ABSTRACT
As you plan your instrumentation, you should also consider how to provide protection from psychological harm. Suppose you plan to interview women who recently survived a rape experience. Because the interview may cause trauma, you should inform them in advance of the topic of the interview, obtain their consent, and assure them that they are free to withdraw from the interview at any time without penalty. Some researchers investigating such sensitive matters have even made available psychological counseling on a 24-hour basis for a limited amount of time (such as for a week after the data collection) in order to help participants who were unintentionally harmed by participation in the research.
