The "Vulnerability" of Psychiatric Research Participants: Why This Research Ethics Concept Needs to Be Revisited

The concept of vulnerability arose to protect those deemed susceptible to being harmed or exploited in research. The application of this concept in psychiatric research seems tohave narrowed to a view that equates vulnerability with compromised decisional capacity and understand it as an intrinsic characteristic of research participants. In the absence of evidence about outcomes and participants experiences, research ethics oversight may nurture an overprotective approach. Revisiting the pivotal concept of vulnerability and supporting concrete changes in the governance of research ethics is an essential component of a new approach that has the potential to significantly and positively affect the participation of psychiatric participants in research. © The Author(s) 2016.