Reactions to Research Participation Questionnaires for Children and Parents (RRPQ and RRPQ-P)

Summary   

These instruments assess the effect of clinical research studies on child and parent participants. They are short questionnaires that may be used as a basis for the ethical conduct of research.

Author/publisher details   

Nancy Kassam-Adams* and Elana Newman

Nancy Kassam-Adams
Center for Injury Research & Prevention
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
3535 Market St., Suite 1150
Philadelphia, PA 19104

E-mail: nlkaphd@mail.med.upenn.edu

Date   

2002

Description   

The Reactions to Research Participation Questionnaire for Children (RRPQ-C) and the Reactions to Research Participation Questionnaire for Parents (RRPQ-P) are 12-item measures designed to provide an empirically informed method for assessing participants' responses to research participation. This might include assessing the risk-benefit balance for participants and improving research methods for wok with young children and their parents.

The questionnaires assess four content areas: the individual's positive appraisals of research participation, negative appraisals of research participation, assessment of informed consent and trust in the research team and understanding of his/her rights as a research participant.

The questionnaires have been administered verbally at the end of an assessment interview or as a pen and paper task. They do not require any specialist training to administer and are fully self explanatory checklists.

Scoring and Psychometrics   

Scoring
The child measure uses a three-point scale (no, maybe, yes) to be appropriate for younger school-aged children and the parent measures use a five-point scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). The four content areas are represented in four factors (Kassam-Adams & Newman, 2002). Kassam-Adams & Newman (2005) divided questions in to two factors; 'positive appraisal' and 'trust/Information'. Scoring details for these are available in the papers.

Psychometrics
Internal consistency coefficients for this measure are modest as it is not measuring a unitary construct with Cronbachs alpha of .62-.69 (child) and .78-.80 in parents. The two factors; 'positive appraisal' and 'trust/Information' also have adequate internal consistency of .63 a =.63 for child and .63 for parent Positive Appraisal score and a =.75 for child and .88 for parent Trust/Information score). Exploratory
factor analyses have provided evidence that the RRPQ-C and RRPQ-P each cover the intended four content areas.

Test-retest reliability has not yet been ascertained. As yet, no boundaries have been suggested with reference to distress reactions measured by this screening tool, and there are few other measures with which to compare the results.

Key/Core References   

Kassam-Adams, N., & Newman, E. (2002). The reactions to research participation questionnaires for children and for parents (RRPQ-C and RRPQ-P). General Hospital Psychiatry, 24, 336-342.

Kassam-Adams, N., & Newman, E. (2005). Child and parent reactions to participation in clinical research. General Hospital Psychiatry, 27, 29- 35.

Further Information   

Contact author for further information
Nancy Kassam-Adams
nlkaphd@mail.med.upenn.edu.au

View manual   

There is no manual for this resource. Questionnaires are self-explanatory.

View tool   

This resource should be used in an ethical and responsible manner and should be used only for the purpose(s) for which it has demonstrable validity. Please observe copyright where indicated and reference it appropriately.

ISTSS Members: Download RRPQ (both C and P Versions)