FiZ – Initiative for improved access to research for children and adolescents
Our FiZ initiative is dedicated to improving access to research participation for children, adolescents, and their caregivers. We aim to create structures, tools, and environments that make it easier, and more engaging for young people to take part in scientific studies. By reducing barriers and promoting inclusion, we strive to ensure that research findings truly reflect the needs and experiences of younger populations. We develop age-appropriate approaches to inform children, adolescents, and their caregivers about research opportunities, rights, and procedures. Transparent communication, clear explanations, and child-friendly materials help build trust and empower young participants to make informed decisions. By strengthening accessibility and promoting meaningful participation, the FIZ initiative contributes to more representative and reliable research outcomes. Improved access enables researchers to reach diverse and previously underrepresented groups of children and adolescents, leading to richer datasets, more accurate insights, and greater scientific validity.
Current members of the research group
This statement paper describes the challenges of research participation and data access in child and adolescent mental health, particularly in light of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It describes how bureaucratic barriers and legal uncertainties in Germany have complicated research efforts in clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Psychotherapy. It shows how the strict enforcement of the GDPR hinders research development despite the recognized need to protect the rights of minors and their data. By providing additional protections for children and adolescents, this approach currently excludes many children and adolescents from psychological research. This statement paper analyzes the complexity of these impediments from a researcher’s perspective and identifies the critical points at which data protection regulations disproportionately constrain research activities. The paper concludes by proposing initial strategies to simplify research processes, facilitate research participation, and allow children and adolescents with mental disorders and their families access to scientific investigations, thus advancing psychological research in this crucial area.
Obtaining informed consent is a fundamental responsibility of researchers working with human participants. In clinical child and adolescent psychology, inadequate consent procedures can lead to ethical concerns. While parental consent is typically required, there is growing recognition that children and adolescents should also provide their own informed consent whenever possible. However, existing consent materials are often not tailored to their cognitive and developmental levels, limiting their ability to fully understand the implications of participation. This study aims to develop a video-based method for obtaining informed consent from children and adolescents in psychological research. Building on standard text-based consent forms, we will incorporate insights from focus groups with children and adolescents to create an engaging and age-appropriate video. The impact of this video will be evaluated by comparing its feasibility and comprehensibility to that of traditional consent forms. By offering a more accessible approach to informed consent, this research seeks to enhance ethical standards in psychological studies and reduce participation barriers for families with lower educational backgrounds.
Link to pre-registration: https://osf.io/u9etd