Applying ethical standards to research and evaluations involving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations

Martin, W. Meezan

This manuscript examines the application of ethical standards to research on LGBT populations and the evaluation of programs and practices that impact them. It uses social work_s Code of Ethics (National Association of Social Workers, 1996) and psychology_s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (American Psychological Association, 1992) to examine specific ethical issues as they pertain to research involving LGBT populations. It notes that when conducting studies with these populations, researchers may need to take additional measures to protect participants from harm and to ensure the relevance and usefulness of their findings. In addition, heterosexist and genderist biases are examined as ethical issues, as is the tension between scientific objectivity and values in research involving LGBT populations.[Copies are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Center. The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA]