Researchers’ Experiences With Gatekeepers: Recruitment in Developmental Disability Research

Individuals with developmental disabilities are underrepresented in research, partly due to recruitment-related challenges encountered by researchers. Gatekeepers—family, support providers, and professionals with whom researchers must liaise—can influence researchers’ access to participants. Using surveys (n = 28) and interviews (n = 14), we explored researchers’ experiences with gatekeepers and their strategies for navigating them. Researchers perceived some gatekeepers as supportive when they trust and value research, and others as barriers due to attitudes, resource constraints, and institutional factors. Strategies reported as effective included relationship building, emphasizing benefits, reducing participation burden, and direct recruitment when possible. Researchers’ perceptions highlight the complexities of access and inclusion in research and the importance of collaborating with gatekeepers to promote more equitable research participation.