Ethical issues in youth surveys: potentials for conducting a national questionnaire study on adolescent schoolchildren's sexual experiences with adults.

Abstract

We evaluated ethical constraints concerning youth surveys on child sexual abuse (CSA). We reviewed internationally published studies and Danish regulations concerning school-based surveys conducted without active parental consent. Ethical constraints concerning participants in youth community studies have been scantily assessed. Danish legislation accords minors the right to be heard on issues concerning themselves. The anticipated societal benefits of children's participation in community studies justify conducting anonymous surveys among schoolchildren based upon their own informed consent. No ethical or legal objections were found to conducting an anonymous survey in Denmark on CSA among 9th-grade pupils without parental consent, provided that the survey was accompanied by an offer of counseling.