Week 5: Update

Hello everyone!  At the moment, this research project is in the works of being approved for ethics compliance, under review by the Ohio University Institutional Review Board (IRB). Because my project intends to survey adolescent dancers between the ages of 12 and 16 as mentioned in previous blog posts and produce generalizable results, IRB approval is crucial as this research would involve not only human subjects but also minors. The IRB recognizes children, defined as people under the age of 18, as being a group of subjects that are “vulnerable to coercion or undue influence”, so extra precautions must be taken when evaluating research projects that may interact with minors.  

For this project, I will be considered a community-engaged co-investigator as I am and have experience as an adolescent competition dancer. Community-engaged co-investigators in research can facilitate learning and understanding how generalizable results obtained through the study can then be best used to address the target population’s concerns, which in this case can include injury prevention and improvement of competition dance culture.  

As we wait to secure IRB approval from Ohio University, I will begin writing a research paper, which will be updated and completed as the project continues. Please look out for any future updates that I may have on this process, which will be shared in this blog as well. Until next week!  

1. Protections (OHRP) O for HR. 45 CFR 46. HHS.gov. Published February 16, 2016. https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/regulations/45-cfr-46/index.html.