When a therapist proposes using data from children in a study, what concern about parental permission arises?

When a therapist proposes using data from children in a study, the concern about parental permission centers around the notion that parents might feel pressure to consent to the use of their children's data. This pressure can emerge from various sources, such as the authority of the therapist, the perceived importance of the research, or societal expectations. Parents may feel obligated to agree to the use of their children's data to support the educational, medical, or psychological advancements that such research aims to achieve. This concern highlights the ethical responsibility of researchers to ensure that consent is given freely without any coercion or undue influence. This is particularly relevant when working with vulnerable populations, such as children, and underscores the need for informed and voluntary consent processes.

The other options may reflect potential concerns parents could have, such as misunderstanding the research purpose or disagreeing with the methods. However, they do not capture the ethical implications of consent in quite the same way. Notably, the assertion that parents would always refuse permission is extreme and not reflective of real-world scenarios, as many parents do consent to their children’s participation when they feel informed and comfortable with the research.