Department of Psychology

Human Research Ethics Committee

Department of Psychology, Jagannath University

9-10, Chittaranjan Avenue, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh

Tell: +8802223353791, Email: ethicscommittee.psy.jnu@gmail.com

Guidelines

Human research ethics committee (HREC)

HREC is an independent research-based entity monitored by the department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The committee was established in 2021 upon the agreement of the academic committee of the Department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka. The committee consists of 3 senior faculties (preferably professors) of the Department of Psychology, Jagannath University. The committee will be formed for 3 years tenure. The academic committee of the department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, should approve the new committee. The committee will hold the right to alter the guidelines for the ethics committee with reasonable conditions and should inform about the changes to the academic committee of the Department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka.

Responsibilities of HREC

  1. Review human-based research proposals and give feedback and advice, on the ethical standards of research design, methods, and implications of the study for the betterment of academia and the country.
  2. The committee will review all kinds of psychological research conducted for academic and non-academic purposes.
  3. The committee will review religious, cultural or social sensitivity of the submitted proposal.
  4. The committee will monitor and query, if needed, the progress of the approved project.
  5. This committee has full rights to disapprove and withdraw approval of the research project under reasonable circumstances.
  6. The ethics committee has the right to monitor and audit the approved project at any time.
  7. The committee will keep a record of the projects applied for approval, approved and disapproved projects.
  8. The committee will address any justified query about the approved/disapproved project from the authority/government/journals. 

Objectives of the ethical approval

  • To secure the rights, dignitiy, safety, physical and psychological wellbeing of the research participants
  • To protect the rights, safety, and physical and psychological well-being of the research team.
  • To minimize potential threats that may arise due to negligence of the researchers and/or organization.
  • To guide the researchers in developing an ethically comprehensive research design.
  • To provide evidence of ethical approval in refereed journals

 Research requires ethical approval if it involves

  • Human participants
  • Any primary research
  • Accessing personnel and confidential data

Who can apply for the ethical approval

  • Any academic and non-academic research institutions
  • National and international research organizations

How to apply

  • The primary investigator will submit the proposal with required documents in the HREC approved format.
  • The applicant should pay fees while submitting the proposal
  • The review would take up to 1 month to approve
  • The committee will contact the applicant with queries once the review is done.
  • The applicant should respond to the queries within the given time.
  • The proposal would get approval upon a satisfactory response from the applicant.
  • The committee would come up with queries multiple times and the applicant should respond accordingly.
  • Any amendments to the approved project should be notified to the committee and amended approval will require additional fees.
  • The approved project will get a registration number that should be mentioned during dissemination and publication.

Required fees for review

The following fees should be paid. Noted that the fees would be changed upon the decision of the HREC.

Types

Fees (BDT)

Academic (student) project

500

Academic project (non-funded)

1000

Academic project (funded)

1% of approved fund

Non-academic project (funded)

1% of approved fund

Cost distribution

  • 20% of the given fees will be deposited to the fund of the Department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka.
  • 80% of the fees will be spent on the rumination of the review committee members. 

 

Application for Human Research Ethical Clearance

Department of Psychology, Jagannath University

9-10, Chittaranjan Avenue, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh

Tell: +8802223353791, Email: ethicscommittee.psy.jnu@gmail.com

This form should be clearly completed in the typed script by the candidate/Principal Investigator(s) seeking ethical approval for the research project involving human participants. For academic purposes, the research proposal should be approved by the respected supervisor(s) before submitting it to the ethical review committee.

Applicant should not commence the research activities (such as data collection, focus group discussion and judge evaluation) without ethical clearance. The application will not be considered for ethical clearance if any research activities have proceeded before being applied for ethical approval. Nonetheless, the approved research should not be continued after the approval expires.

Please note that an incomplete application will not be considered for review. The required documents should be mentioned clearly at the respected place and appended to the application. The application should be revised or amended if any query arises and resubmitted to the review committee. Therefore, the applicant should keep sufficient time before applying since the process would take several weeks to complete.

Please submit the complete form along with all required documents to the Department of Psychology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, or email the documents to ethicscommittee.psy.jnu@gmail.com.  

To get the softcopy of application form, email to: ethicscommittee.psy.jnu@gmail.com.  

Section 1: Personal details

1.1

Principal Investigator/

Applicant

Name:Click or tap here to enter text.

Designation: Click or tap here to enter text.

Affiliation:Click or tap here to enter text.

Address:Click or tap here to enter text.

Cell:Click or tap here to enter text.

Email:Click or tap here to enter text.

1.2

Co-Investigator (1)

(if any)

Name:Click or tap here to enter text.

Designation: Click or tap here to enter text.

Affiliation:Click or tap here to enter text.

Address:Click or tap here to enter text.

Cell:Click or tap here to enter text.

Email:Click or tap here to enter text.

 

Co-Investigator (2)

(if any)

Name:Click or tap here to enter text.

Designation: Click or tap here to enter text.

Affiliation:Click or tap here to enter text.

Address:Click or tap here to enter text.

Cell:Click or tap here to enter text.

Email:Click or tap here to enter text.

 

Other co-investigators (if any)

Click or tap here to enter text.

 

 

1.3

Supervisor

(if the applicant is a student)

Name:Click or tap here to enter text.

Designation:Click or tap here to enter text.

Affiliation:Click or tap here to enter text.

Address:Click or tap here to enter text.

Cell:Click or tap here to enter text.

Email:Click or tap here to enter text.

Section 2: Project details

2.1

Project title

Click or tap here to enter text.

2.2

Type of research

Academic research: ☐Honors    ☐ Masters   ☐ MPhil     ☐ PhD

Independent research: ☐ Faculty member      ☐ External

2.3

Funding

    ☐No   

    ☐Yes (specify)Click or tap here to enter text.                          

   Attach a copy of the letter

2.4

Other ethical approval

   ☐ No

   ☐Yes (specify)Click or tap here to enter text.                                 Attach a copy of the letter

2.5

Proposed start/end date

Start (dd/mm/yy)                                  End (dd/mm/yy)

Click or tap to enter a date.                   Click or tap to enter a date.

2.6

Abstract (max 250 words)

Click or tap here to enter text.

2.7

Method

 ☐Survey             ☐Intervention             ☐Experimentation

 ☐Secondary data     ☐Others: (define) Click or tap here to enter text.

2.8

Study setting

Click or tap here to enter text.

2.9

Population

Click or tap here to enter text.        

Age range:Click or tap here to enter text.

Sample size: Click or tap here to enter text.               

Participant selection (steps of participants selection and recruitment): Click or tap here to enter text.

2.10

Participant group (detail different participant groups involved in your research)

Group 1: Click or tap here to enter text.

    Age range (N):Click or tap here to enter text.

    Required activity:Click or tap here to enter text.

 

Group 2 (if any): Click or tap here to enter text.

    Age range (N):Click or tap here to enter text.

    Required activity:Click or tap here to enter text.

 

Group 3 (if any): Click or tap here to enter text.

    Age range (N):Click or tap here to enter text.

    Required activity:Click or tap here to enter text.

 

Group 4 (if any): Click or tap here to enter text.

    Age range (N):Click or tap here to enter text.

    Required activity:Click or tap here to enter text.

 

2.11

 

 

Section 3: Sensitive participants details: (please put cross if YES and provide additional details where necessary. You can choose multiple categories)

 

Participant group

Additional details

Children (18 years or below)

Click or tap here to enter text.

Participants whose ability to give informed consent may be impaired (e.g., intellectual disability, severe psychiatric illness, impaired insight, dementia etc)

Click or tap here to enter text.

Participants with impaired capacity of communication

Click or tap here to enter text.

Participants considered to be a forensic patients or prisoners, on parole or bail

Click or tap here to enter text.

Military personnel in security services

Click or tap here to enter text.

Vulnerable community (e.g., refugee, pregnant women, tribal etc)

Click or tap here to enter text.

Other: (define)

Click or tap here to enter text.

Section 4: Sensitive activity: (please put cross if YES and provide additional details where necessary. You can choose multiple categories)

 

The research will involve

Additional details

participants unaware of specific study activities, or covert observation

Click or tap here to enter text.

Examining potentially sensitive issues

Click or tap here to enter text.

Examining illegal activities

Click or tap here to enter text.

Seeking disclosure of information which may be prejudicial/shameful/upsetting/ traumatic to participants

Click or tap here to enter text.

 ☐

Asking the participants to engage in potentially harmful/hazardous actions or cause them to experience shame, regret or embarrassment

Click or tap here to enter text.

Other: (define)

Click or tap here to enter text.

Section 5: Participants’ consents and rights of withdrawal (Please detail how the consent will be taken and what rights they can exercise during participation. Kindly include additional details of participants who are unable to give consent for themselves). Please attach explanatory statement and consent forms.

Click or tap here to enter text.

Section 6: Additional details regarding participation

6.1

Will you be offering reimbursement of any kind to participants? Please specify in details (include what, why, how, amount etc).

    ☐Yes

    ☐ No

Specify: Click or tap here to enter text.

6.2

Where will the data be collected? If not known, please provide suggested locations.

   ☐Yes

   ☐ No

Specify:Click or tap here to enter text.

6.3

Will all participants, including organizations, be fully informed about the true nature of the research?

   ☐ Yes

   ☐ No

Specify if No: Click or tap here to enter text.

6.4

Who will collect data?

6.5

Will any dependent or unequal relationship exist between the

participants and anyone involved in data collection or

recruitment?

    ☐ Yes

    ☐ No

 

Specify: Click or tap here to enter text.

       

Section 7: Data collection method and procedure

Method

Please complete as specified

Additional documents/information required

Questionnaire or survey

☐Fully identifiable (name on it)

☐Potentially identifiable (coded)

☐Anonymous (can never be identified)

1.     Attach questionnaire(s) /survey(s)

2.     Please specify how the survey will be returned to you

Click or tap here to enter text.

Interviews

☐In-depth

☐Semi-structured

☐Unstructured

☐Audio recording

☐Video recording

Attach interview questions or list of topics

 

Focus groups

☐In-depth

☐Semi-structured

☐Unstructured

☐Audio recording

☐Video recording

Attach focus group questions or list of topics

 

Observations

☐Informed participants

☐Uninformed participants

☐Audio recording

☐Video recording

Provide justification if without knowledge of participants

Click or tap here to enter text.

Photography or videography

☐Informed participants

☐Uninformed participants

☐Photograph

☐Video

Provide justification if without knowledge of participants

Click or tap here to enter text.

Responses to tasks, stimuli or simulations

 

Attach copies or description of tasks

Psychology inventory and tests

☐Mental state

☐Diagnostic

☐Aptitude/Ability test

Provision of test report?

☐No

☐Yes, some tests

☐Yes, all tests

1.     Attach details on inventories

2.     Justify if test report will not be provided to participants

Click or tap here to enter text.

Online survey

☐Recording IP address

☐Recording of only time stamp

1.     Attach screenshots/ print-out of the text will be on the screen

2.     Please specify how the survey will be returned to you

Click or tap here to enter text.

Secondary data

Type of data: Click or tap here to enter text.

Source of data: Click or tap here to enter text.

Other

Specify: Click or tap here to enter text.

         

Section 8: Risk and risk management

8.1

How will information about the test/assessment results be communicated to participants and/or parents and guardians?

Click or tap here to enter text.

8.2

What arrangements will be in place to deal with participants’ distress in case of adverse test results?

Click or tap here to enter text.

8.3

Where are you referring the participants with adverse psychological conditions? Please provide contact details.

Click or tap here to enter text.

8.4

Describe any form of physical/psychological risk, inconvenience or discomfort associated with participation in this project.

 Click or tap here to enter text.

8.5

Outline the arrangements planned to minimize the risks involved in these procedure

Click or tap here to enter text.

8.6

Are there any risks for the researchers? Please outline the strategies you have in place to reduce the risk.

Click or tap here to enter text.

Section 9: Data storage and management

9.1

Where and how will you keep hard copies and soft data?

 

9.2

Who can access the data? How will the data be shared, if required?

 

9.3

How the data will be disposed and when? Please give specific information (e.g., shredding of documents, incineration of videos, CDs, DVDs and information on clouds/other devices)

 

9.4

How will the findings be disseminated? To whom? How anonymity/confidentiality be protected in the dissemination of the findings?

 

Section 10: Conflict of interest

10.1

Is this research supported by funding that is likely to inform or impact, in any way, the design/outcome of the research?

☐Yes

☐ No

If yes, please justify

Click or tap here to enter text.

10.2

Has any organization/company participating in the research or funding the project, imposed any conditions on the research

☐Yes

☐ No

If yes, please justify

Click or tap here to enter text.

 

DECLARATIONS AND SIGNATURE

☐I/we accept responsibility for conducting the research detailed above following general human research ethics and ethical standards in the psychology discipline.

☐I/we undertake to conduct this research project by the protocols and procedures as approved by the Department of Psychology ethics committee.

☐I/we undertake to conduct this research per relevant legislation and regulations.

☐If any changes to the protocol are proposed after the approval is obtained, I/we will communicate with the ethics committee to request an amendment. 

 

Signing of declaration

 

Principle Investigator:

 

Click or tap here to enter text.                                                                                      Click or tap to enter a date.

Name in print                                                       Signature                                                         Date signed                                            

                                                                                           

Co-investigator (1):

 

Click or tap here to enter text.                                                                                      Click or tap to enter a date.

Name in print                                                       Signature                                                         Date signed    

                                                            

Approval by supervisor (for academic project)

 

Click or tap here to enter text.                                                                                      Click or tap to enter a date.

Name in print                                                       Signature                                                         Date signed 

 

CHECKLIST OF ATTACHMENTS

(Please mark only the sections that are relevant to your project)

Cover letter to the head of the ethics committee

Letter of funding

Letter from the external ethics committee

Consent form(s)

Explanatory statement(s)

Questionnaire/survey

Details on tests/inventories/scales

Documents for online survey

Others:   Click or tap here to enter text.

 

Projects

Major Projects/ Research Projects/Grant Received

  1. The Department of Psychology, Jagannath University has successfully implemented Advanced Teaching-Learning in Psychology (ATLP)- A HEQEP (2011–12, 2017-2018) Sub-Project under University Grant Commission (UGC) & World Bank, Dhaka, Bangladesh (A Sub-Project of Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP), Funded by World Bank-IDA-UGC BANGLADESH.
  2. Source Identification of Environmental Noise in Relation to the Psycho-physical Health of Dhaka City (2009-2010). Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology (MSICT), The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh.
  3. Learning Situation in relation to the Environmental Noise in the Jagannath University Campus (2009-2010). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  4. Per-capita Pollution Measurement of Environmental Noise for Dhaka City (2010-2011). Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology, The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. 
  5. A Comparative Study of Financing Higher Education at Public and Private Universities (2010-2011). Foundation for Research on Educational Planning and Development (FREPD), Dhaka, Bangladesh. 
  6. Mental Health Measurement in Relation to the Academic Performance of the    Students of Jagannath University (2011-2012). University Grant Commission (UGC) Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  7. Vertical Effects of Traffic Noise on Mental Health in the High-Rise Building (2009–10). University Grant Commission (UGC) Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  8. Academic Performance in Relation to the Psychosocial Health of the Students of Jagannath University (2013–14). Jagannth University Development Project, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  9. “Assessment of Human and Social Security Status of Readymade Garments Workers in Bangladesh (2013-2014).” Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (MSICT). The People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
  10. “Assessment of Human and Social Security Status of Readymade Garments Workers in Bangladesh (2015-2016).” Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (MSICT). The People’s Republic of Bangladesh. (Ongoing).
  11. “Mental Health Status of Eve-Teased Girls between Pre-Post Counseling Sessions (Second Phase) (2012-2013).” Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (MSICT). The People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
  12. “Mental Health Status of Eve-Teased Girls between Pre-Post Counseling Sessions. (First Phase) (2011-2012).” Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (MSICT). The People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
  13. Project on “Prevalence and Attitudes Towards Tobacco Smoking in Rural Bangladesh” (2011-2012). Funded by University Grants Commission (UGC), Bangladesh.
  14. Psychological Poverty among the Daily Wage labor of Bangladesh. 2009-2010, Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology. The People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
  15. Promoting Intrinsic Religiosity for Health Democratic Life. 2010-2011. Jagannath University, Dhaka, University Grant Commission (UGC) Funded, Agargaon, Dhaka.
  16. Job Satisfaction and Job Performance with the Big Five Personality Factors. 2011-2012. Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (MSICT). The People’s Republic of Bangladesh