Ethical Issues in Family Research: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Knowledge about research ethics approaches used in family research is lacking. This scoping review describes ethical challenges encountered by researchers in published family research literature across the lifespan, key research ethics recommendations for addressing these ethical issues, and evaluates articles using Feetham’s criteria for research of families to make recommendations for the future of family research. A systematic search was conducted using multiple databases published between 2017 and 2025. Articles included research studies, reviews, case studies, discussion pieces, conceptual pieces, commentaries, and editorials. In total, 4,134 articles were identified, and 50 articles met inclusion criteria. Research ethics findings were grouped into six themes: participant vulnerability, justice, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. Proposed solutions to research ethics issues across the evidence were identified, and recommendations were made for the conduct of family research. Findings from this review can inform future family research.