Ethics application

[idonthaveanyplans]

I'm in my final year at uni. My dissertation research was going to be the experiences of COVID-19 lockdown on individuals with alcohol use disorder in the UK.

I was planning on interviewing around 5-10 people with AUD and was planning on recruiting them through a platform that helped me when I first became sober (2 years sober now).

I have spent and excruciating amount of time on the ethics application and my supervisor said it's great but unlikely to be approved. She said number 1, it's really hard to get undergraduate research approved and number 2, very unlikely on my first attempt. And considering my dissertation is due in April, I won't have enough time to keep re-submitting.

Just looking for other experiences of this, has anyone had their undergraduate ethics application passed on the first attempt? The waiting is killing me cause I really don't know what I'll do if is not approved, I've planned it like this from 2nd year.

Should add I have had letters of support provided by the recruitment platform I plan on using as well as a strong letter of support from my supervisor who stated I was the most committed of her students this year.

I had mine approved just before Christmas.
Why does your supervisor think it won't be approved ? And if they don't think it will be approved why have they let you go ahead with it?

Is this an application to University ethics or NHS ethics?

@Wishineverchangedmyname thank you for posting. No she said it's very good, we have went back and forth since September, strengthening it and making changes. I have made comment about the things you mentioned in your comment. For instance, I have created help sheets for all participants with extra support should they feel triggered. I have also wrote about how I will deal with my own emotions during the research process. We have went through everything with a fine tooth comb, there really isn't anything I could add to it. However, she just keeps saying 'I'll be really disappointed if this isn't approved as you've worked so hard but it's very unlikely due to you being an undergraduate' 😧 and it's ruined my Xmas break tbh because I just keep thinking of what else I can do and can't come up with much.

@Boogera

Is this an application to University ethics or NHS ethics?

University ethics application

I just know from my own experience that if my supervisor thought it was unlikely to be approved that he wouldn't have let me do it the first place. I originally wanted to work with children as my participants but after a chat with my supervisor he advised me that it was unlikely to be approved, or not easily approved so we adapted my original theme so I could use parents as the participants.
Is their reasoning for the likely non-approval because it's vulnerable participants?

@Wishineverchangedmyname

I just know from my own experience that if my supervisor thought it was unlikely to be approved that he wouldn't have let me do it the first place. I originally wanted to work with children as my participants but after a chat with my supervisor he advised me that it was unlikely to be approved, or not easily approved so we adapted my original theme so I could use parents as the participants. Is their reasoning for the likely non-approval because it's vulnerable participants?

Well obviously it includes vulnerable participants but that doesn't seem to be the main reason. She just keeps saying it's unheard of to get undergraduate research approved especially on first try and we don't have enough time.

What's your undergraduate degree in? (If you don't mind me asking)
Although I had to add a couple of changes to my application it was fairly simple.
I'm wondering if our degrees are really different hence the difference in the process.
I'm doing psychology, for it to be BPS accredited we all have to do a independent research project, either in qualitative or quantitative research which has to gain ethical approval from the university.

Undergrad degree is in politics, society and social policy

As part of that degree is it unusual for research to be conducted at all for your dissertation? I'm just asking because you said your supervisor said it's unusual for undergraduates to gain ethical approval.
I think all you can do for now is just sit tight until you get your answer, know that easier said than done though.
Maybe while you're waiting start thinking of a back up plan just in case.
It sounds like you've done everything right though.

I'm supervising UG students who are doing primary data collection, but their topics are a bit less sensitive.
I advise them to include interview questions with the application, and to make it really clear to the ethics board exactly what you're doing to do.

But also, they would expect to have some comments and to have to make a few changes.
If you're able to finish data collection and transcription by the end of February, you will likely have enough time to write up.
It shouldn't be catastrophic to have a few corrections to make.

We have small numbers of UGs doing dissertations and large numbers of taught postgrads. Straightforward student ethics forms are now approved at Faculty rather than University level and it's a lot less hassle (RG University). I've sat on ethics panels in the past and some can be so petty (though there's usually a few experienced researchers who try to get things through). But in all fairness if the panels have literally never let an UG application through then the University needs to rethink its systems. This really isn't fair on anyone. Good luck OP I hope it gets through