HomeBank

Consent Form Explanation

Many researchers’ institutions require that parent permission be obtained before a child’s audio data can be shared with those other than immediate project personnel. Most researchers treat this separately from their main study consent form, called a “media release form”, an “audio/video release form”, a “consent for use of data form”, a “database permissions form” or similar.

In order for data to be contributed to HomeBank, the permission form will usually need to include:

• The option to include data in a public repository (provided last names and highly private episodes are removed).
• The option to include data in a password-protected repository for use by researchers who have demonstrated human research ethics training and signed a commitment not to redistribute the data.

We also recommend including a statement that while sharing their data more broadly increases the risks to their privacy, it increases the value of their data to the scientific community and increases the likelihood of public benefit.

Here is an example of a consent form that you may use, modifying as you and your institution see fit. A version in Spanish is available here

If you have data from a previous study that you wish to share, it may be possible to seek permission from participants retrospectively. It is also possible that data or media sharing permission obtained as part of your existing consent form, even if it was not designed specifically with HomeBank in mind, will suffice.

Questions about obtaining participant consent to contribute data to HomeBank can be emailed to 4homebank@gmail.com.