Should incidental findings be communicated to participants?

According to the Tri-Council Policy: Incidental findings is a term that describes unanticipated discoveries made in the course of research but that are outside the scope of the research. Material incidental findings are findings that have been interpreted as having significant welfare implications for the participant, whether health-related, psychological or social. (p. 34)

Researchers are obligated to disclose any material incidental findings to participants. In some cases, incidental findings may be such that they prompt legal reporting obligations (e.g., law enforcement or child welfare agency). If you are unsure how to disclose incidental information to participants, or do not know if your findings need to be reported to the relevant authorities, please contact ethics@carleton.ca immediately.