Ethical Considerations in Mental Health Research with Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities

Mental health researchers are now expected to include racial and ethnic diversity in their study samples. These studies meet ethics requirements, but the tendency to focus on deontological ethical objectives has not been sufficient to ensure ethical or equitable outcomes for research participants. To ensure these outcomes, we need to emphasize utilitarian ethical principles that take into account the historical and contemporary processes that have promoted negative outcomes for racial and ethnic minority participants in research. Suggestions are made for how both deontological and utilitarian ethical concerns regarding respect, beneficence and justice can be addressed within a broadened research ethic.