CITI 5 Research with Prisoners Practice Test Prep & Study Guide

The scenario involving a faculty member making identifiable data about sexual behavior available to graduate students illustrates both a breach of confidentiality and a violation of subjects' privacy because it involves sharing specific individual information that can be linked to identifiable persons without their consent. This practice undermines the trust that participants place in researchers regarding the protection of their personal information.

When identifiable data is disclosed, it goes against ethical guidelines that prioritize confidentiality and privacy—essential elements of research ethics, especially when dealing with sensitive information. The subjects have a right to expect that their personal data will be handled with care and will not be disclosed to individuals who are not authorized or who do not have a legitimate need to know. As a result, this choice correctly highlights both ethical violations.

In contrast, the other scenarios, while potentially problematic in different ways, do not constitute a breach of confidentiality and a violation of privacy to the same extent. For instance, sharing group data analysis results typically aggregates information in a way that does not allow for identification of individual subjects, thereby respecting both confidentiality and privacy. Similarly, sharing data only among researchers in the field may adhere to strict ethical guidelines, assuming there are appropriate protections in place to maintain confidentiality. Discussing client information in a public forum by a therapist does