Facilitating Research Participation: How Researchers Support People With Communication Support Needs to Decide to Participate

Background Evidence is needed about the practicalities of how researchers support people with intellectual disabilities and communication support needs to facilitate their choice to participate in research. What are the elements of effective support from researchers that build on trusted relationships between the person and supporters for that decision? Method The article applies an analytical framework about effective support for decision making to qualitative data about researchers' support for choices to participate in three ethnographic case studies. Results The analysis found researchers became supporters in the person's decision making by directly supporting the person and engaging with their supporters in ways that prioritised the person's rights. Conclusion The analysis extends the framework by finding that when researchers position themselves as supporters, they can leverage trusted relationships and demonstrate to facilitate the person's right to choose whether to participate in research, representing a methodological and ethical advance for inclusive research practice.