Presenting a Virtual Research Model in Helping Professions Based on Ethical Standards

Accessing the right sample and engaging the participant in research collaboratively in helping professions that deals with individuals’ deeper issues is a sensitive subject. Qualitative psychologists are therefore increasingly using the internet as a medium for interviewing. The purpose of this study is to present a model of virtual research in helping professions based on ethical standards. The research method was qualitative and content analysis. The study population consisted of literature on research ethics and articles written on cyberspace research and the sample included articles published over the past 20 years. The analysis continued until data saturation and then combining the themes, the ethical model of virtual research presented based on seven components: preparing the researcher (fostering a positive attitude to virtual research, recognizing instant messaging capabilities, preparing questions, inviting participants, setting time), Teaching the interviewer the research procedures (text interviewing and its features, simultaneous interviewing for spontaneity, reviewing participants responses when writing their next response), Establishing rapport (expressing goals, principles of confidentiality, obtaining informed consent), providing basic information to participants (expressing goals and rights, how to deal with unpleasant emotions, emphasizing confidentiality), teaching procedures to participants (emphasizing Simultaneous interviewing, emphasizing volunteering Interviewing, non-imposing), recording and storing data (transferring the conversation to a Word file, editing the file, re-reading it), and research reporting (inserting a password for conversations, changing the participant's identity information before the final report). Following the ethical standards mentioned above, virtual research is a useful and cost-effective way in helping professions.