
ethical decision-making in research interviews with young people, Youth
Studies Australia , (31) 3, 27-34.
Duncombe, J., & Jessop, J. (2012). Ethics in qualitative research (T. Miller, Ed.).
London: Sage Publications.
Olson, K. (2011). Essentials of qualitative interviewing. Walnut Creek, CA:
Left Coast Press.